Spotafan Trophy / #BTeamBoycott

[Kairdiff Exile]

So, for what it's worth, we've been drawn with Franchise, Stephen Hedge and an as-yet-unnamed B Team (which the Football League say they will 'place' into groups based on keeping travel commitments down).

Not that it matters, as no proper fan would attend this aberration of a competition anyway. #BTeamBoycott

[Boogie]

Until we reach the final...

[Hog]

If we got to the final and if it wasn't against a B team I'd go. Otherwise I'm boycotting it all again!

[Jimski]

Jeez, we really need to get knocked out of this early this time.

[SmileyMan]

My stance: I will not support the competition while B teams remain in the draw. My apologies to the club for this. Once B teams have all been eliminated, I will support the club if it's still in it - at that point the competition is between the clubs that it should be, and so has become valid. Also, there's a pragmatic element of not cutting off one's nose etc. etc.

I know other people have different views, but that's mine.

[The Enforcer]

I struggle to make midweek matches, so ignoring this tournament is fairly easy for me. The primary stated reason for including U21 teams in the competition, to help develop youth players, is undermined by allowing older first team players t sneak in (for example Zouma and Van Ginkel played against OUFC - you'd think Chelsea would have enough youth players available).

[Dr Bob]

I struggle to make midweek matches, so ignoring this tournament is fairly easy for me. The primary stated reason for including U21 teams in the competition, to help develop youth players, is undermined by allowing older first team players t sneak in (for example Zouma and Van Ginkel played against OUFC - you'd think Chelsea would have enough youth players available).

With the hypocrisy further highlighted by imposing fines on proper clubs if they try to play too many youngsters...

[Dr Bob]

I am not the only one for whom missing these games is a practical inevitability, rather than a statement against the competition, but any sense of how many are likely to turn out for this?

[Kernow Yellow]

I've been intending to boycott any thread about the Trophy this year, but can't help chuckle at the predicament we find ourselves in this evening - a win will be met with angry howls of 'why couldn't we beat Vale instead?' and another loss will get an even worse reaction! A meaningless penalty shootout 'draw' is probably the only fitting outcome...

[tomoufc]

I've been intending to boycott any thread about the Trophy this year, but can't help chuckle at the predicament we find ourselves in this evening - a win will be met with angry howls of 'why couldn't we beat Vale instead?' and another loss will get an even worse reaction! A meaningless penalty shootout 'draw' is probably the only fitting outcome...

I was intending to boycott this post.

[Jimski]

So did more than 1000 Us fans (1073 to be exact) really go to Stamford Bridge last night? To watch us play a bloody U21 side? Bloody hell. Whatever happened to the boycott...?

Glad we finally got knocked out.

[Hog]

Shaun Harvey really is a two-faced gimp isn't he? Suspect Chelsea may boycott it next season now!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42980413

[Kernow Yellow]

I see that Half Man Half Biscuit's forthcoming album will have a track called 'Swerving the Checkatrade'.

That is all.

[Kairdiff Exile]

I see that Half Man Half Biscuit's forthcoming album will have a track called 'Swerving the Checkatrade'.

Very much looking forward to the new album. It feels like ages since the last one.

Back on topic, this is a damning an analysis of the revised format and its failure. No one - not even Shaun Harvey and the English Football League - can pretend that fans have embraced the competition. The only thing that is keeping it going is the League's cynical commitment to under-write clubs' losses and buy them off with the promise of prize money subsidised by Premiership gold. It says a lot about lower league owners that they are prepared to support that arrangement in the face of the clear views of their customers.

[Dr Bob]

Can't be bothered to start a new thread for 2018/19...
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/16685 ... uspension/

So Hanson cannot play tonight, but it does not count towards his 3-match ban. WTF? Who makes up this crap? Is it a 3 or a 4 match ban? OK so he may have been rested anyway (although I suspect not, to keep him match-fit), but this rule is ludicrous.