Rage Online

The Cod (Grimsby) article is excellent.

I'm confused now - when I don't go to the JPT games against L1 and L2 opposition do I have to pretend I'm boycotting them as well, or is it just the Chelsea one?

Seriously though, isn't it just the 'Academy' teams that we object to? Better to boycott those fixtures and attend the others to prove a point isn't it? Not to mention the fact that it will only really hurt our club not to attend any of them. If no-one attends any games the powers-that-be will just assume that the tournament is not wanted at all and it will die. Which wouldn't be the end of the world but still, it would hardly support 'our' claim that the Trophy was fine without the meddling from above.

A statement from the Chairman. This doesn't change the fact that every person through the turnstiles at a trophy game this season will strengthen the Football League's argument to continue with the format of this competition, which in turn would strengthen any argument to introduce B teams into the league pyramid.

What Joe said.

I've very disappointed with DE on this issue (other than this, I think he has done a marvellous job) and this statement just makes it worse.

If he wanted to say something, he should have just apologised for the club agreeing to this ridiculous and condescending competition and left it in the hands of individual supporters to decide what they felt was the right thing to do.

What he appears to be trying to say is that you are a rubbish supporter who will be hurting the club if you stay away.

No, DE, it is the EFL's (and its clubs') constant pandering to the PL that is hurting this club and all others not in the 'elite'.

More good writing on the subject - http://www.standamf.com/2016/07/27/b-te ... rst-thick/

This is all a bit hypothetical for me personally, as I simply cannot get down to midweek games. But, were I to be able to make such games, I would look to go to the proper games (ie those against other Division 3 and 4 teams) and just boycott any games involving those teams who should not be in the competition in the first place. What concerns me about a blanket boycott of all games is that it could merely reinforce the view of those in cloud cuckoo land who see this year's changes as one response to a competition that needs reform.

My opinion is that it is the competition itself that has been devalued ((or indeed defaced) by the inclusion of B teams, and I won't be going near any games in the competition while it has this format. I'd rather it didn't exist than it exist like it is now.

Another good read:

http://asia.eurosport.com/football/foot ... tory.shtml

DE gets a (not too complimentary) mention as well.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... efl-trophy

Lenagan is "rather proud of the way in which the rebranded EFL has grasped the nettle"

neilw wrote:https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... efl-trophy

Lenagan is "rather proud of the way in which the rebranded EFL has grasped the nettle"

Then all I can say is that he must be fucking barmy. If ever there was a classic example of alienating your customer base, not consulting or listening, and then compounding the problem by making out that you're right and the punters are wrong, this is it.

Lenagan deluded surely.

Portsmouth voted against the proposals so their fans are planning a walkout as opposed to a boycott:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36953689

I guess a walk-out is rather more telegenic, but they could just buy tickets and not bother turning up.

It does raise an interesting point though - the reasoning for Portsmouth is that their club shouldn't lose money as they voted against the measure. Rather undermines Oxford's argument that they shouldn't lose out financially through a boycott. They voted for it, so perhaps they do deserve to lose out as a result. Might make them think twice next time.

Ian Lenagan:

"It’s been a disappointment some of the major Premier League teams have not submitted teams but the nature of football is that these are 92 individual clubs. They can make their own decisions."

Can we make our own decision not to be part of the competition? I thought not.