The Checkatrade Trophy has been labelled a shambles by Gills chairman Paul Scally - but he hopes supporters don’t boycott it.

The Gills kick off their campaign at home to Luton on Tuesday but many supporters are angered at the decision to allow Premier League and Championship academy sides into the competition for the first time.

Football League clubs voted in favour of changes to the competition which included allowing top-flight academy sides to take part. But before the draw was made many of the Premier League sides withdrew, leaving the likes of Wolves, Brighton and Reading to take their place.

The Gills will be travelling to West Brom’s Hawthorns ground in November to play a team that must contain at least six under-23 players.

Mr Scally said: “It’s a shambles, an absolute shambles. I spoke strongly against it at the chairman’s conference, as did, I would say, a third of the club representatives. It got voted through.

“I understand the requirement to try and excite the competition, I don’t have a problem with that, but it feels like a double cross because it turns out all the top clubs have decided they don’t want to do it.

"It has distorted the competition. I think it is completely wrong.”

Fans have threatened to boycott the event or stage demonstrations at matches. This season’s format is on a trial basis for a year.

“It is fair to say (it will just be for a year) but I don’t know," Mr Scally added.

"It could turn out to be an outstanding success, who knows? I might prove to be wrong.

“I hope they (the fans) don’t (boycott it). I hope they understand it is a one-year trial.

“I hope they understand a good third of the clubs were against it and I am pretty sure that those who voted in favour of it are probably thinking it’s not quite what I thought now.

“If the vote was taken today it might be different.

“I understand fans aren’t happy and I am not happy with it but we need those fans to come out and support us."