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Shaun Harvey, the chief executive of the English Football League, has accepted the widespread opposition to including Premier League B teams in any newly-structured divisions
Shaun Harvey, the chief executive of the English Football League, has accepted the widespread opposition to including Premier League B teams in any newly-structured divisions. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
Shaun Harvey, the chief executive of the English Football League, has accepted the widespread opposition to including Premier League B teams in any newly-structured divisions. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

EFL puts definitive end to controversial plan to include Premier League B teams

This article is more than 7 years old
Governing body also closes door on Celtic and Rangers joining league
League One and Two clubs reject idea of taking part in winter break

The 72 Football League clubs have definitively ruled out the prospect of Premier League B teams playing them in league football or Rangers and Celtic joining them as part of a planned revamp.

Shaun Harvey, the EFL chief executive, said last month the introduction of B teams had not been discounted as a possibility as part of ongoing discussions about its “Whole Game Solution” revamp that includes proposals to increase the number of teams to 80, while also pointing out that more than 90% of clubs would have to agree.

After a meeting of all 72 clubs on Thursday, however, the EFL ruled out the inclusion of Premier League B teams, clubs from non-English leagues or those outside the English football pyramid from the plans. In effect it means that, if the plan to restructure the league as four divisions of 20 teams goes ahead, the eight extra clubs will be drawn from the National League.

The decision kills off the idea floated in May 2014 by Greg Dyke, the FA chairman at the time, when his England Commission decided the controversial introduction of B teams would be a way of increasing the production line of English talent. The plan found favour among several Premier League clubs, notably Manchester City, but proved unpopular with many fans of EFL sides.

Some supporters were also concerned that the convoluted revamp of the Checkatrade Trophy (formerly the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy), that allowed Premier League clubs to enter academy sides, could act as a precursor to the plan being revived.

However, Richard Scudamore, the Premier League executive chairman, maintained before the beginning of this season that the proposals did not represent “the thin end of the wedge”. He said: “Yes, of course we know some of our clubs would like B teams. We look abroad and we see the benefit of B teams.

“It’s just for the English football structure and pyramid, it doesn’t work, and so this is it. We can console all these worried Football League clubs’ supporters. This isn’t the thin end of the wedge; this is the block. It’s the beginning of the end of it.”

The Whole Game proposals, unveiled by Harvey in May, were part of an attempt by the EFL to be seen as leading the debate on reducing fixture congestion. Together with the FA and the Premier League, part of the aim is to revamp the crowded fixture calendar so that a winter break becomes feasible. It has already led to the FA dropping FA Cup replays from the quarter-finals and could also lead to further changes.

At the meeting on Thursday League One and League Two clubs also declared their desire to play through any mooted winter break. For clubs in the bottom three divisions of the new proposed EFL structure a winter break could be beneficial to attendances if they carried on playing while the Premier League and the Championship were paused.

“At the very outset of this process it was made clear that any decisions in respect of the future direction of the Whole Game Solution would be taken by clubs themselves and our announcement today comes as a result of their valued input,” said Harvey.

“The logical place for many was to source the additional teams for League Three from the National League but we felt it important that the debate was introduced at an early stage and an opportunity was provided for all club owners and executives to voice any opinions and, where applicable, table concerns,” he said.

Before final proposals are put to a vote of the 72 clubs at the end of the season Harvey promised the EFL would consult the National League, supporters’ groups and others in the game over the proposed changes. “In addition our dialogue will continue with the Premier League as we focus on ensuring we achieve our specific and primary objective of improving distributable revenue to our clubs and reaching a format that benefits the EFL, its competitions and the wider professional game,” he said.

The mechanism for arriving at the new structure via promotion and relegation in the 2018-19 season is still to be decided. At its most extreme it could mean seven teams being relegated from the Championship that season and three coming up from League One. More likely is some form of compromise whereby fewer teams are relegated.

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