Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

I will be in attendance for the Blackpool game as they are a "real" side but probably will think twice about Boro Reserves as I abhor the principle of our first team being made to play first team fixtures against reserves.

Will also do Wigan for the sake of ticking off the ground.

Such a shame it has come to this. Had some cracking days in this competition. 4-4 at home to Blackpool, Oldham and Leeds away and beating Bradford of League 1 when still a Conference club.

Just glad Rovers aren't in our group. Was certain they would be but want to save our first reformed meeting for a league, league cup or FA Cup encounter.

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

Having heard the differing viewpoints, I am coming down in favour of supporting our management. The Blackpool boycott is a totally different situation.

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

Sadly it is a catch 22, one half wants to support the club and Andy for his investment but by doing that you are also encouraging the fools at the FA into thinking you are in agreement with the set up. I am with Cashy on this one but we all should do the same thing. We know our little club needs the money so we could buy the equivalent in merchandise so the club does not lose out. The FA are the real problem. Just think if they top sliced 10% off the total transfer fees paid each season and gave each lower league an equal share of the money, The game and small clubs could actually progress from the grass roots up. Greed of the FA is winning by a country mile.

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

Sod it, my minds made up now - I'm going and I'm going to try to get a few kids along too.

Stanley dont deserve to play in front of 300 people and Andy doesnt deserve to make a loss on a crap gate. We've a chance of Wembley in this tournament and I hope Coley goes for it

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

could you expand on your decision to go.
like you I will be going but I will be going because family members are going, but I strongly disagree with the format and think that when the five division format is introduced it will be to the detriment of small clubs like ours

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

As a fan of the new format, I won't be going for other reasons but I hope Stanley can go on and win it

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

There must be some way of getting the message overt to the FA without boycotting - and getting it over to Checkatrade too. It surely can't be long befor5e the public realise what a sham Checkatrade is.

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

Well said Macca!
The legitimate concerns from fans that the introduction of the Premier League & Championship Academies would dilute the chances of the lower league teams proved to be false.
The facts from last years competition show that;
1. Of the 16 Academy teams which entered, 7 went out in the first group stage.
2. In round 2 - a further 4 were eliminated.
3. Only one - Swansea City Academy made the quarter final, losing to Coventry.
4. No Academy team even reached the semi-finals
5. Coventry beat Oxford(both league 1 teams) 2-1 in the Wembley final, in front of 74,434 fans.

Think I'll be joining you Macca!

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

As a competition, it's no more a sham than the Premier League. It just isn't the competition it once was, i.e. one that gives the bottom two divisions a competition of their own with a Wembley final. But it's still a competition that does offer a route to Wembley, albeit with some Premier U-21 potholes in the way. I didn't like the change, but now it's happened I think we should go for it properly (though I have to admit I won't be travelling from Pompey for any Tuesday night games at this stage).

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

if you know another way of doing it without a boycott please let me know for at present the only thing a fan can do is boycott the games if you are not in favour of the present format. remember they wanted to bring in premier league B teams into an extra division a few years ago which was thrown out and then they came up with this checkatrade rubbish. if the gates had gone up for this competition they could have a re think of their former idea. don,t know stanleys official take on the competition but if they were against it i for one wish they hadn,t try to bribe fans into attending with the low admission cost.

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

It's not the competition I think a sham - it's the company. I think that a well-orchestrated campaign in the press and media would go some way to bringing to the League's and FA's notice that fans felt it a poor competition.

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

think a lot of fan groups at clubs had a lot to say egainst the competition but only came up with a boycott of it. will never get much publicity though as there is too much for the media to spout about in the premier league to leave much time and space for owt else.

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

Most fans boycotted the old format too, it was never very popular anyway.

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

As this is not considered by a lot of supporters as a "proper" comp will it count as one of McLeod's 3match bans.

Re: Checkatrade Trophy -v-Blackpool
 

the blackpool game is eight games away he should be back for the chesterfield game