PORTSMOUTH fans have hit out at plans for Saints and other Premier League clubs to field development teams in next season’s EFL Trophy.

The Football League are allowing Premier League clubs with top academy status to compete in the tournament Saints won in 2009/10 when it was known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

However, lower division fans have reacted angrily to a plan to allow top flight clubs to field Under-23 teams with up to four over-age players in the EFL Trophy next season.

Ashley Brown, chairman of the Pompey Supporters' Trust, said: "We believe this to be a step in the wrong direction for English football and a weakening of our fantastic pyramid structure.

"Unfortunately, the power of the Premier League is driven by their huge TV monies and although Portsmouth FC is strong enough to oppose this proposal, many other clubs are not.

"I believe the problem with the national game will be solved by investment in grassroots and (EFL) academies, not handouts to allow B teams to compete in the EFL Trophy."

The vote at the AGM in favour of allowing Premier League involvement in the EFL Trophy was carried when Football League clubs were told that the Premier League would double the prize fund to nearly £2million if the proposal was approved.

Several English Football League clubs believe this is an attempt to smooth the way for top-flight B teams joining the lower leagues.

This idea was first floated by outgoing Football Association chairman Greg Dyke in 2014 but was heavily criticised by EFL clubs and fans' groups.

One of those, Against League 3 (AL3), has already rejected the EFL Trophy plans.

"The EFL and its clubs are well aware football fans do not, and have never, supported these plans," said campaign manager James Cave.

"AL3 has regularly canvassed supporters and sought their opinion, as have organisations like Supporters Direct.

"Our studies show over 75% of lower league fans are against the implementation of B teams.

"Yet the B teams idea is a mere symptom of a far larger problem in English football: supporters are unrepresented by our FA, our leagues and often our clubs.

"Following England's defeat to Iceland, it has never been more necessary for fans to question what is really being done to our sport."

These questions are bound to spread now that EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey has revealed invites to compete in next season's EFL Trophy will be sent to the 15 Premier League clubs with category-one academy status - including Saints - and Newcastle United.

The latter finished higher in the league pyramid last season than the five clubs with category-one status in the EFL.

If any of those clubs turn down the chance to join the competition - which will feature 16 groups of four, arranged on a north/south basis, before becoming a knock-out tournament with the winners of the northern and southern halves meeting at Wembley - Norwich City, the next-best finisher last season, will be invited.

But contrary to what was discussed at the EFL AGM in Portugal three weeks ago, the invited clubs will be able to field U23 teams, not U21s, with three outfield overage players and a goalkeeper.

A letter from Harvey to League One and Two clubs said: "The PL development league (to be known as Premier League 2) will from next season operated as an U23 league rather than U21s.

"On this basis, we will adopt this eligibility criteria for the EFL Trophy.

"Their criteria also includes the ability to include three overage players and a goalkeeper in their team."

Harvey also said penalties will be used to settle draws in the group games, with the successful team earning an extra point.

Teams will be able to use three substitutes from 18-man squads and knockout games tied after 90 minutes will also go straight to penalties.

Harvey added that scrapping extra time will be reviewed for the semi-finals and final "if there is a compelling or commercially attractive reason" to do so, and if the additional 30 minutes was called for a fourth substitute would be allowed.