Match thread vs Lincoln

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Originally Posted by DomdomPie

I can just about understand the decisions as they mostly fall into 2 categories: cheap backup, and young players that might develop.

Virtually all of them are on 1 year contracts, unlike previous years where we've been lumbered by the previous season's mistakes.

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http://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/...t-leave-745723

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Originally Posted by Elite_Pie

Then again, maybe it's the intelligent view of those capable of seeing the bigger picture. I have never been a fan of this competition from the start, but I attended the vast majority of the home games even though it never felt like a 'real' match. The thing that made me hate it with a passion was the decision to include Premiership 'B' / academy / U-21 (call them what you will) teams. I am convinced this was the thin end of the wedge to get Premiership second teams into a reshaped 100 team 5 division football league. That would kill the game as we know it and surveys showed the overwhelming majority of lower league supporters were against it. The Premiership however threw a bit of small change our way and bribed the League 1 & 2 chairman (like AH) to accept. That's the reason I refuse to attend any game in the EFL Trophy and hope the competition is a dismal failure. We have shown how easily we can be bought, the Premiership only need to throw a bit of cash and they'll get their way. I'm not happy to ruin over a century of history and tradition just to benefit Premiership second teams, which is why I think anyone who feels the same should boycott this farce.

Does that show a distinct lack of brain cells? You decide.

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Ah, Elite. Me thinks we are both right actually. I stand by all I said above. I do see the bigger picture. I would not disagree with what you have said here either. I agree that this competition has been messed about with so much it is a mere shadow of what it's meant to be. It has now ended up as an excuse for a competition. I dont expect the powers that be will have the balls to scrap it at the end of the season, they'll probably just tinker with it yet again (e.g. Give the Prem U21 sides a two goal start seeing as they dont seem to be progressing in the competition much).

My "lack of brain cells" comment was because I'm exasperated at fans of my team openly hoping we lose. That I cant fathom at all.

Moving on slightly, what this "competition" has done is flag up that our "B" team aren't the full deal. I also think it's pertinent to ask what do those players do now? from now until April". I would have liked to see them make progress in this tin pot competition, because winning is winning and it breeds positivity throughout the club at all levels.

You are correct though, It's about time the footballing authorities put this competition out of it's misery.

Much as I hate to see Notts lose any game, I can’t get upset about being out of this half baked competition. So far, KN has selected what are pretty nearly reserve sides, but I think if we’d stayed in the competition, and getting to Wembley had begun to look a possibility, the temptation to play first choice players would have become irresistible.

This could have had a detrimental effect on the promotion bid. My reason for saying this is because I can remember that in March 1988, Notts (under John Barnwell) were going really well and looking probables for automatic promotion, when the fixture list threw up an away tie against Brighton in what was then the Sherpa Vans Trophy. Notts got a thumping 5-1 win that night and went on to a Regional Final against Wolves. It must have generated significant additional income. But in the same match, we lost Ady Thorpe to a serious injury. If memory serves me correctly, he was out for the rest of the season. Our League form went to pot and we finished the season by losing to Walsall in the playoffs. And Brighton went up automatically by virtue of finishing runners up.

Although last night’s defeat is regrettable, it has at least eliminated the possibility of something similar happening again.