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Premier League clubs should draft youngsters to League One and Two, says Peterborough owner

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Peterborough owner Darragh MacAnthony has proposed a US-style PL-EFL loan draft system

Premier League youngsters should be entered into a US-style draft pick for League One and Two clubs to take on season-long loans, says Peterborough's owner.

Darragh MacAnthony, who lives in the US, has launched a debate on social media that top-flight clubs should put forward their five best 17 to 20-year-olds for a televised draft pick that he says could ease financial troubles for EFL clubs while helping youngsters "get real men's football minutes".

How would it work?

  • Each June, 20 PL clubs select five of their best youth players aged 17-20 to be made available for a draft pick
  • The 50 players from last season's top 10 clubs would be available to League One, while those from bottom 10 PL clubs would be available to League Two
  • The bottom 10 clubs from previous season in League One (inc. four promoted from League Two) get to pick two players each from top 10 finishing PL teams (with lowest ranked club going first)

League One clubs would take turns choosing two players to take on loan from last season's top 10 Premier League clubs, while League Two clubs would choose from the bottom 10 Premier League clubs (with the bottom three being made up of those promoted from the Championship).

"At the moment a lot of us League One and League Two clubs have a real problem dealing with Premier League clubs where we're being quoted up to £5,000-a-week in wages, pay for their accommodation, you have no idea the costs involved," MacAnthony told Sky Sports News.

"It shouldn't be financial for youngsters to go out and get real men's football minutes. That is the real battle we have in League One and League Two."

Harry Kane went on loan to Leyton Orient in League One for the 2010-11 season
Image: Harry Kane went on loan to Leyton Orient in League One for the 2010-11 season

MacAnthony believes playing in the lower leagues of English football is a far better education than "U21 tippy-tappy football".

"If you watch most of the Checkatrade games between Liverpool, Arsenal, whoever, we go watch these kids play and you don't see tackles, the hustle and bustle of proper league football," he added.

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"You can't really see if they're going to be able to do it at our club, if they're going to be able to do it on a cold Tuesday night at Bradford in the FA Cup."

MacAnthony suggested his idea could include a guarantee of the players featuring in 20-30 per cent of matches.

"If they're good enough to play, they'll play," he said. "If not that's a different story. You want these youngsters to go out and earn their keep.

"Harry Kane, players like that, went out on multiple loans in the Football League and it did them a world of good."

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