Taken from the Football League website... The Football League has distributed a discussion document to its member clubs ahead of its summer conference and AGM next month Clubs are being asked to consider the re-organisation of the domestic league system into five divisions of 20 teams from the 2019/20 season. Under the proposal, The Football League would become a four division competition below the Premier League, including a new League Three, with 100 clubs competing across the professional game. In addition, the League Cup and League Trophy will be retained with the latter potentially having a revised format include a group structure of three games before becoming a knockout competition thereafter. At this point, the Board of The Football League is offering no recommendation other than asking clubs to give the matter their full consideration, taking into account the following: - Football League Clubs should be in a financially no worse, or preferably better, position as a result of any changes; - Promotion to/relegation from the Premier League must be retained at three places; - There would be no relegation out of The Football League in season 2018/19; - Football League Clubs must support the final proposal. The proposal stems from English football’s collective concerns about the fixture calendar and enjoys the 'in principle' support of executives from the Premier League and FA. The Premier League is due to take a report to their Clubs at their summer meeting, while the FA Executive needs to consult with its Board. The congested fixture list remains one of the game’s biggest concerns with insufficient dates available in each season to sensibly accommodate both League and Cup fixtures without significant clashes. The League’s proposal seeks to achieve a new, innovative approach to the fixture calendar and will need ‘whole game’ support as this concern is not unique to The Football League and is shared for differing reasons by both the Premier League and FA. If implemented , the proposal would The number of midweek matches reduce from next season’s nine in the Championship, seven in League One and six in League Two to just one in the Championship, League Two and the new League Three and none in League One in 2019/20. In considering these matters, the football authorities have identified the following objectives: Football League Objectives: - To maximise the number of weekend/Bank Holiday league fixtures; - To remove where practical fixture congestion and scheduling conflicts; - To protect/improve financial distributions/income generation for Football League clubs; - To maintain the Football League Play-Off Finals as the last event of the domestic season. Premier League and FA Priorities: Increasing the prospect of success for Clubs in European competitions; Increasing the prospect of success for England Teams at all levels; Retaining the value and status of the FA Cup Competition; Avoiding a ‘problematic’ fixture clash with UEFA Competitions; To achieve a fixture schedule where the FA Cup Final is played the week after the last round of Premier League fixtures. The Football League believes there are any number of potential benefits for Football League clubs in reducing the number of fixtures, the importance of which will depend on a club’s individual circumstances. In all circumstances clubs should not be disadvantaged by the proposed changes. Benefits include but are not limited to: - The importance of each individual fixture will increase; - Reduced travel costs to four games which are often at a distance; - Midweek travel for fans vastly reduced. - Potential to reduce squad size; - Increased importance of reserve team football; - Enhanced recovery time/match preparation. - Increase in sale of season tickets due to reduction in midweek games; - Increased profile on League One, Two & Three at different stages of the season; - Statistically greater chance of promotion (and relegation); - At least six new Clubs (30%) to play each season. - No relegation out of the Football League in 2018/19; - Different formats for the Football League Trophy available; - Opportunity to standardise promotion/relegation. Any final decisions on this proposal would not need to be made by Football League clubs until their AGM in June 2017 enabling full consultation with clubs and stakeholders, including fans. http://www.football-league.co.uk/ne...ame-solution-3119809.aspx#LO6EgZJgIUPs0tyV.99
So basically what the FL wants is at the end of the 2018/19 season ready for the 2019/20 season, the amount of clubs in each divison will be 20 while adding another league with League 3. Prem: 20 teams Championship: 20 teams League 1: 20 teams League 2: 20 teams League 3: 20 teams For this to happen, at the end of the 2018/19 season, this will need to happen... The Prem will relegate 3 teams as normal. The Championship will promote 3 teams as normal. Meaning the Prem will have the normal 20 teams and the Championship will have the normal 24 teams. However, the FL wants each league to have just 20 teams. So.... The Championship will relegate 7 teams to League 1 which leaves 17 teams in the Championship and 31 teams in League 1. League 1 will promote 3 teams as normal to the Championship which will take the Championship up to 20 teams, leaving 28 teams in League 1. League 1 will relegate 12 teams to League 2 which will leave 16 teams in League 1 and 36 teams in League 2. League 2 will promote 4 teams as normal to League 1 which will take League 1 up to 2o teams, leaving 32 teams in League 2. League 2 will relegate 12 to the new League 3 which takes League 2 down to 20 teams. League 3 will have those 12 teams from League 2 and 8 teams will be promoted from the National League to take League 3 to 20 teams. Meaning no relegation out of the football league. So much messing about to get what they want. What do you all think???
I'm not keen on the idea... its just over congesting the football league.. Another hurdle for teams to get over, which is already a hard enough battle as it stands.
If that goes ahead it will be more difficult for promoted teams to stay in the league they were promoted to I the first year, if they want to promote better financial feeling for the lower leagues why don't they take a chunk of the premier riches and distribute it to the lower leagues and also why don't they make it four up and down by making the conference division 6/ league 4 It is also going to devalue season tickets as clubs will not be able to charge as much for a ticket with six games less
I have a feeling that I may be wrong about the 8 teams getting promoted from the National league to League 3. Nothing in the proposed plans mentions the National League. I think the 8 spare spaces to fill in League 3 will be some of the Premier League B teams.
If as they say we will not need such large squads what's going to happen to all the players who are not wanted, if they are going to do this will we have a limit on foreign players otherwise we will be over run with non English players to the detriment of the national team
It shouldn't be too bad if they increase each division to 22 imo. I think the midweek away games are often a big problem. Carlisle fans had to travel to Plymouth midweek last season. It's good to see a chunk of the Conference coming on board. It's been getting congested with bigger league teams down there. We really need to try and secure promotion next season because it would be a bit like a double promotion!
Read that the Yeovil chairman said that the new format would be to the detriment of the teams in the lower leagues. I would also like confirmation that this is not a way of sneaking in the idea of premier league B teams or a way of bringing in Glasgow Rangers or Celtic
Im not sure a chunk of conference teams will come up. It may be filled by prem B teams instead. If it goes ahead, looks like they want 20 team in each league meaning no midweek league games because they will need midweek free to use for the JPT games as they will run that differently. They would have group games then knock out games. So it may be like the world cup where 4 teams in a group then play each other once and then top 2 go through to the knock out stages or the may play it like the champions league where they play each other home and away in the group games before the knock out stages. You cant have 24 teams all playing 46 games a season and then have all these added games for the JPT and we havent even discussed the fa cup and league cups!
