Football pours scorn on “League 3” plans
The wider football world have derided proposals by Greg Dyke’s FA Commission. Here are a selection of articles and features.
The plans included the formation of a League 3 containing a mixture of Premier League B sides while Premier League clubs would be allowed to loan up to eight players to a single league club.
The plans were attacked by the onevalefan website on Thursday and today we’d like to round up some of the other statements.
The Killer Bs
When Saturday Comes have unearthed an old article that explains that far from benefiting the game, Germany’s B teams are seen to have hindered it. It points out that “The sheer unpredictability of a B team line-up… unfairly distorts key promotion and relegation issues.”
The Dons Trust
The AFC Wimbledon Supporters group have issued a brilliant statement containing the line “The Wimbledon supporters body today reminds the FA they are supposed to represent the interests of all members, not just a few Premier League brands.”
– Read it in full here
Football Conference Statement
A strongly worded statement from the Conference points out that they were not even consulted before the report was produced and circulated.
Mike Baggaley: Why Stoke City and Port Vale fans should oppose FA’s B team plans
The respected Sentinel journalist is also against the plans commenting that “he isn’t asking the Premier League clubs to destroy their own competition. That noble sacrifice is left to the Football League.”
– Read it in full here
Pride of smaller clubs’ fans ignored by Greg Dyke’s England masterplan
The Guardian’s Owen Wilson also criticises the inclusion of the B team plans saying that “The shame is that all of the good stuff is likely to be obscured by the League Three farrago. The debate also smacks of putting the cart before the horse. Part two of the commission’s work – which will focus on the desperate state of grassroots facilities and the shameful under-investment in coaching – would have been more likely to create a consensus.”
Sign the petition
If you agree with the author’s sentiments, please sign the petition against League Three.