THE celebrations will have barely died down from the Checkatrade Trophy final when clubs in Leagues One and Two sit down to discuss what to do with the competition next.

This was always sold as a pilot year for a revamped format which was criticised by many from the moment it was announced.

Oxford United were among a majority of clubs who voted in favour of the changes, where the most controversial was the invitation of 16 under 23 sides from clubs with Category One academies.

Some supporters felt it was the first step towards a move that would eventually see Premier League B teams enter the league system.

The EFL were later at pains to stress the Trophy was separate to their Whole Game Solution, which was scrapped in November, but the supporter boycott saw embarrassing gates across the country.

United’s run includes two of their ten lowest home attendances of all-time, plus the fewest people to watch a derby with Swindon Town.

But the final between the U’s and Coventry City will be watched by one of the competition’s biggest gates, nine days before the clubs debate the options for the Trophy.

Shaun Harvey, the EFL’s chief executive, has been robustly defending the competition all season, but acknowledged it had not been plain sailing.

“It would be very easy for me to lean back in my chair and say everything has been wonderful, just look at the final with more than 70,000 fans in attendance,” he told the Oxford Mail.

“It has been a challenging experience, but, notwithstanding the final, I do believe there are enough positives in this to have a very sensible conversation with the 48 clubs in League One and League Two about its longer-term future.”

EFL statistics on this year’s competition shows there has been an increase in starts for English players aged under 21.

But compared to last season, the figure has only risen from 23 per cent to 27 per cent, a relatively small growth given the scale of the revamp to the format – and the ire it has provoked.

Harvey said: “People have strong views on many different things.

“The disquiet towards the competition is a lot less now than it was before.

“I think from the moment we progressed from the groups to the knockout stages attitudes and opinions did tend to change a little.

“There will always be people who will say this should be a 48-team competition for League One and League Two only to give those clubs a chance of being able to play at Wembley.”

The key question for many will be whether the invited teams were a one-season gimmick, or something which will continue from next season.

U’s chairman Darryl Eales has stated he will not be voting for a continuation, but supporters will not know until the proposals discussed at the meeting on April 11 are voted on at this summer’s EFL AGM.

Harvey said: “Ultimately the clubs will decide, but they will be given a full range of options and any number of positive options around this format.”