On Thursday evening, the Football League announced radical new proposals for the English game, the headline of which being the introduction of five professional leagues, each made up of 20 teams, meaning their will be 100 professional clubs.

The plans, if approved in 2017, will be implemented for the start of the 2019/20 season, which could not only cause confusion due to the changes but also due to any potential delay of the season due to the irregular timing of the 2018 World Cup in Qatar.

So, what exactly are they proposing? Well their main point is the expansion of the professional game, having five divisions of 20 teams. The top will still be governed by the Premier League, but the next four will be the Championship, League One, League Two and the new League Three, governed by the Football League.

They have said that the three team promotion/relegation to and from the Premier League must stay in place for the 2018/19 season, and their will be no relegation from League Two if these plans are implemented. This means that EIGHT teams could be promoted into League Three from the National League, and the champions of League One and League Two must be promoted, so there could also be five relegated from the Championship and League One.

Once this is in place, the play-offs have been protected as the last action of the season, although the amount of teams going between the leagues is as yet unknown. The League Cup will be run in the same format, whilst the Football League Trophy will be converted into a 'Champions League' format: groups of four before a knockout stage. The proposals don't say what tiers will compete in that competition, but it will be competed during the international break.

The main reasoning behind this is to decrease the fixture congestion found in the Football League, with the 46 match season causing injury problems throughout divisions not usually found in the top flight. A decrease to 38 across the board will not only reduce that, but allow more time for rearranged fixtures for the games that get postponed over the winter.

It will also reduce clashes with the UEFA competitions, hence increasing TV opportunity and attendances at grounds. The fewer games per season is also expected to increase revenue as it will decrease occasions where some clubs have low attendances in midweek.

It is expected that the other eight clubs needed to complete the league will come from the National League, although it is also proposed that Premier League B sides could join the league.

The matter will be voted on in the summer of 2017, with the Football League stating that no team should be left financially worse off because of these proposals.

Football League fans, what do you make of these plans? Are you happy to see the league move to 20 teams? What about the Football League Trophy proposals? Let us know your opinions below!