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EFL: Premier League B teams and 'non-English' clubs ruled out of league reforms

Last updated on .From the section Football comments 328

Hull City
Hull City were promoted to the Premier League after beating Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship play-off final in May

Premier League B teams and 'non-English' clubs will not be included in plans to reform the structure of the English Football League.

In May, it was revealed that the EFL, formerly known as the Football League before a rebrand this summer, could expand to include a fifth tier by 2019-20, with 100 teams over five divisions.

It is planned that additional clubs would come from the National League.

EFL clubs met to discuss the proposals for the first time on Thursday.

The exclusion from the plans, which will be voted on by all clubs in June 2017, of extra clubs from non-English leagues would appear to remove any prospect of Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers being involved in the EFL in the foreseeable future. Welsh clubs Cardiff and Newport already compete in the EFL.

Meanwhile, the idea to include Premier League B teams in any restructure which formed part of the Football Association commission's four-point plan to boost English football, has also been rejected.

"The logical place for many was to source the additional teams for League Three from the National League," EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey said. external-link

"We will now continue our consultation with the National League with a little more certainty as to what any change could mean for them."

This season, the Checkatrade Trophy has included under-21 teams from Premier League and Championship clubs for the first time on a trial basis, something which the "overwhelming majority of fans" are against, according to the Football Supporters' Federation.

Why change the current system?

In May, the FA said the fixture schedule needed looking at "for the benefit of all" and the main aim of expanding to a five-tier league was to reduce fixture congestion.

The EFL believes the benefits of the possible expansion to five leagues, each consisting of 20 teams, include:

  • Ensuring more games are played on weekends and Bank Holidays;
  • Removing fixture congestion and clashes;
  • Helping EFL clubs make more money;
  • Keeping the play-off finals on the last weekend of the domestic season.

For the proposal to be approved, they will need the backing of 65 EFL clubs (90%) at next year's annual general meeting.

What does the proposed re-structuring involve?

The proposals are part of the FA's 'Whole Game Solution' and, as well as adding a fifth tier, centre around:

  • The option of introducing a winter break
  • Regionalisation of the lower divisions
  • Changing the number of teams per division

In 2014, an FA commission's review also called for a ban on non-European Union players outside of the top flight and a reduction in non-home-grown players in Premier League squads.

What feedback did clubs give the EFL?

As well as rejecting the idea of including Premier League B teams and extra 'non-English' teams being added, clubs also gave the EFL feedback on the idea of introducing a winter break.

An EFL statement added: "The feedback has confirmed that clubs in League One, Two and the proposed League Three would want to play through a winter break if introduced."

Portsmouth chief executive Mark Catlin told BBC Radio Solent: "A lot of people's views have been taken on board by Shaun Harvey in the consultation. By taking [B teams] off the agenda, the EFL board have given themselves a greater chance of success.

"The other line in the sand as far as we're concerned is taking away our aspiration to compete in the highest possible tier - by cutting the Championship and other divisions from 24 to 20 teams, they're just never going to get our vote on that.

"One of the options that was brought to the table during the meeting was an option for no change at all.

"We like the existing structure, we like having FA Cup ties on weekends and we don't want a winter break or two Scottish clubs introduced."

Analysis

BBC Radio 5 live sports news correspondent Richard Conway

"A radical revamp of the Football League structure was first proposed in May.

"The changes would see the introduction of a new 'League Three', resulting in 100 clubs in total within the professional pyramid.

"The big question for the EFL concerns where these extra clubs will come from?

"Today officials announced they will NOT be drawn from Premier League B teams or from Scotland. And that's significant given the reported interest from Rangers and Celtic in joining up with their southern counterparts.

"It also puts the final nail in the coffin on the B team debate, which first came to prominence in 2014 when Greg Dyke's much criticised commission of inquiry into English football reported its findings.

"It's a move likely to be welcomed by fans - the arrival of under-21 Premier League teams into the Checkatrade Trophy this season has been met with protest and boycotts by supporters.

"Negotiations amongst the existing 72 EFL clubs will now continue, with a planned vote on final proposals expected to be held next summer."

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328 comments

  • Comment posted by D1679335054435, at 18:25 22 Sep 2016

    I feel sorry for those not old enough to remember football before all the money. Your club would have at least half the team from the youth ranks. Players would stand on the terrace with fans at times or have a beer with then. There was no super Sunday and you could call for your mates, turn up at the match and buy tickets. Good God what have these businessmen done to the game?

  • Comment posted by ShirleyTriumph, at 18:26 22 Sep 2016

    No to B teams
    No to Rangers/Celtic
    Keep the league at 92.
    Get rid of the rebranded "EFL" - this isn't the USA
    No to U23/U20 teams in the EFL Trophy - or Footy League Trophy as we know it.
    Champions League for the champions only.

