ENGLISH Football League clubs have agreed to tighten up the owners' and directors' test at their annual general meeting in Portugal.

Forest Green secretary James Mooney and club ambassador Helen Taylor attended the event as Rovers prepare for their first foray at EFL level.

The EFL has been heavily criticised by supporters of certain clubs this season, who feel the league has failed to intervene when a club is being poorly managed or that the league failed to carry out sufficient due diligence on individuals prior to them taking an active role at a club.

Supporters of Leyton Orient - who were relegated from the EFL at the end of the season - staged on-pitch protests against their owner Francesco Becchetti during their final Sky Bet League Two match of the campaign against Colchester on April 29.

The league has now pledged to consult with its clubs during the 2017-18 season over whether the owners' and directors' test is fit for purpose, and in the meantime a series of amendments have been agreed for immediate introduction in a bid to strengthen the existing test.

One of the changes is the extension of the disqualifying condition concerning the commission of a criminal offence within this country to anyone who has engaged in similar conduct overseas, whether or not it has resulted in a conviction.

The aim of this amendment clearly is to ensure that no owners or directors could pass the test by arguing that an act considered a criminal offence in the UK was legal in the territory where the act took place.

The EFL announcement on the owners' and directors' test comes after Premier League teams agreed on Thursday to strengthen their rules regarding club ownership.

Another amendment agreed by EFL clubs ensures that any applicant under the test becomes bound by the regulations upon completion of a declaration, while it was also made clear that supplying false information in a declaration could constitute a disqualifying condition.

The EFL is also "working up a policy" in a bid to provide more clarity on what constitutes a full-strength team after the controversy surrounding Huddersfield's selection at Birmingham at the end of April.

The Terriers - who had already made sure of a play-off place - fielded a significantly weakened side against the Blues, whose 2-0 win at St Andrew's played a big part in them avoiding relegation to League One.

However, the EFL was unable to take any action against Huddersfield because there are currently no guidelines on how to define what a full-strength team is.

The league will also work with its member clubs to reduce the number of pitch invasions in the coming campaign.

An EFL statement said: "The legitimate right of protest was acknowledged, but not on the field of play, which should be the domain of the players."

The EFL has also announced that it will invest a further £3.5million into youth development over the next two seasons.