English Football League Trophy (former Johnstone's Paint Trophy) Format Leaked

[Voll Blau]

Thought there was a thread on this somewhere, but can't seem to find it. Feel free to merge if found.

 

Anyway, Bolton have accidentally leaked the new 'EFL Trophy' (JPT) format. Sounds awful, just hope we don't enter a B Team in it...

 

 

 

Leaked EFL Trophy Details The following appeared on Bolton Wanderers website yesterday – but was then deleted.

A cached version was available and is replicated here:

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

Details for the English Football League Trophy during the 2016/17 season have now been confirmed.

 

Consisting of 48 clubs from League One and Two, this season also sees 16 Category One Academy teams from ‘Invited Clubs’ come into the competition.

 

The structure 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 

• April 2, 2017 at Wembley Stadium

 

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

[Dan]

If you ever wanted a definition of changing things for the sake of changing them rather than improving it then this was it. What on earth's that all about?

[Larry_LCFC]

Such a shit mickey mouse trophy anyway. Hope we don't go near it.

[Captain...]

Such a shit mickey mouse trophy anyway. Hope we don't go near it.

 

Seeing as we are one of 20 Category 1 Academies and they are inviting 16 and we are Premier League Champions we will almost definitely be involved.

 

Seems completely pointless really but it could be good experience for our academy lads, and I can see the thinking, get the cream of English academy players playing hard competitive matches, but it is still missing the point. The problem with English youth isn't a lack of hard competitive matches, it is the lack of properly developing footballing skills. This will not help them in that respect and if anything do more to harm their development.

[Babylon]

Seeing as we are one of 20 Category 1 Academies and they are inviting 16 and we are Premier League Champions we will almost definitely be involved.

 

Seems completely pointless really but it could be good experience for our academy lads, and I can see the thinking, get the cream of English academy players playing hard competitive matches, but it is still missing the point. The problem with English youth isn't a lack of hard competitive matches, it is the lack of properly developing footballing skills. This will not help them in that respect and if anything do more to harm their development.

It will be good until Man City's kids win it because they cost more than a league one club. Everyone will go nuts and it will go back to what it was.

[AKCJ]

They should open it to British youth only.

[GaelicFox]

They should open it to British youth only.

Wrong thread

[RowlattsFox]

So clubs might keep players on their books to play in this rather sending them out on loan?

[Larry_LCFC]

It's a trophy for lower league teams and that is what it should stay. Premier League youth teams cost more than some of the league two clubs. Doesn't seem fair on them. No need for it to be changed.

[Guest NGoloMode]

I really like it the idea honestly. Saves the smaller clubs from travelling across the country to get knocked out in the first round.

 

More competitive football experience for elite youngsters too.

[Voll Blau]

I really like it the idea honestly. Saves the smaller clubs from travelling across the country to get knocked out in the first round.

 

More competitive football experience for elite youngsters too.

 

It's already regionalised up to the semi-finals. Think you've got this confused with the League Cup (which, in my opinion, should be regionalised - though not with group stages).

[AKCJ]

Wrong thread

 

Sorry?

[Finnaldo]

Totally unfair on smaller clubs. Some of our fans may think it's a 'mickey mouse cup' but there's smaller sides that will actively compete to win it as it'll be the few chances to win silverware as they don't have the fortune to be a big/single team city side with the investment we get. Had this happened whilst we were in League One then we'd be screaming blue murder about how the FA would be treating us like a reserve side. Clubs like Sheffield United and Bristol Rovers shouldn't dare be levelled with our kids in a competitive fixture. Embarrassing.

[Guest NGoloMode]

It's already regionalised up to the semi-finals. Think you've got this confused with the League Cup (which, in my opinion, should be regionalised - though not with group stages).

 

I didn't know that! Regionalized league cup could be interesting.

[filbertstreet]

chelsea u21s v man u u21s at wembley, fun

[Larry_LCFC]

chelsea u21s v man u u21s at wembley, fun

Exactly. Stupid idea.

[MPH]

Such a shit mickey mouse trophy anyway. Hope we don't go near it.

 

 

Certainly hope our first team dont go near it.

 

 

 

From a purely selfish poiint of view, it could be valuable experience for our development team

 

 

 

But from a purists point of view, i hate the thought that the latter stages of the competition could be dominated by  prem u21 teams and thus denying lower league teams valuable income and maybe a once in 20 years wembly appearance....

[ScouseFox]

It's already regionalised up to the semi-finals. Think you've got this confused with the League Cup (which, in my opinion, should be regionalised - though not with group stages).

 

isnt the league cup first round regionalised? 

 

 

as for this, said it when it was originally discussed as an idea, it's shit. nobody really cares about their clubs youth teams results. didn't we lose like every game last year? so what. nobody will go and watch our youth team at carlisle when we're in the champions league the same night. just another kick in the teeth to the really shit small clubs who actually like and need this competition. yeah sure to premier league fans it's "pointless" (so why put their youth teams in it?) but to a fan of grimsby, altrincham, york etc it's a chance to go to wembley and win a cup instead of go to yeovil and get relegated. 

[Manwell Pablo]

lol The League Cup is regionalised in the first round or two.

[Voll Blau]

isnt the league cup first round regionalised? 

 

 

as for this, said it when it was originally discussed as an idea, it's shit. nobody really cares about their clubs youth teams results. didn't we lose like every game last year? so what. nobody will go and watch our youth team at carlisle when we're in the champions league the same night. just another kick in the teeth to the really shit small clubs who actually like and need this competition. yeah sure to premier league fans it's "pointless" (so why put their youth teams in it?) but to a fan of grimsby, altrincham, york etc it's a chance to go to wembley and win a cup instead of go to yeovil and get relegated. 

 

Yeah, you're right. Would like to see the draw split into more than just north and south for a few rounds though. More chance of local derbies, bigger crowds, less distance for away fans to travel in midweek. No brainer for me.

[ScouseFox]

Yeah, you're right. Would like to see the draw split into more than just north and south for a few rounds though. More chance of local derbies, bigger crowds, less distance for away fans to travel in midweek. No brainer for me.

 

we just forget it's regionalised because we changed regions every year we were in it. didnt we have carlisle and macclesfield and then torquay. good regions them. 

[Manwell Pablo]

Cuz we is smack bang in the middle in it.

I thought the JPT was just Norf and Sarf any road?

 

I'm all for this anyway, fcking impossible to get a ticket for any first team games so good excuse to go to some shit house ground get get wrecked and watch some (terrible) football.

[ScouseFox]

Cuz we is smack bang in the middle in it.

I thought the JPT was just Norf and Sarf any road?

 

I'm all for this anyway, fcking impossible to get a ticket for any first team games so good excuse to go to some shit house ground get get wrecked and watch some (terrible) football.

 

think last year it was north/south and then north west/north east, south west/south east for the first round, too.

 

it still obviously doesn't work seen as wimbledon were in the south west region and teams like rochdale were "north east".

[Manwell Pablo]

I wouldn't be able to tell you , I hardly ever watch it. Might do now though, I bet when they asked you if you could do it on a cold Tuesday night in Stoke you weren't thinking Port Vale, eh Gokan?

[ScouseFox]

port vale will probs be in the south west section whilst we're in the north east