Lower-league clubs criticise FL

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 …

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