To have a group stage and U21 teams in it from next season.

What a farce

Was the competition worth having anyway? All clubs should play their own u21 teams to make a mockery of the farce.

It looks like it's only on 1 season trial basis at the moment.

At the end of the day it's better than having them in the actual league which is what the initial proposition was. I know many will probably argue that this is the thin end of the wedge but the JPT is hardly the most glamorous competition in the world. It's never really been anything more than a semi-serious competition anyway.

Baring in mind the rules where you have to play a certain percentage of your most played team, I'm not sure how that will work with U21 sides. Similarly not sure how it'll work playing away at one of these sides in terms of venue and getting people to show up. I'm not sure how they think this will make better young players either, loan them out and get them real experience, not what most clubs will use as a mid-season friendly. I'm sure there would be a great attendance at Wembley to see to u21 teams in the final.

Making a poor competition even worse.

Shit plan and I do think think end of the wedge sadly

You think too much

Might as well play it on Tuesday afternoon because I for one won't be paying to watch that.

it's always worth giving things that extra thought before writing unruly Poolie

They surely have to do away with this rule? Utter pisstake if not.

Hopefully it's a full boycott and no one turns up against and U21 team

Coxall confirmed on Twitter he voted against "this daft idea"

I'd be up for that, I'm sure you could get most of the fans of League clubs to get behind it as well. It would be funny to see crowds of less than a 100.

Stupid idea. Devalues the competition even further.

Completely devalues the entire competition. It's a competition that allows lower league teams the chance to get to wembley and lift a trophy. Say for instance the final ends up being Boro U21's vs Stoke U21's, who the fuck would want to go to that? It's taking away from the lower league clubs and looking after the lads at the top as always.

And allowing them in the JPT is just the first step....if nothing is done about it it's guaranteed they'll be in the League within 2 years!!!!

I feel that it would be disingenuous, certainly from me, to get worked up about it when the tournament has been treated with disdain by both the clubs in it and the organisers long before now. I remember one season they didn't bother with extra time if games finished as a draw.

People are saying it offers lower league clubs a route to Wembley. Well it still does doesn't it? Surely capable 3rd and 4th tier clubs will defeat the u21 teams in question. I suppose time will tell. But ultimately it seems silly to get worked up about people tampering with a competition that no one generally seems to care about.

It made me think of when this baldy horrible 'lovely lovely person' made these comments. Honestly the arrogance of the twats.

http://m.peterleestar.co.uk/sport/footb ... -1-6607650

A stand needs to be made. I won't be going to any game in the competition.

Absolutely no danger of me spending any money on this shit.

I am, for want of a better description, fucking livid.

Is this not the foot in the door required to get them in the league in 2, 3, 4 years?

Is this not how things go? Suggest something that nobody wants (other than those it benefits), there's uproar and it gets parked for a bit.......then a 'compromise' is suggested, nobody wants that either (because it's shit), goes quiet again.......then gets pushed through anyway and fuck those that don't want it because at the end of the day, money and power wins against the right thing to do for the skint and powerless majority.

Only a matter of time before fucking youth teams are in the leagues.

And what's the reasoning behind it? "ongoing commitment to creating more and better home grown players". I'm sorry, but fuck off.

That is complete and utter dogshit.

If the success of Team England is going to be achieved by dismantling the very structure of the English game, then Team England can go fuck themselves. And if the people in power gave two shits about football in England the person/people who first came up with it would be at best be laughed at, slapped about a bit and told to give their heads a shake.

Me neither!!!!

I never go to JPT games but I will also boycott them in protest. Have that FA

A boycott it is then!

I generally as a rule don't like to miss home games regardless of the competition, however I won't be going to watch pools v an u21 team from wherever, absolute mockery of the competition.

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Everyone should just field u21 teams .. fuck them

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There's one of them online petitions knocking about regarding it but dunno how to do link on me phone

Really Tree? That surprises me...

Are people saying they will not turn up (I agree) if we're drawn to play an U21 team or against anyone at all in the competition?

I definitely won't be turning up against any u21 sides. I normally attend every JPT game I can get to but i will gladly give this a miss.

