The Checkatrade Trophy, the newly revamped EFL Trophy, has become somewhat of a farce after Bradford City brought off goalkeeper Colin Doyle just three minutes into the game.

The reformed version of last season's Johnstone's Paint Trophy, which now includes academy sides from the Premier League and the Championship, states that teams from Leagues One and Two must play five "first-team players" in order to give the academy youngsters a chance to play against senior professionals. To be classed as a "first-team player", the player must be among the five highest appearance-makers at the club this season, have played the last league game or will play the next league game.

However, Bradford wanted to give second-choice 'keeper Rouven Sattelmaier some game time and therefore decided to introduce him so early in the game.

McCall's decision has made the competition come under even further scrutiny after a number of managers and clubs have expressed their disapproval of its format and rules.

One of the major discrepancies with the tournament is that is designed for Premier League and Championship clubs to give experience to their youngsters, but clubs in Leagues One and Two cannot treat the tournament to blood their home-grown talents.

This opinion was shared by MK Dons manager Karl Robinson, who told the 'BBC': "How can we have a development trophy for Premier League teams who can do what they want yet we can’t develop our own players in it?

"I think the rules need to change drastically, or don’t have the competition. I don’t think it is conducive to development any more. I think it’s rubbish".

It also appears that fans have become disillusioned with the trophy. Attendances have already dropped 20 per cent since the competition started in August. Former Premier League side Portsmouth recorded its lowest post-War attendance (1,355) to watch their 2-2 draw against Reading U-23s.

The club also produced the following tweet, mocking the competition.

The atmosphere's building... #pompey pic.twitter.com/JlxtxjfJFv
— Portsmouth FC (@officialpompey) 4 October 2016

C. Doyle

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