16 Jun @ColU_Official in favour of football league trophy changes
Colchester United were one of the clubs that voted in favour of controversial changes to the English Football League Trophy.
The U’s have backed a new pilot format for the competition, formerly known as the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, which will see Premier League sides enter their under-21 teams next season.
Colchester general manager Tim Waddington told the Daily Gazette: “It did split opinion but from a Colchester United perspective, we’re pretty pro giving this a go and I think it’s a positive.
“I can see why people would be against these changes and I get why people are alarmed and concerned.
“I think we have to go with the flow a little bit and see if this works.”
Waddington, along with Colchester chairman Robbie Cowling, were at the EFL’s summer conference where clubs voted in favour of the revamp, which will see the EFL Trophy made up of 64 League One and League Two clubs along with 16 Category One Premier League academy and under-21 sides.
A total of 16 regional groups consisting of four teams will battle it out in the opening round group stages, with the Academy sides allowed one home game.
The top two teams in each group will then progress to the knockout stages of the competition, with the final staged at Wembley next April.
The new format for the EFL Trophy is being piloted as part of the league’s ongoing commitment to creating more and better home-grown players and it is understood that the Premier League have added £1M to the prize pot.
