[Albion] 2021-22 EFL Trophy Walsall v Brighton and Hove Albion U21 Tuesday 14th Sept 7pm KO

[Taybha]

Like it or Loathe it it's back and our U21s start this seasons EFL trophy campaign against Walsall this Tuesday night at the Banks stadium 7pm KO .

This format divides opinion, most EFL clubs fans begrudge the Academies of EPL teams playing in the competition and if the shoe were on the other foot i'd probably feel the same but it is what it is and i find these U21/23 v proper matchday squad EFL teams a excellent indicator as to which players in our academy could make the next step up, be that a loan move to a EFL club or progression into our own match day squad.

We have quite a tough group , Walsall-Northampton-Forest Green so we will do well to progress out of the group stage, not sure if we're providing a stream for this but i think Walsall will be showing it live on their iFollow format, actual tickets for the match are a fiver each, purchased through the Walsall ticket office they just email you your ticket easy peasy,

.

https://www.efl.com/news/2021/june/papa-johns-trophy-202122-the-group-stage/

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

It's a dreadful competition. But I want to see more of our young players so would probably hold my nose and watch it if that is possible.

I'm not sure why Walsall would want the match to be streamed live when they are presumably trying to sell tickets for it

 

[GT49er]

Like it or Loathe it it's back and our U21s start this seasons EFL trophy campaign against Walsall this Tuesday night at the Banks stadium 7pm KO .

This format divides opinion, most EFL clubs fans begrudge the Academies of EPL teams playing in the competition and if the shoe were on the other foot i'd probably feel the same but it is what it is and i find these U21/23 v proper matchday squad EFL teams a excellent indicator as to which players in our academy could make the next step up, be that a loan move to a EFL club or progression into our own match day squad.

We have quite a tough group , Walsall-Northampton-Forest Green so we will do well to progress out of the group stage, not sure if we're providing a stream for this but i think Walsall will be showing it live on their iFollow format, actual tickets for the match are a fiver each, purchased through the Walsall ticket office they just email you your ticket easy peasy,

.

https://www.efl.com/news/2021/june/papa-johns-trophy-202122-the-group-stage/

I for one am excited about this competition - don't care what anyone else thinks about it and I'd love it if we took it seriously. Hoping to go to Forest Green in a couple of weeks, and it would be fantastic to see a full strength team, augmented with those players around the firsr team squad who qualify - Roberts, Richards, Tsongui, Scherpen and Connolly - added to the best of the (eligible) U23s who are dong so well in PL2 would be a mouth-watringly good U21 team! Tolaj, Emmerson and Ferguson available up front - Connolly might even struggle to get a game!!

 

[GT49er]

....

 

[GT49er]

It's a dreadful competition. But I want to see more of our young players so would probably hold my nose and watch it if that is possible.

I'm not sure why Walsall would want the match to be streamed live when they are presumably trying to sell tickets for it

Streamed on iFollow - so presumably not free?

 

[BNthree]

Streamed on iFollow - so presumably not free?

iFollow is usually £10 per match.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I for one am excited about this competition - don't care what anyone else thinks about it and I'd love it if we took it seriously. Hoping to go to Forest Green in a couple of weeks, and it would be fantastic to see a full strength team, augmented with those players around the firsr team squad who qualify - Roberts, Richards, Tsongui, Scherpen and Connolly - added to the best of the (eligible) U23s who are dong so well in PL2 would be a mouth-watringly good U21 team! Tolaj, Emmerson and Ferguson available up front - Connolly might even struggle to get a game!!

OK, I was about to make some sort of smart comment about how we'll play 15 year olds we've never heard of, but then checked and we did actually put out some decent looking line up's last year.

It didn't do us any favours as we lost most of our games, but maybe we will have a decent go of it.

 

[LamieRobertson]

....

100%

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

OK, I was about to make some sort of smart comment about how we'll play 15 year olds we've never heard of, but then checked and we did actually put out some decent looking line up's last year.

