The clubs below survived their relegation battles this year, under the new rules these teams would drop a league. How can the FA convince the boards of these clubs that it makes financial sense to take the drop.
Championship
Rotherham – survived but would get relegated from championship to new league 1
League 1
Oldham, Chesterfield, Fleetwood, Shrewsbury – survived but would drop to new league 2
League 2 Biggest Losers
Wycombe, Exeter, Barnet, Hartlepool, Notts County, Stevenage, Yeovil, Crawley, Morecambe, Newport – would be relegated to new league 3
If 6 or more voting league clubs are not convinced the changes don’t get passed.
I am not sure reserve teams will feature as such. I cannot see reserve teams working, they need grounds to play at and fans to come and watch. What if the 1st team get relegated or go bust. I think the reserve structure adds too many complications.
I would like to see major clubs adopting non-league clubs as feeder teams, giving their younger players an opportunity to run out on a Saturday and play against men, rather than run around mid-week in front of a handful of fans.
I am convinced football needs to change, but not sure if the plan will get passed. However as half of a famous Saturday lunchtime pairing used to say ‘it’s a funny old game’.