Manager Ian Atkins believes the Football League's new rules on loan signings will probably work more against clubs like Oxford United than for them.

The Football League agreed at their annual meeting in London on Saturday to changes that will allow clubs to take twice as many players on loan next season.

In recent seasons, Nationwide League clubs have been permitted to bring in only five loan signings during the course of the season.

But the current financial crisis led the chairman of the 72 League clubs to agree to double that amount to maintain competition for places.

As many as five loan signings may be included in a matchday squad of 16, an increase of three on previous campaigns.

Another relaxation of the rules is that, at any one time, clubs can have up to four players on short-term loans and up to four on long-terms loans.

However, Atkins said: "It may help some clubs, but it's a very short-term move and it's no way to build a football club."

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