‘FOOLISH TO TALK UP THIS FAILED REVAMP’

GRIMSBY Town director John Fenty is adamant the revamped Football League Trophy has not worked.

The Mariners were delighted to return to the EFL this season after winning the National League play-offs last term, but the Checkatrade Trophy has been a blot on their landscape. And Fenty believes EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey has been illadvised to speak so glowingly of how the competition’s new format has functioned this season.

“I certainly don’t think the competition has been successful, and talking it up has been foolhardy,” he said. “There has clearly been unrest and there’s been a massive rejection from the fans.

“It does seem that the EFL are burying their heads in the sand.”

And Fenty believes things needs to change if the competition is to be a success in the future.

“The objective of the proposals was to assist the English game, to enable the Premier League clubs to blood youngsters in a men’s competition,” he said.

“Clearly, the addition of five over-age players in their sides, which could include foreign players, didn’t fit with the original plan that was put to us.

“If the Premier League aren’t interested in making the competition work, we need to down tools and go back to the way it was. The competition hasn’t worked and something needs to change.”