Chelsea, Everton and West Ham headline EFL Trophy draw but 10 Premier League academies shun competition modicanews,com

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The English Football League have failed to entice the majority of the country’s big-name clubs to join the new-look EFL Trophy.

The decision to invite 16 category-one academy outfits to join the 48 sides from League One and League Two in an attempt to refresh the competition – formerly known as the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy – has been met with opposition from fans of lower-league sides.

And a number of leading clubs are missing from Wednesday’s draw with the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool all rejecting the invitation.

The English Football League Trophy group stage draw will take place on Wednesday morning

Premier League chief Richard Scudamore says the new format will end the prospect of B teams

Chelsea are involved, with the Blues changing their minds after originally setting out to follow suit with their fellow Premier League big-boys, while champions Leicester have also entered a team into the competition. The draw for the group stage takes place at 10am.

The Football League passed all rejected invitations on to the next club with a category-one status based on their final league position last season.

That means the likes of Norwich and Brighton are involved, rather than the five Premier League sides, after being overlooked due to not having the desired academy status.

Everton, West Ham, Southampton, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Stoke, Swansea and West Brom are the other top-flight academies to be involved.

Blackburn, Wolves, Derby and Reading are also included but their Championship rivals Newcastle turned down the opportunity to be involved.

A statement released by the Magpies on Wednesday read: ‘The club was initially informed by the Premier League that it was not going to be invited to compete in the restructured competition.

Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham and Kasey Palmer celebrate lifting the UEFA Youth League with Chelsea

‘Accordingly, the club started to make plans with regard to the development squad for the coming season. These plans included the intention to loan out some of the players who are currently part of the Under 23 squad, rather than allowing them to compete in the Premier League 2.

‘Though Newcastle United did subsequently receive an invite to compete in the EFL Trophy, the club feels their younger players would be better served by going out on loan and gaining experience over an extended period in a first team environment.

‘Although Newcastle United supports the principle of the competition’s new format, participating in the EFL Trophy is not something the club wishes to do this season.’ 

The regionalisation of the tournament has left a curious North Group A, which features Everton, Bolton and Blackpool from the north west as well as Gloucestershire minnows Cheltenham.

With those campaigning against the idea claiming introducing academy sides into the EFL Trophy is the first-step on the way to B teams being welcomed into the football pyramid, Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore moved to allay their fears.

‘This is the beginning of the end of B teams – this is it,’ he said.

‘That’s the whole point of it, to be honest. We are absolutely consistent on our view about no B teams in the regular Football League.

‘Yes, of course we know some of our clubs would like B teams. We look abroad and we see the benefit of B teams. It’s just for the English football structure and pyramid, it doesn’t work, and so this is it.

‘We can console all these worried Football League clubs’ supporters. This isn’t the thin end of the wedge, this is the block. It’s the beginning of the end of it.

HOW DOES THE FORMAT FOR THE EFL TROPHY WORK? 

Clubs:

– 48 clubs from League One & Two.

– 16 invited Category One Academy teams.

Eligibility Criteria:

– EFL Clubs – a minimum of 5 ‘First Team’ players in the starting 11 as defined under the competition’s existing rules.

– Invited Clubs – 6 of the starting 11 to be U21 (as at June 30).

Group Stage:

– 16 groups of 4 teams organised on a regionalised basis.

– Groups to include one invited club and at least one club from each of Leagues One & Two.

– Clubs to play each other once, either home or away. Invited clubs will play one home game at the club’s first team stadium.

– Clubs will be awarded 3 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. In the event of a drawn game (after 90 minutes), a penalty shootout will be held with the winning team earning an additional point.

– The top two teams will progress to the Knockout Stage.

Knockout Stage:

– Round 2 (32 teams) will remain regionalised with each group winner being drawn at home to a second placed team from a different qualifying group.

– Round 3 (16 teams) and Round 4 (8 teams) will be ‘free’ draws.

– Semi-finals (4 teams) will be a ‘free’ draw and will consist of single ties played at the stadium of the club drawn first in each tie.

– If scores are level after 90 minutes in Rounds 2, 3 and 4, the game will be determined by the taking of penalties. The EFL will confirm arrangements for the Semi-Finals and Final in due course following further consultation.

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