CHERRIES will be allowed to make an increased number of changes in games after the English Football League confirmed five substitutes will be allowed across all their divisions from the next round of fixtures.

The game’s law-making body, the International Football Association Board, announced in July that the five replacements rule would be extended into 2020-21 – but that it would be up to individual competitions whether they adopted it.

And the EFL voted in favour of the rule change in a meeting held today. The Daily Echo understands Cherries were in favour of allowing the extra substitutions to be carried out.

Under the new regulations – which come into force from November 20 in time for Coventry’s Championship match against Birmingham and the League Two fixture between Mansfield and Colchester on Friday night – teams in the Championship will be able to make five changes from a pool of nine substitutes.

For League One and League Two, any five from seven will be permitted.

A statement from the EFL read: “Following consultation with clubs, the EFL board has agreed to increase the permitted number of substitutes to five in all Sky Bet EFL fixtures taking place from 12 noon on Friday 20 November for the remainder of the 2020-21 season.

“Regulation 33.4 has been amended to permit Championship clubs to name up to nine substitutes in their matchday squad, with five permitted to take to the pitch in any fixture.

“League One and League Two clubs can name up to seven substitutes in their match day squad, again with five permitted to take to the pitch.”

In line with IFAB decisions, each team is only permitted a maximum of three opportunities, not including the half-time break, to make substitutions during the game.

Asked whether he felt leagues should have allowed five substitutions per team this season, the Cherries boss said: “I was in favour of that, personally, in my own opinion.

“Would I have voted for it or against it? Personally, I would have voted for it because I think the squad is important.

“Not just for a manager to be able to choose from more players but through what we are speaking about – the demand of the schedule – not just in the Championship but up and down the leagues."