Colchester United were one of the clubs that voted in favour of controversial changes to the English Football League Trophy.

The U’s have backed a new pilot format for the competition, formerly known as the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, which will see Premier League sides enter their under-21 teams next season.

Colchester general manager Tim Waddington told the Daily Gazette: “It did split opinion but from a Colchester United perspective, we’re pretty pro giving this a go and I think it’s a positive.

“I can see why people would be against these changes and I get why people are alarmed and concerned.

“I think we have to go with the flow a little bit and see if this works.”

Waddington, along with Colchester chairman Robbie Cowling, were at the EFL’s summer conference where clubs voted in favour of the revamp, which will see the EFL Trophy made up of 64 League One and League Two clubs along with 16 Category One Premier League academy and under-21 sides.

A total of 16 regional groups consisting of four teams will battle it out in the opening round group stages, with the Academy sides allowed one home game.

The top two teams in each group will then progress to the knockout stages of the competition, with the final staged at Wembley next April.

The new format for the EFL Trophy is being piloted as part of the league’s ongoing commitment to creating more and better home-grown players and it is understood that the Premier League have added £1M to the prize pot.

Prize money has been significantly increased as part of the changes with £10,000 at stake in every group game and prize money rising with each round afterwards.

Premier League under-21 teams will play their home Trophy games at the first team's ground but will not get a full share of the gate receipts as they will be placed into a pot and shared evenly among all participating clubs in the competition.

But the vote on the EFL Trophy proposal was far from unanimous and some U’s supporters, along with many fans of other Football League clubs, have voiced their displeasure at the new format.

Some believe that the plight of fans has not been considered and fear that the competition’s new group stage format will cause considerable fixture congestion, while others fear it is a step closer to Premier League B teams.

But Colchester feel the changes can freshen the competition up and believe it is something that can be a positive.