06.06.2014 18:52 h

Football: Lower league clubs have no appetite for 'B' league plan

English Football League clubs have "no appetite" for Greg Dyke's controversial plan for a 'B league' following a presentation by the Football Association chairman.

Dyke's proposal is aimed at giving young home-grown players more experience of first team football as part of his drive to improve the England team.

The FA chairman's scheme included the provision for a new league below the current four-tier structure which would be made up of teams from the National Conference and sides consisting of Premier League youth team players.

Those Premier League youth sides wouldn't be allowed to be promoted into the second tier, but there was widespread resistance to the idea of tampering with the traditional structure.

In a bid to garner support, Dyke made his presentation at the 72 clubs' meeting in Portugal, but Football League's chief executive Shaun Harvey said the sides did not back the idea.

"Greg Dyke provided a detailed and thought-provoking presentation that helped clubs get a better understanding of the thinking behind his recent report," Harvey said.

"Whilst it's fair to say there is no appetite amongst clubs for the use of B teams or strategic loan partnerships in the football pyramid, they did share his overriding concern about the development of young English footballers and supported a number of the report's other recommendations.

"We will continue to work with the FA to help find solutions that will be supported across the whole game."