Friday 20 May 2016 10:07, UK
Accrington and Bradford are among the lower-league clubs to criticise the new Football League proposals for a shake-up of the professional structure in England.
Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey says the radical plans it has put forward are designed to ease the problem of fixture congestion.
But the proposals have already been criticised by owners and chairmen of lower-league sides, with Accrington Stanley owner Andrew Holt telling Sky Sports News HQ he cannot see "any sense" in them for his club, and Bradford joint-chairman Mark Lawn branding them "ridiculous" for those needing to guarantee matchday incomes.
The Football League wants the Championship, League One and League Two to become 20-team leagues, down from 24, with a new 20-team League Three added, taking the number of clubs in the structure to 100.
And Harvey says that the proposals are designed to all but end midweek league fixtures, because the Football League thinks fixture congestion is hurting the game.
"The fixture list is so congested, it may be counter-productive to the quality of the product that we are seeking to deliver," said Harvey. "Not just to the fans who turn up on a matchday, but to a wider viewing audience.
"Our rebrand is about taking the Football League international.
"Yet a lot of our games take place midweek and that has a knock-on effect on the unique product that the Football League has always been.
"By asking clubs to consider making these changes, it is all about focusing our League competition at weekends.
"Each club will come up with the numbers concerning what they think it means to them financially. That all needs off-setting against the benefits.
"It may be that, with 38 games rather than 46, they don't need as many professional players.
"It may mean that more regular and less frequent games means some of the players who are carrying injuries from one week to another may have a chance to recover.
"It is never going to be a simple calculation about the loss of gate receipts - that just needs to be a very important factor in a far bigger calculation."
But Holt, the owner of League Two Stanley, thinks the plans do not make sense within the business model operated by many clubs.
"I just don't recognise it as a sensible plan," Holt told Sky Sports News HQ. "We want more games, we would rather play 50 home games.
"We need revenue, we don't want to lose any games.
"For me, our players will play as many games as we want. We pay them an annual salary, we want them to play games. It is (manager) John Coleman's job to get them fit.
"It has got to hurt us if we lose any revenue. I am putting cash in to fill a black hole. If we have less revenue, I will have to put more in.
"If we are only going to play here 20 times a year, it is hardly worth having a stadium. I can't see any sense in the proposals, as far as it affects Accrington Stanley.
"Fans want to see football and our players want to play. I don't see how it can benefit fans to have less football to see."
And Bradford joint-chairman Lawn said: "We've had this structure for years because it has suited the majority of clubs, so why change it?
"What they don't understand is that currently we have 23 home games. We need the crowds; we don't get the money Championship clubs get.
"Losing four home games means we lose four incomes. It's not so bad for us but for teams like Accrington and York, that's a lot of money. It's ridiculous.
"They certainly haven't come out and consulted with all the clubs, because this is the first I've heard about it.
"If we were voting now, I'd be voting against it. The only reason I can think of is that, yet again, the Championship clubs want it."
However, the FA have tentatively welcomed the proposals.
A spokesman commented: "We have said for some time that English football needs to look again at the congested fixture schedule for the benefit of all.
"As such, we have been discussing initial ideas with the Premier League and Football League.
"These are interesting draft proposals and we look forward to further discussions over the coming months."
A Premier League spokesman said: "The structure of the Football League is a matter for it and its member clubs.
"It is no secret that the Premier League, Football League and Football Association are open to discussing potential improvements in the structure of the fixture list.
"The earliest any changes could come into effect is beyond the 2019/20 season, so there is nothing imminent or a pressing timetable."
