Checkatrade Trophy

[TheCalFoster]

Notts have voted to keep the PL academies in it but the academies have to play away from home each match and higher prize money. 

£20,000 per win isn't a bad amount. 

AH has had a mixed reaction to this decision mainly negative after stating it was a financial and competitive decision. The trophy has been dying for years and I thought the boycott was the final nail in the coffin but it still has legs.. 

On paper it is a trophy we could win, a trip to Wembley and a day to remember. And extra income to knock down the £1.5m loss a year.

But are we selling our soul?

 

 http://mobile.nottscountyfc.co.uk//news/article/2016-17/checkatrade-trophy-vote-3711300.aspx#HotyIbmk3STcVazE.99

[DangerousSausage]

As I mentioned on the other thread, yes. It's not just about the principle either. Allowing the B teams to get a foot in the door in this way is a massive act of self-harm - it normalises their presence in senior football and brings them one step closer to participation in the League, which would be an absolute disaster for our club.

Frankly I'm disgusted by the short-sightedness and complacency of this decision. I hope the other clubs at least have seen sense.

[Chris]

It needs reformatting and B teams need removing.

What is the point if fans don't want to attend? If it truly helped English talent it would be supported but it isn't for the simple reason that it makes no sense. Also, clubs rejected entering B teams - if Notts played too many fringe players we'd be punished but its fine for the bigger clubs to take the p.

[TheCalFoster]

If there was no cash incentive I'd agree with you both, but we've got to remember we need money towards our budget, towards keeping us afloat (running at a 1.5m loss a year). Personally I think the rules should be 5 players who have featured in a league game this season rather than the set amount of players who featured in the last league game. 

But just out of curiosity, how many of the Notts fans that are against this wouldn't go to Wembley for the final if we got there?

[DangerousSausage]

20k per win is a drop in the ocean. How much will one or two matches in front of a barely four-figure crowd (if we're lucky) cost in staff costs and appearance bonuses?

B teams could potentially wreck the Football League. I don't think we should overlook that because the League offer to bung us the price of a second-rate squad player. Some things are not for sale, ever.

Below is an example of what it looks like when B teams are allowed in the senior league system.

[Chris]

3 hours ago, TheFostarr94 said:

But just out of curiosity, how many of the Notts fans that are against this wouldn't go to Wembley for the final if we got there?

I wouldn't, I'm also one of those who'd stand by this decision but I would expect quite a considerable number re-consider.

The trophy would be fine with support, yet the inclusion of B teams doesn't make sense. There was talk of pushing them into the Football League which would be unfair, its for this reason its silly to have anything bar lower league teams in.

[ivansneck]

Very bad decision


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[CliftonMagpie]

2 hours ago, ivansneck said:

Very bad decision

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It's a stupid decision.

I can see attendances being lower than last years run. This is not going to be accepted for the simple reason that the majority of fans do not agree with it, so why vote in its favour? I see Portsmouth voted against it.

[Fozzy]

Alan Hardy has done a lot of things right in his short time at the club, but he has got this one badly wrong. What's the point in voting for it just because there is a 20k per game win bonus? For a start you have to win the game and then if you do, you have to pay for the actual opening of the ground in order for a maximum of 1000 fans to watch (probably less now). 

I won't be going to any of the games, I haven't done for many years anyway (I think the last one was Jermaine Pennants debut!) and I wouldn't go to Wembley unless my lad pleaded with me as he has never been.

Hopefully we'll draw a top league one side and get knocked out of the group stages.

 

[Riverleeno]

I won't be watching Notts play in this competition. I think it is the thin end of the wedge as regards B teams in theFootball League.

[Riverleeno]

I wouldn't watch any stage of the competition in its current format.

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

People have said in the past, and I think AH included, that this is not a foot in the door for B teams to enter the football league.

However, even a measly bonus of 20k per win is enough to persuade clubs like us, it's not a great stretch of the imagination to envisage the same 'bonus' being applied to them entering our leagues. Clubs that aren't rolling in it (us included) would probably accept it to increase their budgets!! 

I don't quite see AH's point of +100k to the budget, because that surely applies to every league team, so we're not increasing our budget when other teams aren't, everybody will be increasing their budget by a similar amount, so we're back on even terms with no proportional increase. It's another 100k that will go to players pockets whilst the clubs sell their sole to the devil.

[Chris]

19 minutes ago, Super_Danny_Allsopp said:

People have said in the past, and I think AH included, that this is not a foot in the door for B teams to enter the football league.

The problem is, the FL pitched B teams and got rejected.

If them being in this isn't a way to move those plans forward, then I think they would have given up and scrapped the contest and yet here we are. They keep pushing the new format when it should be abandoned. Any of project/venture would have folded due to the fact it isn't viable.

Yet we still have to see this awful rebranding pushed and just because lower tier clubs have a small golden carrot dangled in front of them.

[Joe Jones]

It's been confirmed... the Academy sides are staying. EFL sides have "agreed to it".

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10873814/efl-agrees-for-premier-league-under-21-teams-to-remain-in-checkatrade-trophy

[upthepies]

Money talks, the clubs that voted should be disgusted.

It's not a case of arguing, being negative but ensuring the right thing is done. B teams should be removed and the EFL cup ended.

[Magic magpie]

Well this is going to interesting to see what happens in this situation. The money would come in handy have to see what comes of it. I think it could be a good thing have to wait and see.

[Piethagoram]

I would have preferred a return of the Anglo Scottish Cup  or maybe an invitation of National League sides to enter... The real structural chasm is that Premier League clubs can afford to keep youngsters through to U21/U23 levels  in other words hoarding talent) and Clubs like Notts releasing good players like Wildin, as in reality there isn't the budget to keep them in the hope they will come good in a couple of years.

[Chris]

Will the EFL allow lower league teams to field at least 3-5 of our own youngsters without issuing the club with a fine? You know, fielding a weaker squad and all that baloney. We can't improve our own youngsters that well, as most teams seem scared to field them in the league.

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

I think fans should continue to boycott it. Maybe the cost of putting on a game against Sunderland reserves in front of 200 people will be enough for AH to think again regarding this ridiculous 'competition'. I also hope that the PL reserve sides do really well and reach Wembley. 

Kudos to any lower league clubs that field 11 kids and pay their fine begrudgingly.