Football League Trophy to include 16 category 1 academy/U21 sides this season. Hope all the FL clubs (including us) put out our U9's team and the final ends up being Stoke U21's vs Southampton U21's in front of 150 at Wembley.

What are the rules on drawing these teams away? What kind of attendances do these teams get? What are the chances of Man U u21s v BWFC attracting 20k and us having a nice little earner out of it and paying someone's wages for a month or 2

Utd U21's play most of their games at Leigh, crowds varied from 800 to 5,500 although it's free of charge to get in. Seems one of the conditions is that those games need to be played at their first team ground but I can't see it somehow; maybe they will be allowed to switch the venue to the L1/L2 team instead.

Utd Ressies at Bury...

Blackpool away

Blackpool away

Which according to the Bolton News is the first time we've ever met Blackpool in the Football League Trophy 

That's in League Cup rather than FL Trophy

When is the Sherpa van draw?

When is the Sherpa van draw?

Now:

 

Now:

 

Any idea when the draw for this debacle is?

Any idea when the draw for this debacle is?

Usually on soccer AM. No, really...

 

Edit - I might add in a Bruce's play your cards right stylee

Edited June 28, 201610 yr by stevieb

This was posted then deleted from our website yesterday, according to the group "Against League 3"

 

Group stage draws progressing straight to shootouts for an extra point...

 

http://www.againstleague3.co.uk/leaked-efl-trophy-details/

Boycott it.

 

Fucking shit that. Trying to put an already shite champions league format into the lower leagues,who already play a fucking bin load of games as it is.

Chelsea have just retained 82 players this summer

And there we have the answer.

This was posted then deleted from our website yesterday, according to the group "Against League 3"

 

Group stage draws progressing straight to shootouts for an extra point...

 

http://www.againstleague3.co.uk/leaked-efl-trophy-details/

 

I'm calling bullshit here, based on the fact our website is NEVER first with any news.

It must have been somewhere else first.

This was posted then deleted from our website yesterday, according to the group "Against League 3"

 

Group stage draws progressing straight to shootouts for an extra point...

 

http://www.againstleague3.co.uk/leaked-efl-trophy-details/

 

‘Invited Clubs’ out.

If they want a 64-team comp, then invite the top 16 conference teams.

 

Failing that give the 3 ex-Championship and the next top 13 League 1 clubs a bye from Round 1.

The remaining 8 L1 teams and 24 L2 teams will play to give 16 winners, then those given a 1st round bye become the seeded clubs for round 2

This is a joke if this article is true, it will increase gate receipts, but at what cost, all these extra games are going to leave every club in the 3rd and 4th tier needing emergency loans at some point.

This is a joke if this article is true, it will increase gate receipts, but at what cost, all these extra games are going to leave every club in the 3rd and 4th tier needing emergency loans at some point.

 

Gate receipts?

 

Each game will cost money to stage. There's no profit in the competition unless you reach the final.

I shall be fucking this off.

 

Unless we get to wembley of course

I shall be fucking this off.

 

Unless we get to wembley of course

 

With the size of our squad hopefully PP will be fucking it off and concentrating on the league

I dunno Traf a lot of tinpot lower league teams e.g Accrington made a huge drama about a change in the league structure which would reduce the number of league games each season, saying they wouldn't be able to survive and all sorts. We will probably be one of those tinpot lower league teams soon if we are not already.

I dunno Traf a lot of tinpot lower league teams e.g Accrington made a huge drama about a change in the league structure which would reduce the number of league games each season, saying they wouldn't be able to survive and all sorts. We will probably be one of those tinpot lower league teams soon if we are not already.

League games make money, JPT games (which include the home side only retaining 45% of the gate receipts after expenses) very much don't make many, with a sizeable number of games in the past having crowds of three figures. Never mind closing the upper tiers, I'd be surprised if we have anything more than West Lower and East Lower open for our group games, especially against Middlesbrough U21's or whoever it turns out to be.

I shall be the first to announce Shit fan status.

 

I'll be avoiding/boycotting/not justifying the expense etc, unless we are in the semi-finals locally, final obviously, or abusing the junior Munichs at any stage.

I shall be fucking this off.

 

Unless we get to wembley of course

Two seats per season ticket, YHIHF

Details regarding Wanderers' involvement in the EFL Trophy this coming season are now available

The EFL has confirmed the format of the EFL Trophy 2016/17 which, for the first time, will include 16 invited teams from clubs with Category One Academies

 

A total of 64 clubs will compete in the competition beginning with 16 groups of four teams, each of which will include at least one club from each of Leagues One and Two, along with one invited team. The top two sides in each group will then go into a knockout stage that will culminate in a showpiece final at Wembley Stadium on April 2.

 

The new look competition will also have an enhanced prize fund with an expected £1.95m being up for grabs, including £10,000 per win and £5,000 per draw during the Group Stage and £100,000 for the eventual winner.

 

The first 16 clubs with Category One Academies that have been invited to take part in the EFL Trophy 2016/17 are Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United, Southampton, Stoke City, Sunderland, Swansea City, Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United.

 

EFL Chief Executive, Shaun Harvey said: "The new format is intended to rejuvenate this competition and also assist the development of the very best young players in English football. This will help us deliver more and better home grown players which will deliver benefits to the national team and domestic league football at all levels.

 

"I believe this is the right time to pilot these changes to the EFL Trophy, which we will review at the end of the 2016/17 season following discussions with our clubs and having consulted with the other football bodies and supporter organisations."

 

A Premier League spokesman said: "The overriding aim of the Elite Player Performance Plan‎ across the Premier League and English Football League is to produce more and better home grown players capable of performing at first team and international levels.

 

"Participation for a selection of Premier League clubs' teams to take part in the EFL Trophy is an important part of a range developments that both we and the EFL believe will help young, talented players progress physically and mentally on top of the technical aspect of their game developed in the Academy system.

 

"It is a progressive move by both leagues; one that we welcome."

 

The structure of the competition is as follows:

 

Group Stages

The initial stages will consist of 16 groups of four teams which will be regionalised, while each group will feature an invited club and at least one team from League One and Two.

The invited club will play one game at home and this will be at the first team ground of the chosen team. Each team meanwhile will play each other once either home or away.

In the group stages, clubs will be awarded three points for a win and one point for a draw. In the event of a drawn game however, a penalty shootout will be held with the victors gaining an extra point.

The top two placed teams in the group will progress to the knockout rounds.

Knock-Out Rounds

Round Two will remain regionalised with the group winners at home against a second placed team from another group.

Round Three (16 teams) and Round Four (8 teams) will be free draws.

If any game is level after 90 minutes, the result will be determined by penalties.

Semi-Final and Finals

All semi-final clashes will be knock-out games and played at the stadium of the team drawn first.

The final meanwhile will be played at Wembley Stadium in April 2017.

Key Dates for EFL Trophy Fixtures

 

Group stages

w/c August 29, 2016

w/c October 3, 2016

w/c November 7, 2016

Round Two

w/c December 5, 2016

Round Three

w/c January 9, 2017

Round Four

w/c January 23, 2017

Semi-Final

w/c February 20, 2017

Final