    The agenda always seems to be "how can we make the rich clubs richer and damn the little clubs"

  • Comment posted by JamTay1, at 18:13 22 Sep 2016

    Very happy the B team idea has been delayed. This may be the first football decision this century not based on making businesses money.

  • Comment posted by User0532541719, at 18:12 22 Sep 2016

    "Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers"

    They are just big fish in a small pond and would get slaughtered in the Premiership.

  • Comment posted by Andy S, at 18:30 22 Sep 2016

    Quite right, it is demeaning to fans of lower leagues to treat their clubs and grounds just as training pitches. Lower leagues are equally as important as the premier league to their fans.

  • Comment posted by Henners, at 18:33 22 Sep 2016

    Good. The limping, tortured body of football, almost at the point of breakdown under the weight of money, greed and corruption would take another arrow if B teams were allowed in the FL.

    Premier League on a warpath to destroy youth development by buying all young players with a smidge of talent, then realising they have to many to play and leave them out to dry with a wasted/ruined career.

  • Comment posted by User0265099880, at 18:31 22 Sep 2016

    So basically the Christmas holiday fixtures will disappear then....

    It was usually an interesting and entertaining part of Christmas followed by the 3rd round of the FA Cup in early January. Mind you the FA Cup has been so devalued that it's hardly worth getting excited about.

    Money has ruined the game.

  • Comment posted by Andy S, at 18:29 22 Sep 2016

    Quite right, it is demeaning to fans of lower leagues to treat them as training pitches for their ever expanding squads. Fans are just as passionate at every level.

  • Comment posted by The Citizen, at 18:13 22 Sep 2016

    Man Utd are a bit of a B team these days

  • Comment posted by GreatWhiteShark, at 18:19 22 Sep 2016

    The football league has sold its self again to the rich premier league clubs. The reasons they want a 'winter break' is to boost their own business by playing friendly games abroad. They don't give a dams about the 72, soon to be 80, football league clubs. The greed of the premier league is about to kill the great tradition of league football in this country.

  • Comment posted by D1679172765185, at 18:24 22 Sep 2016

    I'm sure Bournemouth fans will be gutted they'll never have to make the 9 hour drive to Glasgow for the 12.30 kick off on a Saturday.

  • Comment posted by Aphexus, at 18:21 22 Sep 2016

    The Old Firm being interested in joining the English leagues is a board level idea. Most fans are not interested in it and would vehmently oppose the idea. We are quite happy where we are. If the idea was an overall British league maybe there would be interest. Until then we don't want it, we're not interested and would quite like the media to stop proposing it every 2 mins. It's embarrassing.

  • Comment posted by User0161511360, at 18:47 22 Sep 2016

    They know where it's going. The Premier League will have an English player rate of 15% by 2020 so they know they need somewhere to shove all that English talent that never really had a chance in the first place. Do they honestly think shutting out the top tier by systematically clogging it up with foreign imports helps the national side too? Pathetic.

  • Comment posted by charlieboy, at 18:18 22 Sep 2016

    At last some sense has prevailed and there is still some integrity about. B teams and non English teams is a nonsense in a supposedly English league. Agree with the Old Firm comment. They would be shown up.

  • Comment posted by User0338554947, at 19:40 22 Sep 2016

    Some common sense at last. The present system has worked for over 100 years without any marketing spin or wacky ideas. It's basic and it works.

    All small clubs and their fans need to dream.

    Clubs like Bournemouth, Barnsley, Burton Albion, Forest Green, Wimbledon AFC and even Leicester are living a dream.

    The big clubs have lost the dream and just think of the money. Kill the spin.

  • Comment posted by charlieboy, at 21:06 22 Sep 2016

    @102. Get your head out of the sand, you could not be more wrong. I would guess if you add up all the attendances in lower leagues it would beat the premier league. Even if it doesn't, the fact that so much football exists outside the EPL means you are barking up a cul de sac, or just plain barking. That's the trouble with premier league fans they think the world revolves around them. It don't.

  • Comment posted by User0325579446, at 18:29 22 Sep 2016

    Does "non-English" include Welsh clubs but exclude Scottish ?

    One way or the other someone's going to get offended

  • Comment posted by User0682819042, at 21:16 22 Sep 2016

    Best way to help EFL clubs make more money? Stop the phoney PL parachute payments and distrubute the cash amongst the lower league clubs.

  • Comment posted by twinbob2, at 20:57 22 Sep 2016

    @ 102 No we don't I'd rather watch lower league football than Man Utd any day.

  • Comment posted by BarmyArmy, at 19:11 22 Sep 2016

    & while all of this happens, clubs outside of the PL are closing down their youth academies because they can't keep up with the EPPP (PL enforced) payments.

    Brentford being the latest one.

    But who cares?

    The PL clubs will keep hoovering up the young English talent, they will keep dreaming of making the 1st team but only a very very very small % will take that step up.

    Doomed!

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