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Pompey fans lay into Football League over fines
Wednesday, 16th Nov 2016 23:08 by pompey-fans.com staff

Fans have attacked the Football League after Pompey and other clubs were fined thousands for fielding weakened teams in the Checkatrade Trophy.

The Blues and Luton have the biggest - and maximum - fines of £15,000 after not adhering to the selection rules in any of their three games.

Supporters have rounded on the league, ironically on the day the 'whole game solution' was dropped over fierce opposition from fans.

Critics of the trophy fines have accused organisers of double standards, saying Premier League and Championship clubs are encouraged to field youngsters but League One and Two teams are punished for doing so.

Football League bosses confirmed 12 clubs had been punished. Only Pompey and Luton Town have been fined the maximum.

The competition's rules - at least for League One and Two teams - said that five of the starting line-up in each game must have started the previous or following game, or five must be players who had made the most starting appearances during the season.

Pompey did make more than £15,000 for a win and a draw in the competition although fear overall losses having had to stage two home games with only very sparse crowds.

Meanwhile Blues CEO Mark Catlin has welcomed the scrapping of the whole game solution, which would have seen the lower leagues reshuffled.

Catlin told The News: ‘In its current state, the FA are no longer pursuing the Whole Game Solution they have worked on for the last six months. I am absolutely delighted, not for me personally, but for Portsmouth Football Club. Any acceptance of the Whole Game Solution would have had massive negative ramifications for the club.

‘As a club, we saw any reduction in relevant teams in leagues as a barrier to progression. The climbing of the pyramid was always our biggest concern and potentially there would be a season or two of transition where teams are relegated and not many promoted.'

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