The 'B League'

Royal Blue Jersey · May 10, 2014

What an offensive idea... insulting to the unique - genuinely unique - breadth and depth of the lower leagues in this country, an institution containing a vast array of teams that still matter to their local residents and real fans, an institution that came before the European Cup (and it's glorious commercialised re-branding) World Cup, European Leagues and all their 'top teams' from Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, the rest.

I don't care about the English national team. So long as Everton keep producing scousers and keep playing youngsters, I'll be happy. We aren't squeezing the life out of the game, and the lower league clubs through which so many young English players are given a chance certainly aren't. This is about servicing the needs of the mega-rich (as always) and their preening, feted, pampered egomaniac youth team bells who are more interested an expensive metrosexual lifestyle and twitter followers. They don't care about the game, and if they fail to thrive it is nobody's fault but their own. Don't punish the lower leagues and the fantastic, esteemed, peerless history of English football for this joke of a system.

It's the one thing I vehemently disagree with Martinez on, and I encourage real football fans to fight him and anyone to the bitter end to prevent what will be the final death knell to the old ways.

formerly manx toffee · May 10, 2014

I love it. I hate football.

Minimeister · May 10, 2014

As far as I'm aware this happens in other European countries to beef out the lower leagues as they don't have as many clubs as England does. So if there's any clear evidence that Spain or Germany has benefitted from it then can they show us the evidence? For me it's a non starter because more people care about the wellbeing of lower league clubs than the national team. If you have a look at the two players who have come through our ranks in the last few years, how would have this benefitted them? When a player is as good as Rooney then we don't need a 'B' team. Barkley benefitted by dropping down a league, not 2 or 3 leagues. I'm really not sure how the lads techniques will improve playing in the Conference, your more likely to adapt bad habits. I understand for the last ten years we've been paying Sir Trevor Brooking over 300k per year to be improving grass roots football. Maybe there's your problem. Anyway, made up the Premier league has virtually killed the idea today and long may people remember what the FA was willing to do to it's clubs. It's about as effective for the sport as when it's sorting out it's tickets allocation for it's own Cup.

Barkley85 · May 10, 2014

well said just another way too benefit the top clubs, all this country does is put the Asian day trippers over the real lower league fans, why not make a quota of every team in England having to play atleast 4 Englishmen each game or something? they wont as they know your man city's, chelseas and arsenals wouldn't want to.

Minimeister · May 10, 2014

Barkley85 said:
well said just another way too benefit the top clubs, all this country does is put the Asian day trippers over the real lower league fans, why not make a quota of every team in England having to play atleast 4 Englishmen each game or something? they wont as they know your man city's, chelseas and arsenals wouldn't want to.

They had that mate about 20 years ago I think. We were still rubbish.