Disastrous Football League Trophy changes could be scrapped
The underfire CEO of the Football League, Shaun Harvey, has admitted that the changes to the Football League Trophy (aka the checkatrade trophy) could be scrapped at the end of the season.
Harvey, whose bizarre “Whole game solution” was roundly rejected by Football League clubs was responsible for the changes to the Football League Trophy which controversially allowed B sides from clubs in the Premier League and Championship to take part.
Port Vale voted against the proposals but a majority of clubs did agree to the changes and were no doubt swayed by the Premier League adding £1m of its bountiful TV revenue to the prize pot.
However, fans have protested against the changes which has resulted in pitiful attendances and fines for lower league clubs including youngsters in their side (despite the changes supposedly being made in order to develop young talent) have also drawn criticism.
Harvey told the Guardian this week that: “We’ve always committed to review the competition and its objectives with our 48 League One and League Two clubs. We said we would do this after the one-year pilot and it will take place in April.
“We will see if amendments need to be made to the rules for it to continue in this format, whether it can continue in this format, whether it continues at all.”
When asked if this meant the cup could be scrapped after a single season, Harvey told the newspaper: “There’s as much potential that it won’t as it will.”