Just for fun guys, I needed to vent my frustration in a productive way at the shoddy organisers of our beloved sport and EFL trophy.
Bored at work for an hour and may have quashed a little OCD tendencies
But surely these numpties could have made the EFL Trophy something to remember and help clubs!
Anyway, here's my proposal for what could have been. Have a read and comment if you have some spare time.
It's turned into a dossier!
THE ANGLO BRITISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE TROPHY
1.0 OBJECTIVES OF TOURNAMENT:
1.1 Emphasis based on developing British talent.
1.2 Increase the sports popularity across the UK.
1.3 Generate competition interest through UK country regional rivalry.
1.4 Increase attendances for lower level clubs.
1.5 Increase revenue for lower level clubs.
1.6 Increase exposure for lower level clubs.
1.7 Increase sponsorship and media avenues for the competition across the whole of the UK.
1.8 Increase the competitions value and identity to benefit developing and lower league clubs.
2.0 ENTRY:
2.1 PARTICIPTING TEAMS
- Entering teams must be from UK leagues Only. There are 9 participating leagues over the 4 UK countries.
- Teams entering the trophy are determined to be of a competitive level with each other and consist of the following pyramid levels within each regions' structure:
- English level 2 and 3.
- Northern Irish level 1 and 2.
- Scottish level 2, 3 and 4.
- Welsh level 1 and 2.
2.2 PARTICIPATING LEAGUES AND ENTRANT NUMBERS
- The following clubs playing and placed within the leagues and qualifying positions stated below are eligible to compete in the trophy:
- x24 English League 1
- x24 English League 2
- x12 Northern Irish Football League Premier
- x12 Northern Irish Football League Championship
- x10 Scottish Championship
- x10 Scottish League 1
- x10 Scottish League 2
- x12 Welsh Premier League
- x7 Cymru Alliance (Top 7 of league from previous season)
- x7 Welsh Football League Division 1 (Top 7 of league from previous season)
2.3 RULES FOR ENTRANT CLUBS
- Clubs are only permitted to field 5 non UK players from the playing staff at any time during a game. Failure to do so at any stage will result in disqualification from the tournament.
- Clubs are only permitted to name a maximum of 7 non UK players within a matchday squad including substitutes. Failure to do so at any stage will result in disqualification from the tournament.
- Entrants must not field 'B' teams, Under age teams or development squads.
- Entrants will be classed as full 1st teams but selection of the team personnel is at the discretion of the current manager ONLY.
- All players must have a squad number within the clubs 1st team.
- Players used must have a playing contract with the club.No trialists may participate.
2.4 FAIR PLAY
- Should a league's pyramid or level be altered or restructured by it's nation, or develop to a standard that is of a much higher competitive level, putting teams at a very difficult standard advantage then there would be a process to determine the which level and league would be suitable.
3.0 FORMAT:
3.1 - PARTICIPTING NUMBERS
- 128 participating clubs based on relative league stature and league position from the 4 UK league pyramid structures.
3.2 - STAGE 1 GROUP STAGE
- 34 Groups of 4 teams (128 in total).
- Each team to play a home and away tie against each team within the group resulting in 6 games in total (3 home and 3 away).
- Each group to consist of 1 team from each region of the UK until all teams of that region are placed. Only Scottish and English teams can be placed in the same group due to participating numbers.
- When 2 teams from the same region are placed into a group together they must not play in the same domestic league level. e.g. if an English League 1 side is placed, then the 2nd English representative in that same group must come from English League 2.
- Group winners and runners up advance through to next stage.
- Group winners to have home advantage in the next stage.
3.3 - STAGE 2 KNOCKOUT ROUND OF 64
- Each group winner and runner up from Stage 1 advancing through to this stage.
- 32 matches to be played over a 2 legged basis of home and away.
- No away goal rule.
- Teams level on goals after both ties will progress via extra time and then a penalty shoot out to determine a winner.
- Group winners from the previous stage will be seeded with a home advantage in the 2nd leg and cannot be drawn against each other
- Group runners up from the previous stage will be drawn at random to each seeded group winner tie.
- No regional separation from this stage on and teams from the same region and domestic level can be drawn to face one and other.
- Winners of the two legged ties progress to Stage 3.
3.4 - STAGE 3 KNOCKOUT ROUND OF 32
- Each winner of the two legged ties from the previous stage are drawn at random to face one and other.
- No seeding system from previous stage.
- No regional separation.
- 16 matches to be played over a 2 legged basis of home and away.
- No away goal rule.
- Winners of the two legged ties progress to Stage 4.
3.5 - STAGE 4 KNOCKOUT ROUND OF 16
- Each winner of the two legged ties from the previous stage are drawn at random to face one and other.
