THE English Football League's attempts to rejuvenate the EFL Trophy – formerly known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy – have been labelled "a total disaster" by the leader of a campaign fighting against the introduction of academy sides into the competition.

A total of 16 category one clubs have been invited to join the 48 sides from League One and League Two, including Newport County AFC, in an attempt to refresh the competition for the 2016/17 season.

Recently-relegated Newcastle and 15 Premier League clubs with top-grade academies were approached after the EFL announced the changes to the competition last month, which also included a new group-stage format.

But Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham are all set to reject the invitation, with Manchester City also expected to refrain from taking part and Liverpool and Manchester United believed to be leaning the same way.

And, with the highest-profile sides shunning the chance to compete, Against League 3 campaign manager James Cave feels the changes – and how they have been announced – have so far been inadequate.

"I think it is a total disaster," he said. "Obviously the EFL will try and save face but the manner in which the changes were announced and pursued is nothing short of a total farce.

"They only started to consult with the clubs at the back end of the week before last, they had decided on the changes before the clubs had been consulted. That is absolute amateur-hour.

"Why on earth you would start pursuing these changes before talking to the clubs I don't understand.

"If nine clubs decline there are not enough category one clubs (to take their place), it shows how hasty and rushed these changes have been, how ill-thought out they have been.

"It totally destroys the EFL's argument that it is for the benefit of the national set-up when teams with the best English talent in the country don't want to participate."

The EFL explained on Monday that any places not filled by the original 16 academies would be offered to other category one sides, meaning the likes of Norwich, Aston Villa, Brighton, Derby, Wolves and Blackburn are expected to be next in line – rather than those Premier League clubs who do not meet the criteria.

An EFL spokesman said: "The EFL is currently awaiting responses from a number of clubs that have been invited to take part in this season's EFL Trophy. Already a number of clubs have accepted our invitation to take part.

"In any instances where clubs do decline, we will issue invitations to other clubs with category one academies in the order in which they finished in the 2015/16 domestic league tables.”

Of the initial 16 sides invited only Everton, Southampton, Stoke City, Sunderland, Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion have confirmed their intention to compete.