Pompey (a) EFL Trophy

[Greatwesternline]

My housemate is a pompey, we're thinking of going to watch this, its only £7.

Did anyone go to the previous EFL Trophy away games, do they count as a fixture proper for RFC?

He has said Pompey are only opening one end, would be a strange experience all round, but not sure if i'd want to go if there is no other away fan presence whatsoever...

Do people think this game will get any away following at all?

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

We took 69 to Bristol Rovers in the previous game

As for Pompey fans..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36953689

[John Smith]

I was half considering this one for the comedy value.

Stupid question alert - does Lee Herron take the side?

[Sutekh]

These games are not 1st team games - they are intended for the U-23s but augmented with up to 6 older players.

Lower league clubs are rightly boycotting the competition as they see it as their tournament being "hijacked" by the league and FA as a try out to see if they can get B teams into the league structure

On top of it all any possible attraction in the competition change was killed when most PL clubs (including all the big sides) declined to enter their academy teams anyway (bet they weren't fined).

The only benefit in this stupid competition is with the experience those Academy sides that are entered will pick up

To cap it all, lower league clubs ridiculously get fined if they field weakened teams though.

Just for the record, although BBC Berks covered the Rovers game live they may decide not to cover the Portsmouth or Yeovil games live.

Amusingly Newcastle United only found they were invited to take part when the club saw it twattered in the media

Bet Checkatrade are glad they sponsored this ....

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Surely if it was marketed differently this competition could work

The Football League this week announced they wouldn't allow any B teams into the league, so this #BTeamBoycott no longer has any relevance

The FL Trophy as it was known was pretty meaningless anyway by the sounds of things, and League 1 & 2 fans rarely gave it much love or attention unless their side got through to Wembley

A competition that combines the lower leagues whilst developing the youth of the bigger clubs is surely a good thing, no one is really losing out and there's a lot to gain for the youngsters who will be playing against seasoned professionals - see how 'buzzing' our U23 squad were after beating Rovers

B Teams in the League is definitely a bad thing, but B Teams in a small, otherwise fairly irrelevant competition isn't the end of the world

[Sutekh]

Surely if it was marketed differently this competition could work

The Football League this week announced they wouldn't allow any B teams into the league, so this #BTeamBoycott no longer has any relevance

The FL Trophy as it was known was pretty meaningless anyway by the sounds of things, and League 1 & 2 fans rarely gave it much love or attention unless their side got through to Wembley

A competition that combines the lower leagues whilst developing the youth of the bigger clubs is surely a good thing, no one is really losing out and there's a lot to gain for the youngsters who will be playing against seasoned professionals - see how 'buzzing' our U23 squad were after beating Rovers

B Teams in the League is definitely a bad thing, but B Teams in a small, otherwise fairly irrelevant competition isn't the end of the world

Think a lot of it is down to the typical half-arsed way it was suddenly introduced. While lower league clubs did vote to approve a 1 year pilot they now say they would not have done so if they had known the utter mess the FL had made of organising it e.g. all the "big" academies missing meaning mostly Division 2 level youngsters rather than Division 1.

[tmesis]

These games are not 1st team games - they are intended for the U-23s but augmented with up to 6 older players.

Lower league clubs are rightly boycotting the competition as they see it as their tournament being "hijacked" by the league and FA as a try out to see if they can get B teams into the league structure

What's the FA got to do with any of this? It's not their plan. They didn't propose it, nor did they (nor the league for that matter) force it on anyone.

There was a vote, and the majority of clubs voted for it

[Ian Royal]

We took 69 to Bristol Rovers in the previous game

As for Pompey fans..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36953689

Isn't it U23s?

[Maneki Neko]

lower league clubs ridiculously get fined if they field weakened teams though.

heard that someone has been fined this year for fielding a weakened team, in a game they won.

[Greatwesternline]

It does seem a bit daft that you win a match but played a weakened team....

I'll be going to this match anyway, which will be my first of the season. #truefansdontdo1stteammatches

[Big Foot]

IN

[Portsmouth Royal]

Pretty tempted by this, if only for the fact its so rare to be able to walk to a match for me.

The feeling is that it'll be pretty deserted, you might even be able to get parked ok if you drive down I imagine (barring the normally dreadful Southsea parking anyway)