So if next seasons final happens to be Hartlepool Utd v Man Utd U21's at Wembley we all aren't attending?

Damn sure I won't be there, especially if I have a garden fence needs staining.

100% no.

Mis read that lol

I mean 100% yes, I (we?) will NOT be attending

Without doing the full quotation thing brilliant earlier long post above by Shilts. Every sentiment and point spot on

Who voted for this

Coxhall had come out making it very clear he didn't and I would assume most other league 1 and 2 clubs would have voted the same and so how did it get through.

We need to bombard the football league with complaints and wanting to know exactly which clubs see this as progress by voting for it

I think that this is it (if the link works!).

https://www.change.org/p/premier-league ... responsive

Only 1500+ so far.

And when they have finished fucking themselves they can fuck right off.

They will do it your support or inspite of your opposition.

If we all keep paying sky subscriptions to watch the premier league then we are all to blame.

Change is coming and the vast majority couldnt care less about laegue two.

Doesnt just winning a winnable trophy make that trophy not worth winning?

What if they made the JPT for the bottom 6 clubs of league two and the conference?

We would be favourites wouldnt we?

But who would care?

The JPT has always been a shit competition. Only ever went when I got free tickets off Johnstones Paint.

Of course it's for one season....for now. Might it be a toe in the water exercise, to see just what the 'benefits' are for participating ?

I wasnt having a dig, merely pointing out that if its not a trophy recognised by everyone, its not worth winning.

If we did win it, do you think people would be talking about it in 30 years time?

I suspect most would say, who can remember that shit trophy we had to play in, every year when hardly anyone turned up to watch it.? What was it called again?

Utter fucking tosh, sadly I suspect this is the bite you're fishing for

If we won it I'm sure we'd be talking about it in 30 years time....bite bite bite!!!!

I think you have both misunderstood the point.

We would all love to see Pools at Wembley. It would be the ultimate dream if it was the FA cup final.

But thats just never going to happen.

But of course there is always the play offs and that is always possible.

Failing that Pools might as well hire the place for a friendly.

How many of the arly round games of the JPT do you two attend then? Or have over the years?

And how many times have you been gutted when we have gone out?

I suspect the answer to the first is not many, and never for the second.

But I have no problem with debating it with you, without any biting.

Not sure if its been mentioned on here, but this decision has came to light after the FL had a meeting in portugal with chief execs of the football league clubs, 3 day jolly boys trip being wined n dined on FA money.

Suddenly a few clubs are now in favour of this under 21 inclusion. Scunny and peterbrough think its amazing.

Fancy that.

I'm trying to think of a game in this competition I actually enjoyed. I can't actually think of any.

I seem to remember beating Bury 3-1 or 3-2 at home (sure Michael Jackson got an own goal or something) and enjoyed that game but it may have been the league cup?

I remember being very, very disappointed when we went out to Morecambe in the area quarter final about 8 or 9 years ago under Danny Wilson when were the highest ranked in terms of League position team left in the Northern section. I don't care if it was in the Football League trophy if Pools had a chance of getting to Wembley the Vic would be full and bouncing and if we did get to Wembley it would be an unforgettable occasion. We've never won anything and we've never played at Wembley to suggest it wouldn't mean much to reach the final is utter hogwash.

I remember loads of games I've enjoyed, two against Preston one on penalties at home the other away (one of my favourite Pools games ever) I remember there all against Hull that we won on penalties after Ian Ashbee made a cock of himself then missed a decisive kick. The problem is we have never had the opportunity to take it really seriously be getting to the latter stages if we did I'm sure we would. Oh sorry would have in its previous format.

I went to watch us at Lincoln, getting there just in time to see us go 2 down. Joel Porter came off the bench to score a hat trick. It was a superb game.

Best game for me was the golden goal at Chester, 1-1 at FT golden goal came into play. You think we had won it judging by the celebrations by the few there after that went in. Was it 98/99 season?

Won't go to under 21 game though.

Did Stuart Brightwell score it?

I doubt know why I have just thought of that its weird some of the things you have tucked away in your memory!

Think so