A COLCHESTER United Supporters Group has voiced its dismay at the controversial suggestion that the introduction of B teams should be considered in the EFL.

Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has said it is time for the possibility of Premier League B teams joining the league pyramid to be considered.

The Blue White Army Colchester United Supporters Group took to social media to voice its anger at the suggestion, made by the City chief.

They wrote on Twitter: 'Imagine our shock! This isn’t about anything other than pure greed and opportunism. Why not loan these players to one of their many clubs or better still to an established football club where results matter? They don’t care about the EFL or it’s clubs just £££!'

Sorriano told sports business conference Leaders Week: "One of the challenges is the EFL (is) a business that is not sustainable enough.

"They were discussing ways to improve it, they were discussing salary caps. Now they were sort of nudged, almost pushed, to solve the existing problems because of the crisis. It's a good opportunity for the different elements of the football business to get together and solve these problems.

"There are other problems; the challenges of developing players in England where B teams are not allowed, we have a development gap of boys that are 17 or 18, they don't find the right place to develop and, for example, they are taken from us by the German teams, who try to sell them back to us for a price which is 10 times what they paid.

"This is mad, right? This is something we needed to solve and now maybe the crisis will give us the opportunity and will nudge us to get together and solve these issues."

The suggestion comes as EFL clubs wait anxiously for the financial help they need to survive the Covid-19 crisis.

His raising of the B Team issue, though, will cause fury among many lower-league supporters who have long been firmly against the idea.

The Government has insisted top-flight clubs should support the EFL with bail-out cash, but it is understood any such help would come with conditions and caveats.

The EFL has said it needs £250m to help clubs survive with fans not allowed into grounds until March at the earliest.

Soriano suggested that any restructure should lead to more opportunities for the young players on the books of big clubs to play competitively.