Representatives of the 72 Football League clubs have today dealt a blow to Football Association Chairman Greg Dyke's controversial 'B league' proposals at their summer meeting in Portugal, which began on Thursday.Dyke, the Football Association chairman, proposed a new division be created between the Conference and League Two which would include a number of Premier League clubs' B teams.
The plan emerged from his England Commission which aims to increase the number of English players in the top flight, and Dyke says it would give young players more experience of competitive football.
But there was a "general consensus" among the 72 Football League clubs that the B league would not work.
Earlier this week Bradford City chairman Mark Lawn, spoke ahead of the meeting, telling Press Association Sport: "Nobody understands how playing at Conference or League One level can help any player make it to play for England.
"There is a general consensus that it wouldn't work and would not be good for our club football either. The FA need to go to the Premier League and say they only have so many foreigners but they won't do it.
"The loan system as it is now works better - look at Tom Cleverley." - He started at Bradford, went to Manchester United when he was 12, went out on loan to Leicester, Watford and Wigan then went back to United and ended up playing for England. - "If they are going to end up playing for England they need to be playing at least at Championship level."
Football League officials also presented an alternative proposal which would see some Premier League B teams play in an expanded Johnstone's Paint Trophy, which would include a group stage. It is unclear however whether that would interest top-flight clubs.
Speaking after the meeting, Football League Chief Executive, Shaun Harvey, said: "Greg Dyke provided a detailed and thought provoking presentation that helped clubs get a better understanding of the thinking behind his recent report.
"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."