OXFORD United chairman Darryl Eales has raised doubts the main reason given for the Whole Game Solution is a problem which needs solving.

The Football League announced the controversial proposals in May, which put forward a radical restructuring of the existing system.

It included the reduction of divisions from 24 to 20 teams and the creation of an extra league.

Further information became public last week, including suggestions of bringing in a winter break and regionalising the bottom two divisions.

It has all been raised to tackle the central issue of fixture congestion, but Eales disputes the argument.

He said: “It all comes back to what’s the issue we’re trying to solve?

“I don’t believe fixture congestion is an issue for League One and League Two sides.

“We need to find out much more detail on what’s underneath the proposals and what’s the real agenda behind them.

“I would say the single biggest issue for lower league clubs is the distribution of financial revenues in football is massively too far weighted towards the Premier League.

“My personal view – and at the moment it’s not an Oxford view – is not really understanding how five divisions help.

“If I was being very parochial, then one of our ambitions is to try and get in the Championship, the last thing I want is a reduction in the number of teams, because it will just make it harder.”

The proposals have been criticised by supporter groups across the country, who are suspicious the extra eight places created under the new system would be filled by B teams from Premier League clubs.

OxVox have been among them and they met with Eales last weekend to discuss the plans.

United’s board are due to meet tomorrow to continue the talks ahead of a meeting of clubs later this month.

Eales rejects the idea of introducing B teams to the league structure and has also made up his mind about other aspects.

He said: “I’m enthusiastically against certain things, such as regionalisation and winter break for lower league clubs.

“At the moment, we have to keep our powder dry and ask the right questions to try and force more disclosure of what the detailed thinking is, rather than one-liners.”

While Eales was against the changes to this season’s revamped Checkatrade Trophy, United’s board were among the majority of clubs who were in favour.

However, tweaks to the competition made between the vote in June and it starting last week may have changed the outlook.

The U’s chief said: “If you asked all the board members now I think it would probably be unanimous that we wouldn’t support the current structure.”

Darryl Eales on:

  • B teams in the league structure: As far as I’m concerned you have to earn the right to get into the League, you don’t get a bye into a division. It’s disrespectful to the National League and below.
  • Regionalisation: You have a competitive league structure based on merit and ability - I think regionalisation goes completely against that. I think fans like a few longer trips, but the key thing for me is those games should always be on a Saturday.
  • Winter break: This is me being very selfish, but what are we all going to do in January?