The English Football League has proposed a radical change to the league format for 2019/2020. What is being proposed is a radical revamp of the English Football League system that would see new five-leagues, each with 20 teams. This would mean England will have a 100-club system.
The current system has four-leagues, with 20 teams in the English Premier League and 24 teams in each of the Championship, League One and League Two.
The Football League explains the changes
The English Football League has contacted all English professional clubs to explain the proposal. The changes will be effective in the 2019/2020 season. Relegation from the Football League will be scrapped out in the 2018/2019 season. But the discussions will continue until the next season. The Football League will receive a decision from the clubs at their Annual General Meeting in June 2017. The final decision will be confirmed in November 2017.
Why would the Football League revamp the system?
The Football League believes that with the added division, more games will be played on weekends and Bank Holidays, remove clashes and fixture congestion, help clubs to make more money, and keep the play-off finals on the last weekend of the local season.
Where will extra clubs come from?
Football League Chief Executive, Shaun Harvey, told BBC Sport that the bottom two clubs which are relegated will not go down at the end of the 2018/2019 season. Six other clubs will join them from the National League to the Football League.
The Football League fans
Mr. Harvey told BBC Sport that hardcore fans are more than happy to go lengthy and country wide. Long midweek trips across the country for fans are going to disappear. He further added by saying, fewer games will make the stadium on Saturday more important and special.
The Football Supporters’ Federation in Whales and England, said it will consult fans at all levels and the fans have to be heard in this debate.
