Premier League and National League in talks over new cup competition featuring under-21 sides

[Sean Chambers]

https://theathletic.com/5450014/2024/04 ... ed_article

[Josh]

That would explain why the National League voted to get rid of replays in the cup.

[chimpster99]

Selling their souls and the beautiful game for the sake of a few quid. This new competition will be absolutely tinpot, about as relevant as the HSC is nowadays.

[Peter macdonald]

Yet another ridiculous idea/competition that’s not needed

[SteveyAsp]

I know he's not a popular figure but Stephen Cleeve has basically laid it all out on Twitter this afternoon.

[Old Bob]

FFS. Tell me, exactly which "16 PL teams" will it be? You can bet your favourite pair of trainers that it won't include the arrogant "Champions' League" teams.

[Rba]

FFS. Tell me, exactly which "16 PL teams" will it be? You can bet your favourite pair of trainers that it won't include the arrogant "Champions' League" teams.

Bob your letting your heart rule your head....you normally think through your posts.

[AFC197273]

What an awful idea basically selling off the tradition of the fa cup for games against kids from premier league youth teams. Absolute joke,we know from experience these kids teams are full of precious kids who are not up to mens football.Its not even the top Premiership youth teams . I can’t see any interest in this at all . If we have agreed to this hang your heads in shame BOD . I normally get a season ticket just because of the FA cup and the hope of getting a big team. No real need to get one now , I’ll just pay on the day for the games I attend which will be far cheaper than a season ticket!
Another nail in the coffin for NL football

[Richard Petty]

It does seem a rather strange and even irrelevant competition and surely most National League sides will treat this like we do the Hampshire Cup and put the kids and fringe playets out as they won't want to add pointless games into an already busy schedule.

[aldershot-jg]

It does seem a rather strange and even irrelevant competition and surely most National League sides will treat this like we do the Hampshire Cup and put the kids and fringe playets out as they won't want to add pointless games into an already busy schedule.

I know we won the Setanta Shield but on the whole the competition wasn’t met favourably. We didn’t field our strongest of what was admittedly a very strong side that year but it gave the opportunity for players like Jamiez-Ruiz and Scott Donnelly to get games under their belt and they made the most of their chance to shine. This could be a a good chance for those on the fringes like Ghandour, Ollie Bray and Max Mullins to play.

[CH]

Hardly missed a home game (Inc HSC) in 30 odd years, but I have no interest in watching us play "competitively" against Fulham U23s. I would actively boycott this awful idea.

Top clubs need to stop hoarding players and release them to play down the pyramid. Thats the best way for them to get proper game time.

[Alan B]

The FA Cup is the oldest national football competition in the world - first contested in 1871. It is known - and loved - throughout the world. It is part of our football heritage, and the FA, Premier League, EFL and National League are prepared to sacrifice replays in order to make room for another pointless competition.

The fans of our great game no longer have a voice in the future of football in England.

[DH]

This is an absolutely awful idea. The NL selling their soils, and the soul of football, at the whim of the Premier League.

If the precious PL clubs, with their 40 man squads, can't put out a team for an FA Cup replay, they surely can't find a team to play in this pointless competition?

Whatever the reasoning, you can guarantee money will be behind it.

Can't wait to watch a Fulham U-23 versus Burnley U-23 final!

[sugrues flying headbutt]

As a cautionary tale, the Lowland league in Scotland included a couple of SPL B teams, Hearts and Celtic with the same goal in mind. A few years later this is seen as a bit of a disaster. A poor idea.

[Peter macdonald]

I’d rather watch an old episode of rainbow