Phil SumblerSteve Cooper will have the luxury of being able to name nine substitutes in his matchday squad for the rest of the season after the EFL board agreed to the change in consultation with the 72 clubs.
Championship clubs will be allowed to name up to nine substitutes whilst clubs in Leagues One and Two will be allowed to name up to seven when the rules officially come into play at 12pm this coming Friday. Up to five of those names can be used per match
The rule change does not include the Carabao Cup or Papa John’s Trophy, with Friday’s Championship game between Coventry and Birmingham to be the first match under the new rules.
Teams were given “temporary dispensation” to make five substitutions per match by world governing body Fifa in April following the Covid-19 outbreak.
Fifa then chose before the end of the delayed 2019-20 season to extend the use of the rule – but said that it was up to individual leagues and competitions as to whether it was implemented.
Scottish Premierships club voted before the season started to allow five substitutes although – despite calls for it – the Premier League currently remains at just three allowed per team.
