A statement on the OS states all L1 and l2 clubs met today with the EFL to discuss the EFL trophy

It looks like they result will be the clubs have 3 options to vote on at the AGM

• A revised format including 16 invited teams;
• A return to the previous 48-team competition, exclusive to League One and Two;
• Remove the competition from the fixture calendar.


http://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/efl-statement-regarding-the-checkatrade-trophy-3670195.aspx

My choice would be option 2 if there was the prize money and option 3 if not

be interested on what everyone else vote would be

Option 2 every time.

But if the competition is as dead as the FL say it is then scrap it all together and completely revamp and to an extent commercialise County Cups.

Option 2

I'd like to see something really radical like a British Isles Cup involving League One, League Two teams and clubs that did not qualify for Europe from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Straight knock-out tournament with two legged ties. Might get the juices of the fans going with new stadiums to tick off and the novelty of it may make it saleable for TV. It'll never happen with the different FAs involved but it would be more interesting than playing Accrington for a third time in a season..

I like that idea Bigdog. But I suspect that travel costs would be a hindrance as most clubs in Scotland and Wales have low attendances it would hardly make it worthwhile. You'd have to 'regionalise' (that's a term to get up the noses of the Celts  :P ) the first few rounds. Travel time might be a factor to/from Scotland, NI and IRE too.

Option 3

Bigdog sounds a good idea but clubs would lose money in travel costs I would think,

If the final is played at Wembley then option 2,

Because we have not been there for a while  8)

Quoted from grimsby pete

Bigdog sounds a good idea but clubs would lose money in travel costs I would think,

If the final is played at Wembley then option 2,

Because we have not been there for a while  8)

If the EFL were handing out prize money this season, that money could be re-allocated to travel costs Pete..

Quoted from Bigdog

money could be re-allocated to travel costs Pete..

Extra revenue would also go some way to covering those costs. A tv deal would be worth more, advertising revenue would go up as it would be seen across a larger area. Definitely extra bums on seats as well. Probably one of the best ideas I've seen on this board.

If they are to keep it, it needs to be regionalised until the last possible stage to keep down travel costs but also keep up interest.  

A mini-league format of say us, Donny, Lincoln and Scunny would retain some interest but I would also like to see actual encouragement for teams playing youngsters rather than fines.  Some will argue about weakened teams but most managers won't run the risk of putting kids in the first team in a league fixture because it's their job riding on it.  

Maybe something like a rule that states you have to play so many home grown talents/youth products etc.

Quoted from diehardmariner

If they are to keep it, it needs to be regionalised until the last possible stage to keep down travel costs but also keep up interest.  

A mini-league format of say us, Donny, Lincoln and Scunny would retain some interest but I would also like to see actual encouragement for teams playing youngsters rather than fines.  Some will argue about weakened teams but most managers won't run the risk of putting kids in the first team in a league fixture because it's their job riding on it.  

Maybe something like a rule that states you have to play so many home grown talents/youth products etc.

Totally agree with this but at the end of the day there is little evidence to suggest GTFC will take on board anything the fans say and JF & co will vote for whatever they can get the most money for. They virtually confirmed this at the last Fans Forum