Premier League 'B' Teams to join Pyramid?

[Green]

In which case, who is going to be at the B Team home games?

I can imagine the likes of Man United B drawing a higher crowd than Barnsley do at the moment. I know their reserves probably don't at the moment, but that's the point, you make the whole thing more appealing.

I'm not in favour of it BTW.

[Brum Royal]

I agree PO.

I don't envisage these B teams being in this League 3 for long, as the B sides are going to be better than conference standard. So then over the course of time you will end up with a whole host of Prem B sides in the Championship and somehow that is better than having established 100+ year old clubs in the same positions?

Not impressed.

B teams would only get as far as League 1.

Source?
(Not being rude, just curious.)

Likewise, was trying to work out whether it had been something I'd missed in all this, I thought the only restrictions would be (as Spain), that B teams couldn't play in the top division and couldn't be in the same league or above the A team

[Brum Royal]

In which case, who is going to be at the B Team home games?

I can imagine the likes of Man United B drawing a higher crowd than Barnsley do at the moment. I know their reserves probably don't at the moment, but that's the point, you make the whole thing more appealing.

I'm not in favour of it BTW.

See, I'm not convinced they would. If you're a Man U fan, used to watching your first team against all the top sides in Europe (insert own joke here), would you really turn up for a match between your reserves and Cheltenham's (for instance) first team?

[Green]

I think you would Brum, for 2 reasons.

One - it's difficult to get tickets for the A team, and two it'd be considerably cheaper.

[Extended-Phenotype]

In which case, who is going to be at the B Team home games?

I can imagine the likes of Man United B drawing a higher crowd than Barnsley do at the moment. I know their reserves probably don't at the moment, but that's the point, you make the whole thing more appealing.

I'm not in favour of it BTW.

Wait, will the ManU B Team play on a different day to the ManU A Team? Even then I can't imagine that many going. What exactly is it that makes it more appealing? That they play Nuneaton Town instead of Chelsea B? Not sure I'm following this.

[Green]

That they're playing in a competitive league.

If you don't think that makes a difference, just compare friendly attendances vs competitive fixtures. It makes a huge difference.

Am I talking Swahili or something?

[P!ssed Off]

Why can't these players just play for the already established clubs?

The key arguments against this seem to be:
1. Facilities are too shit at lower league level clubs.
2. Players often do not get the amount of game time promised.

Point 1 can easily be remedied imo. Increase funding to lower level clubs so they can increase their oxf*rd infrastructure/facilities.

I follow Colchester United as they are my local side atm (as I've said before). Anyway, they've slashed their 1st team budget in the last few years and are focusing financially as well as 1st team wise on their academy. And surprise, surprise, they've got some top talent coming through now. English players that might well be playing in the Prem one day. Crewe are liekwise doing similar.

I read that the cost of Colchester's youth setup is £1 million per season. Which is oxf*rd loads to them, but in reality is absolutely nothing in the footballing world.
But why shouldn't the FA give £1 million per year to every L1 & L2 club? Earmarked for facilities (training and youth) rather than palyer's wages.
That's only £50 million a season. And you'd see every side in the country producing quality young English players.

[Green]

Point 1 can easily be remedied imo. Increase funding to lower level clubs so they can increase their oxf*rd infrastructure/facilities.

If that's as easy as you make it sound - where does the money come from?

Just as case of harvesting more from the money tree or what?

[Extended-Phenotype]

That they're playing in a competitive league.

If you don't think that makes a difference, just compare friendly attendances vs competitive fixtures. It makes a huge difference.

Am I talking Swahili or something?

No, Swahili is quite a difficult language to speak.
I just don't see the value of comparing the attendances of friendly games for teams people do care about, with 'competitive' games for teams people don't care about. Or why a fan is going to choose to watch B over A, or even bother with B at all.

[Green]

I reckon people will care.

Are you really not seeing my point as you claim, or are you just disagreeing with it? If the latter then I'm happy to disagree EP, but otherwise I think we're at a stalemate here.

[P!ssed Off]

That they're playing in a competitive league.

If you don't think that makes a difference, just compare friendly attendances vs competitive fixtures. It makes a huge difference.

Am I talking Swahili or something?