It didn't do us any favours as we lost most of our games, but maybe we will have a decent go of it.

We’ve actually done alright in this in the past.


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[One Teddy Maybank]

I for one am excited about this competition - don't care what anyone else thinks about it and I'd love it if we took it seriously. Hoping to go to Forest Green in a couple of weeks, and it would be fantastic to see a full strength team, augmented with those players around the firsr team squad who qualify - Roberts, Richards, Tsongui, Scherpen and Connolly - added to the best of the (eligible) U23s who are dong so well in PL2 would be a mouth-watringly good U21 team! Tolaj, Emmerson and Ferguson available up front - Connolly might even struggle to get a game!!

Agree - a couple of seasons ago we were two games from Wembley…..


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[Nobby Cybergoat]

We’ve actually done alright in this in the past.


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I actually think we and some of the other PL teams should be doing better in this.

Not because I underestimate how hard it is for u23's to beat senior pro's but because most the opponents are much changed teams. A few fringe senior players and a few from their youth system.

Possibly our young players are instructed to use this for experience, their pathway is with foreign loans etc The lower league young and fringe players know, this is their pathway and their chance and play like it.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

What are the actual qualification rules for the tournament. Can any BHA U23 play or do they have to be registered as a U-23. Can we chuck in Lamptey, Moder, Cucurella, Scherpen, Alzate, Connolly and any other first team player that is U23?

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

What are the actual qualification rules for the tournament. Can any BHA U23 play or do they have to be registered as a U-23. Can we chuck in Lamptey, Moder, Cucurella, Scherpen, Alzate, Connolly and any other first team player that is U23?

I probably won't be the source of your answer, but i've never heard that you have to be registered as an u23. I know we promote some players normally in the u18 squad for some matches.

Also, the Football League will presumably be happy if we put in well known players such as Lamptey, Moder etc so doubt they would put in artificial barriers

So I would be surprised if we can't play whoever we want ... as long as they are u21 within the competition rules

 

[GT49er]

What are the actual qualification rules for the tournament. Can any BHA U23 play or do they have to be registered as a U-23. Can we chuck in Lamptey, Moder, Cucurella, Scherpen, Alzate, Connolly and any other first team player that is U23?

It's U21s, not U23s. Cucurella, Alzate and Moder are too old. Lamptey's a good shout though - I'll add him to my dream team for the trophy!!

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

OK, just checked on those rules

- Academy teams must start at least six players aged 21 or under as at June

- Those teams can only include two players over the age of 21 who have made 40 or more senior appearances prior to 2019/20

 

[Mackenzie]

Might go and watch the lads at this one (and Forest Green) it’s not a million miles from where we live, pay on the gate presumably.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Might go and watch the lads at this one (and Forest Green) it’s not a million miles from where we live, pay on the gate presumably.

This !!


Not seen the Albion at Walsall for a good few years and it's only half an hour down the M54
Can you pay on the turnstile or must you get a ticket via email per above, plus assume I must take photo ID + Covid Passport [oh and no backpacks bigger than A4, flasks, bottle-tops, flares, etc.]

 

[sparkie]

OK, just checked on those rules

- Academy teams must start at least six players aged 21 or under as at June

- Those teams can only include two players over the age of 21 who have made 40 or more senior appearances prior to 2019/20

I think that those rules were brought in because Leicester once fielded a team costing £45 million in the competition.

 

[Taybha]

Might go and watch the lads at this one (and Forest Green) it’s not a million miles from where we live, pay on the gate presumably.

When i got my ticket via the Walsall ticket office i asked if it was potg the lady said possibly but not sure until tomorrow , so i just got my ticket over the phone then ticket sent instantly via a email

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I think that those rules were brought in because Leicester once fielded a team costing £45 million in the competition.

Which you'd have thought would be good for the competition. When I supported a lower league club (us), I would definitely be inclined to go to a cup game if I thought famous players were playing.

So far only lower league teams and no academies have made the final which suggests to me that the academies aren't too much of a threat