Each to their own, but I think I’ll get by not watching these games.
Would you be happy to see U21 teams added to the Football League?
Is this fixture our lowest ever attendance for a competitive game?
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In terms of proceeds from the game and this must have an impact when setting the appropriate ticket price is is indeed only 45% of any net proceeds after expenses have been deducted (I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a loss)
26 DISTRIBUTION OF PROCEEDS OF MATCHES
26.1 Rule 26 shall apply where a Match is played and supporters are permitted to enter the
stadia.
26.2 The proceeds of all Matches (including replayed Matches admittance to the away Club’s
ground where a beamback is provided) shall, after paying thereout the travelling expenses
of the Visiting Club (determined in accordance with Rule 25), the ground and other expenses
of the Match including VAT, floodlighting of the playing pitch and ancillary lighting (not to
exceed £200), advertising, printing, postage, police charges, turnstile operators, stewards,
contribution to first aid helpers, costs of any goal line technology, costs incurred in
providing a live streaming service and clearing the ground of snow, (provided in the case of
the last mentioned item the Visiting Club is notified in advance of the Match in question of
the approximate cost) is referred to as the Net Proceeds.
26.3 Subject to Rule 26.4, for all Matches the Net Proceeds shall be allocated as follows:
26.3.1 45 per cent to each Club;
26.3.2 10 per cent to the Pool Account (and not, the Competition Pool)
That is the worst argument for not standing by your convictions I have ever read.
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I can’t see how they made a loss when the split is made after costs are taken out.
Even if they did make a small loss, the Blues game would have covered that easily.
We need to understand rule 25. What were Fulham U21 expenses?
How much does it cost to hire a coach, + food expenses for 25 people?
I imagine you’re talking at least £1500.
25 TRAVELLING EXPENSES
25.1 Rule 25 shall apply where a Match is played and supporters are permitted to enter the
stadia.
25.2 Subject to Rule 25.5, a Visiting Club may claim travel expenses incurred (and the amount
claimed shall be an expense of the Match) at the following rates:
25.2.1 standard class railway fares for up to 24 persons for the Players and officials of the
Visiting Club at a maximum rate of £150 per person; or
25.2.2 air fares for up to 24 persons for the Players and officials of the Visiting Club at a
maximum rate of £100 per person; or
25.2.3 actual cost of motor coach hire (not exceeding £2,400).
25.3 For all Matches (other than the final), subject to Rule 25.4, the Visiting Club may also claim
hotel expenses incurred (and the amount claimed shall be an expense of the Match) at the
following rates:
25.3.1 for an overnight stay, for up to 24 persons for the Players and officials of the
Visiting Club at a maximum rate of £160 per person; or
25.3.2 where there is no overnight stay, a maximum of £450 (where necessarily incurred) for miscellaneous sundries.
25.3.3 Clubs will be entitled to claim for any safeguarding expenses up to £500 for their players and staff and are encouraged to take up this expense
25.4 A Visiting Club shall only be entitled to claim overnight hotel expenses where it would
not be possible for the Visiting Club to return to its home stadium or training ground (as
applicable) within five hours (including a stop of not more than 45 minutes) of the conclusion
of the Match. Any hotel expenses (overnight or otherwise) shall be agreed between the
Home Club and Visiting Club in advance. Any disputes shall immediately be referred to the
League for settlement and whose decision will be final.
25.5 Players will be entitled to claim a gift allowance for their families and/or spouses as a memento of the fixture up to £35 per player
25.6 In respect of the final, each Club shall be entitled to claim (and the amount claimed shall be
an expense of the Match):
25.6.1 travel expenses incurred, in accordance with the rates set out in Rule 25.2 for a
party of 24 (with maximum coach hire costs of £2,400); and
25.6.2 hotel expenses for one night, for up to 24 persons at a maximum rate of £250 per
person.
25.7 The League retains the right to amend the provisions of Rule 25 at any time during the
Competition provided that it provides Clubs with notice of at least 4 hours
Are they able to claim more than the gate receipts?
Does this mean Fulham were entitled to claim approx £700 in gift allowances?