- No seeding system from previous stage.
- No regional separation.
- 8 matches to be played over a 2 legged basis of home and away.
- No away goal rule.
- Winners of the two legged ties progress to Stage 5.
3.6 - STAGE 5 KNOCKOUT ROUND OF 8 - QUARTER FINALS
- Each winner of the two legged ties from the previous stage are drawn at random to face one and other.
- No seeding system from previous stage.
- No regional separation.
- 4 matches to be played over a 2 legged basis of home and away.
- No away goal rule.
- Winners of the two legged ties progress to Stage 6.
3.7 - STAGE 6 KNOCKOUT ROUND OF 4 - SEMI FINALS
- Each winner of the two legged ties from the previous stage are drawn at random to face one and other.
- No seeding system from previous stage.
- No regional separation.
- 2 matches to be played over a 2 legged basis of home and away.
- No away goal rule.
- Winners of the two legged ties progress to Stage 7.
3.8 - STAGE 7 KNOCKOUT ROUND OF 2 - FINAL
- Each winner of the two legged ties from the previous stage to face one and other.
- Tie to be played at a neutral venue in a one off winner lifts the trophy match.
- Tie to be played in usual style of a cup final via extra time and penalties should the scores be level at full time.
3.9 - VENUE OF FINAL
- 4 participating regions to nominate a venue, likely to be home grounds of:
Millennium Stadium WALES
Wembley Stadium ENGLAND
Hampden Park SCOTLAND
Windsor Park Northern Ireland
- Each country will host a final in turn until it has gone around each region, where the order will start again.
- On conception of 1st year of the tournament a draw will take place to determine the order of hosting the final.
4.0 THE DRAW:
4.1 STAGE 1 OF 32 GROUPS
- The draw will consist of 5 pots from the 4 UK regions.
- Pot order.
e.g.
Pot 1 SCOTLAND x30 teams
Pot 2 WALES X26 teams
Pot 3 N IRELAND X24 teams
Pot 4 ENGLAND L1 X24 teams
Pot 5 ENGLAND L2 X24 teams
- 1st draw: The draw will start with Pot 1 and the 30 clubs will be drawn into each group numerically starting from Group 1 - Group 30.
- 2nd draw: The 2nd draw will be drawn from Pot 2 and the 26 teams will be drawn into each group numerically starting from Group 31 - Group 24. (Once the last group 32 is reached we loop back around from group 1).
- 3rd draw: The 3rd draw will be drawn from Pot 3 and the 24 teams will be drawn into each group numerically starting from Group 25 - Group 16. (Once again when group 32 is reached reverting back in a loop to group 1).
- 4th draw: The 4th draw will be drawn from Pot 4 and the 24 teams will be drawn into each group numerically starting from Group 17 - Group 8. (Once again when group 32 is reached reverting back in a loop to group 1).
- 5th draw: The 5th draw will be drawn from Pot 5 and the 24 teams will be drawn into each group numerically starting from Group 9 - Group 32. Thus filling all the groups with four teams.
- Each group will firstly consist of a team from each country in the UK, then when that is not possible due to entrant numbers, the 2 pots of English league teams will fill the remaining places in a format that ensures that English teams from the same domestic leagues cannot be drawn in the same group.
4.2 STAGE 2 OF 16 WINNERS AND 16 RUNNERS UP
- Each group winner will become seeded in this next round and cannot be drawn against another group winner at this stage.
- Each group winner will have earned the right of being seeded and thus having a home advantage in the 2nd leg ties.
- The winner of each group will carry the number of its group from the previous stage.
- Runners up will be drawn at random and drawn against the group winners in order of their group number 1-32 until all ties have been drawn.
- Clubs from the same leagues and countries will not be kept apart from this stage.
4.3 STAGE 3,4,5,6 AND 7.
- Draws for Stage 3,4,5 and 6 will be made at random with no seeding or home advantages.
- Stage 7 will not be drawn and will be determined by the winning teams of both matches in Stage 6.
- Clubs from the same leagues and countries will not be kept apart from Stage 2.
5.0 GOONS AT THE PREMIER LEAGUE AND FOOTBALL LEAGUE TAKE NOTE (COPYRIGHT:)):
5.1 IF THE POWERS THAT RUN FOOTBALL HAD HALF A BRAIN THIS COULD BE GREAT FOR SLOWER CLUBS AND THE UK.
5.2 THE UK CLUBS I WOULD IMAGINE WOULD JUMP AT IT!
5.3 TV AND SPONSORSHIP WOULD JUMP AT IT!
5.4 PLAYERS WOULD RELISH IT!
5.5 AND MOST IMPORTANTLY... FANS WOULD LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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