I’m sure there were many fixtures in this competition with attendances less than 1,000 over the past few years. Infact quite a few clubs broke their own records for lowest ever attendance for a competitive fixture with this competition.
The only reason I can think of for why it continues is purely due to some sort of funding/arse licking of the Premier League clubs involved
Agreed. The introduction of Category 1 Under 23 teams was the result of serious toadying to the Premier League for rejecting the idea of Premier League 'B teams' joining the pyramid in the lower leagues. This idiotic proposal was suggested by Greg Dyke (doubtless at the behest of the Premier League barons) whilst he was coming to the end of his tenure as FA Chairman. Our pyramid structure is the one really distinctive feature of the English game, something to be proud of and something that is very much admired all over Europe. The use of Greg Dyke as a mouthpiece just about sums up how totally irrelevant the FA now are.
The whole thing is a waste of time for Charlton, save maybe for giving a few youth players in the Under 23s a taste of something a little different.
Given the financial pressures on League 1 and 2 squads post-Covid, I'm really surprised that clubs have been saddled with a minimum of 3 extra fixtures in September. The salary cap also drives a move towards smaller squads, so it's even more of a nonsense.
They won't be playing in the Tin Pot Cup. They'll be given a rest after playing in the League.
Do the Premier League clubs have a reserve team competition, did it used to be the Football Combination.
If they haven't then about time they organised on, got enough money.
The Premier League Reserve League and the old Football Combination packed up in 2012 (according to Wiki).
These days everything gets fudged through the U23 league: got a player out of form? Hasn't played for a while?Coming back through injury ? Play him as an over-age player against the kids.
With the amount of money that's swilling around at the top end of the game surely a bit could be set aside for a proper Twos comp? Not only would it allow senior players to have higher quality games when out of the first team it would be an extra step up for the youngsters before reaching the bright lights of the Ones.
I hadn't realised that the first game for this was so early, we play Wimbledon on the 8th September, that's another match before the league starts
Another pre-season friendly then perhaps?
Hope not in a way as means we might take it a bit more seriously
Sandwiched between the Swindon cup game and the first league game, i can't imagine we'll be too fussed about it. Bowyer will probably use the game to give those who didn't play at Swindon some game time.
Surely we'll go first XI for Swindon and the league game and Wimbledon will be back up players and U23s.
I hadn't realised that the first game for this was so early, we play Wimbledon on the 8th September, that's another match before the league starts
Another pre-season friendly then perhaps?
Hope not in a way as means we might take it a bit more seriously
Sandwiched between the Swindon cup game and the first league game, i can't imagine we'll be too fussed about it. Bowyer will probably use the game to give those who didn't play at Swindon some game time.
Surely we'll go first XI for Swindon and the league game and Wimbledon will be back up players and U23s.
So in a curious way we (and I imagine Swindon) will end up playing a stronger team in the EFL Cup than we might have done if it has been sandwiched between 2 league fixtures
You imagine Wimbledon will also play a backup side in the midweek fixture
Hope we give a full youth team x1 a run out and not a single senior player. Take anu fine and hold it back from the EFL until they sort out our club. Hate the competition and the format even before the patronising addition of the PL U23s.
Hope we give a full youth team x1 a run out and not a single senior player. Take anu fine and hold it back from the EFL until they sort out our club. Hate the competition and the format even before the patronising addition of the PL U23s.
If it's the first game of the season there is no baseline for who is a first team player, play a bunch of kids, then hopefully the takeover goes through and we loan a few of them out, and sign some players, then a couple of the others still here have "niggles" on the first game in the league and suddenly we've made 9/10 changes but stuck to the rules
Hope we give a full youth team x1 a run out and not a single senior player. Take anu fine and hold it back from the EFL until they sort out our club. Hate the competition and the format even before the patronising addition of the PL U23s.
Except we can't do that due to only being allowed 23 players including kids!
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If they haven't then about time they organised on, got enough money.
These days everything gets fudged through the U23 league: got a player out of form? Hasn't played for a while?Coming back through injury ? Play him as an over-age player against the kids.
With the amount of money that's swilling around at the top end of the game surely a bit could be set aside for a proper Twos comp? Not only would it allow senior players to have higher quality games when out of the first team it would be an extra step up for the youngsters before reaching the bright lights of the Ones.
Quite appropriate given the support their fans have given us on Social Media with #SaveCAFC
Hope not in a way as means we might take it a bit more seriously
Surely we'll go first XI for Swindon and the league game and Wimbledon will be back up players and U23s.
You imagine Wimbledon will also play a backup side in the midweek fixture
https://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/89746/bowyer-on-why-we-can-t-sign-players#latest
It's a pre season warm up match, no more, no less.