The only thing that I find futile is the attempted defence of this now worthless competition
On the face of it, I thoroughly enjoyed the Birmingham game and the bragging rights afterwards. However, holistically looking at the situation now including the shocking attendance figures above and the sterile footballing experience at 99.99% of these games, plus the fact we lost a much more important game at MK Dons while looking extremely tired, we should have just put our academy / reserve side out. Let’s face it, if we do make Wembley I know a fair few Walsall fans that wont bother.
Its a nothing reserve/academy league. If you like watching that fair enough, but dont try and sell it as anything different. How many football fans would even know who wins it? I couldn’t tell you who won it last year…
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That’s how I understand it, hopefully they spent it in the club superstore.
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Well, we did make 8 changes. Had Daniels, McEntee and the Priest been fit, it would have been different.
That is not a counterargument, just an impolite reply.
My convictions mean that I would attend something I believed was immoral, such as Bullfighting. Walsall playing U21s is not immoral. But if I boycotted all the businesses owned by chains I don’t like, I would be making my life a bit worse, while the companies could not care less.
What is the point of that question? Whether you or I, or any other Walsall fan attends these matches, will not make the slightest difference to the Football League. You might as well ask me if I think Snickers should be renamed Marathon, what I think about the issue has no relevance to the decision.
I totally agree, nobody should go to a match that they believe they will not enjoy. For me, the U21 games have been enjoyable, and Fulham especially so. Far more enjoyable than our 1-0 win against a poor quality Morecambe side. It was really good to see our players up against such techinally gifted young players.
Well it’s neither, it’s an observation. Just because you don’t stand by the same convictions you yourself outlined, it doesn’t mean others should follow suit. I don’t agree will the competition, I don’t watch the games 
It’s not exactly a massive sacrifice. It’s not been difficult to do. In fact it has been incredibly easy. Just like not reading a paper owned by somebody you completely disagree with is. There’s the counter argument you wanted.
Yep, still an awful argument. “I have morals, but not the point I will make my life a bit worse” 
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It was an enjoyable game, entertaining. Last season there was 40k at Wembley. Two seasons ago the attendance was approx 80k, the final is quite well attended.
No matter how you see it that’s not what everyone feels or thinks. People boycotting the competition will make no difference in the short term and the Shrewsbury game will be another entertaining tie some people will miss due to the sentiments about the competition…
Not being able to afford it is a fair reason not to get to games, missing a match you can attend because of outrage of the competition only really sees yourself off, which is also fine…
Me neither tbh. I haven’t been to a game since the u21s came into it and doubt I will. It’s killed the comp completely and if they ever did allow u21 teams into the league comp then that would most likely be the end of football for me unless I decided to follow some non league club for my football fix. Bums on seats are the only protest we have.
At least people who went to blues got to witness blues proper team, I wonder if the same amount of numbers would’ve gone if it was blues u21s?
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I was asking because I was curious to hear your opinion. I worry that the normalisation of playing against U21 teams will see them added to the league one day. Personally I think that would be a very sad day for English football.
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I agree.
They do it in Spain but have a rule that the reserves cannot play in the same division as the main team.
Back in the day, there were three levels, the first team, the reserves and the youth side, each with its own league. I think even Walsall had three briefly but I do remember our reserves playing in the Midland Intermediate League.
I don’t think any U21 team has ever won this cup or been in the final, have they? The U21 teams always play away, which means each team has 2 home games. At the moment, it’s a long way from a league presence. And I hope it stays that way.
I think Pep Guardiola has argued for PL ‘B’ teams to be allowed into the EFL in the past.
They aren’t allowed in La Liga, but I think they can play in the second tier (could be the third).
The reason given was for the development of players.
I would argue that if PL clubs were limited to 30 full time professionals over the age of 20, then those players that don’t make the cut can develop at other clubs.
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Our pyramid system, and in particular the FA cup and the magic it brings, was once the envy of all other football playing nations
It seems it’s now being eroded little by little at every opportunity. All about money, all about the top of the game.
God knows what the future holds
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It’s also to help the national team perform better and it does work but at what cost ? Do clubs in the lower leagues in other countries have the same makeup English clubs do? In terms of local communities etc. ultimately I would rather see the so called top4/6 piss off to a European super league and then put a cap on players salaries, spending etc and bring the sport back to the working class instead of a playground for the super rich
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