When Football League clubs meet for their Annual General Meeting, "the issue of B teams will be top of the agenda," according to the BBC. An FA commission, including Chair Greg Dyke, "proposed a new tier with Premier League B teams." The proposal to introduce a league between League Two and the Conference "is an attempt to increase the number of home-grown players in the top flight." It "has already drawn strong criticism from several Football League clubs." The FA commission called for a ban on non-European Union players outside of the top flight, the development of "strategic loan partnerships" between clubs, as well as a reduction in players in Premier League squads who were not home-grown. Portsmouth CEO Mark Catlin said, "I do worry. The Football League is a democracy and you have to go with what the democracy wants but I will be arguing strongly against the introduction of B-teams into our league or cup structure. It's an extremely dangerous route to go down." Among other things that will be discussed at the AGM are the use of artificial "3G" pitches, "while the Football League will also present an alternative proposal to Dyke's plan to incorporate Premier League B teams in an expanded Johnstone's Paint Trophy to include a group stage" (BBC, 6/3).
