Pic: Edmund Boyden
FEARS are growing that the Football League may attempt to cherry-pick up to 14 Non-League clubs that they want to compete in their new-look League Three.
Should the radical proposal get the green light, it is near certain that the spaces would be filled with clubs from further down the Pyramid.
The NLP understands that EFL clubs have been asked for their observations about a potential increase in clubs from the original idea of 80 to 86.
Last week, Premier League B teams and clubs from the Scottish Premier League were ruled out of controversial restructuring plans.
That means only Non-League clubs can make up the numbers, causing great worry that the face of the game outside of the EFL will change beyond recognition.
Concerns
One long-serving chairman – who has asked not to be named – says the EFL may opt to have 22 clubs in League One, Two and the new League Three, with 20 clubs in the Championship.
He believes concerns exist that the Football League may try to lure the bigger clubs into the new set-up – regardless of league standings.
If an altered proposal is put forward, that means 14 new clubs will need to be found to complete the new structure, pulling the National League apart and causing reverberations throughout the Pyramid.
He said: “There is a lot of worry about where this is leading. If it gets the go ahead, Non-League football may not recover from it.
“Of course for the bigger clubs, they may see this as their best route back up. But the grave concern is that the ambitious clubs with larger crowds and perhaps Football League history will effectively be selected to join. They do not want another Accrington Stanley.
“This is easily done as the EFL can set their own stadium criteria. If the shake-up has to come, then promotion must be earned on merit. Not because you're a so-called big club.”