Point is that straight off the bat, 10 PL B teams and 10 conference teams is hardly any more competitive that th 22 U21 team league we have now.

[sandman]

I agree PO.

I don't envisage these B teams being in this League 3 for long, as the B sides are going to be better than conference standard. So then over the course of time you will end up with a whole host of Prem B sides in the Championship and somehow that is better than having established 100+ year old clubs in the same positions?

Not impressed.

B teams would only get as far as League 1.

Source?
(Not being rude, just curious.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27327502

B teams could be promoted and relegated between Leagues One, Two and Three and the Conference, but could not play in the Championship and must always be at least one division below the full side. They would also be barred from entering domestic cup competitions like the League Cup and FA Cup.

[P!ssed Off]

B teams would only get as far as League 1.

Source?
(Not being rude, just curious.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27327502

B teams could be promoted and relegated between Leagues One, Two and Three and the Conference, but could not play in the Championship and must always be at least one division below the full side. They would also be barred from entering domestic cup competitions like the League Cup and FA Cup.

Ok, thanks. The page has been updated since I last looked it seems.

[P!ssed Off]

Point 1 can easily be remedied imo. Increase funding to lower level clubs so they can increase their oxf*rd infrastructure/facilities.

If that's as easy as you make it sound - where does the money come from?

Just as case of harvesting more from the money tree or what?

Let's have some more more money off the PL!
Whose astronomic rise in finance has come at the expense of the national game.

[Extended-Phenotype]

I reckon people will care.

Are you really not seeing my point as you claim, or are you just disagreeing with it? If the latter then I'm happy to disagree EP, but otherwise I think we're at a stalemate here.

The latter, perhaps because of the former.

Deffo disagree the comparison with friendly games. I think there are reasons beyond competitiveness for people not watching reserve teams.

[Green]

Are you going to share with us what you think they are?

Perhaps some will also be overcome in this new pyramid structure.

[P!ssed Off]

Are you going to share with us what you think they are?

Perhaps some will also be overcome in this new pyramid structure.

A large proportion of people support a top club because they are a top club.
They want to see glamorous football, played by the world's best players and boast about their team being the best in the country.
They're not interested in watching the kids play in League 2.

[Sutekh]

You can tell those that hope to have a future with FIFA as this stupid idea is just about that level.

1. The issue is that top clubs don't give youth a chance, this doesn't tend to be a problem in the lower leagues ( incl. the championship to a degree)
2. What is wrong with setting up decent reserve leagues just like we used to have 20+ years ago! anyone remember the central league, football combination etc.
3. So Conf clubs suddenly find an extra league they have to get through between themselves and a FL someone actually cares about
4. Presumably these B teams can't rise higher than Div 2 (championship) level, but what happens if their first team has a disaster and gets relegated
5. Why does it only apply for 10 PL clubs, what about the other 10 how are they to be encouraged to play youngsters or doesn't anyone care about them or about effectively officially starting on the road to a two tier top division
6. What happens to the sides relegated from division 4 (league 2)
7. Why are FL league sides being penalised when the issue is one largely relating to the over financed big boys
8. There are already enough issues with stupid kick off times and fixture clashes so why add to this headache for supporters and plod etc.
9. Plenty of impressive talent in the championship to look at so try having a look at some of that instead of moaning and sticking with the same tired names who are proven failures at international level

[sandman]

5. Why does it only apply for 10 PL clubs, what about the other 10 how are they to be encouraged to play youngsters or doesn't anyone care about them or about effectively officially starting on the road to a two tier top division

Forget the other 10 Premier League sides why aren't we and the other four Category 1 academies outside of the PL allowed in this new league?

[P!ssed Off]

Can you imagine how shit League 1 could well become?

Possible League 1 Table in the next few years:
1. Man Utd B
2. Chelsea B
3. Arsenal B
4. Liverpool B
5. Tottenham B
6. Newcastle B
7. Aston Villa B
8. Southampton B
9. Everton B
10. West Ham B
11. Preston North End
12. Leyton Orient
13. ...
14. ...
15. ...
16. ...


11th and 12th placed promoted
13th to 16th play in Play-offs

The absolute death of lower league football!
Disgraceful.