For what it's worth, Richard Scudamore is saying EFL clubs don't have to worry any more about Premier League teams joining the Football League because they've got their own competition now, "Premier League 2."

http://www.premierleague.com/news/66162

And these are Scudamore's comments - note the potential for wriggle room:

'This is not university after school for the players. This is a first job. This is the beginning and the end of B teams - this is it. That's the whole point of it, to be honest. We are absolutely consistent on our view about no B teams in the regular Football League. 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 wedge."

It sounds as if Premier League u-23 sides are going to be stowed out with matches this season - no wonder so many clubs took a swerve on the EFL cup. Hopefully 2016-17 will be the end of that particular experiment.

Believe nothing he says.

To be fair it's not the Premier Leagues idea they clearly aren't that interested In ripping the heart and soul out of our game. Neither are a lot of the clubs if this cup is anything to go by either. It's the FA and Greg Dyke's idea, thankfully he as well is leaving his job soon before he destroys our Football pyramid altogether. This is good news as its a clear rejection from the Premier League of Dykes awful recommendations.

Yeah the premier league are purely innocent in ripping the heart and soul from the game.

Scudamore says "Yes, of course we know some of our clubs would like B teams. We look abroad and we see the benefit of B teams."

So they want it but as clubs keep kicking off they arent going to implement it... yet!

As with everything, money talks, if they want it enough it'll happen, they'll hold us over a barrel again as they have done numerous times over the years.

The big clubs clearly don't want it though hence this new format.

As I said, there's wriggle room in what Scudamore says, that always seems to be the case with him.

There's also a chance though, that the new/revamped U-23 competitions will take off, be competitive (with real tackles n' that) and give the majority of PL clubs what they want.

Either way, agree with PJ that this EFL cup format looks dead in the water before a ball has been kicked. One season, then back to the drawing board -without that useless gobshite Dyke around to pitch in stupid ideas.

Any so called 'benefits' will be for the big boys. They'll only be happy when leagues 1 and 2 are for the B and C teams... In fact the Conference can be for the D teams..... Seriously, I can see the whole thing been run as a franchise and there'll be a lot of gormless big screen 'fans' who are so thick they'll think it's brilliant.

Money always talks. Think it was Scudamore yesterday saying that the Prem supported an annual winter break for the benefit of Big Sam and the England team - but of course, nothing can be done till the new TV deal runs out in 3 years' time....

A bloke just been on the radio saying that plenty of football league managers are already talking about fielding youth team themselves and one even registering his coaching staff to play in the competetion

Hopeful the final is contested by two academy teams in front of an empty Wembley.

Agree with the nevativity towards this new format shite.
But the prize money is probably the best its ever been.

Can we afford to cut our noses off to spite our faces.
Im sure Gazza will telling Higgy to take it serious.

Considering pools voted against the changes I wouldn't be so sure.


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That late winner v Cheltenham last season earned the club a nice little earner.

Never believe a buisnessman.

What late winner against Cheltenham? Yes we beat them in the FA Cup (with a first half goal) but we've always taken the FA Cup seriously and it's always been potentially lucrative.

The only money there's ever been in this competition has been from winning it. With introduction of Premier League reserve teams makes that unlikely now. It's a complete waste of time we should field a team with Rod the Steward up front with that woman from the ticket office and hopefully nobody at all will watch it.

I would actually pay to see that.

Rod the Steward has grown quite the goatee for summer, saw him over the Marina the other day being all "man about town".

Saw no voice barrier guy this morning, can i pay too see him in the line up against sunderland?

Every away game he was on the barriers by 3:10 with no voice trying to shout.

I want to see "radio man" out the mill house terrace in midfield

Can we have that lad who ran the deck chair challenge playing please.

And that boiler woman with a Tash serving pints in town end

Can Mellish play?

To soon

Craddock an all

Russ is now a lean walking machine sign him up for it. Could be the new Tim Sperrvik

It's a shame Lawrence isn't still around.

I reckon we can shoehorn in an exhibit about this years EFL Trophy adventures in Mr Yubep's museum. It's what that place was built for.