EFL Trophy Group Stage Draw 27 July - Confirmation of Category 1 Academy invitations

[Cowfold Seagull]

It's the Johnson's Paint Trophy without a sponsor because the League can't get one. When we got promoted to the Championship, most of us were glad to leave it behind.

The U21s, or U23s as they are now, have their own cup competition. Why deny the lower leagues their chance at Wembley?

True, although, on a purely selfish note, this could be just the competition that our dev squad needs, coming up against, in some part anyway, older, stronger, and more experienced players.

 

[mxs_harrow]

We played Orient in the proper League Cup, five or six years ago. They won.

When did our U21s last win the Sussex Senior Cup?

We had a tough fixture away last year at Southend in the League Cup and failed to progress against Walsall with stronger squads; so these fixtures will be good workouts,

Despite a lot of criticism about the encroachment of elite youth squads on this competition, it gives, in theory, a League 2 side like Wycombe the chance to play at both the Olympic Stadium and Wembley in the same competition.

Historically, all lower league teams and their supporters ignored this competition until 1-2 games away from Wembley.

 

[mxs_harrow]

Grimsby and Sheffield United paired together, Humberside and South Yorkshire police are going to love that following the scenes from last weekends pre-season "friendly". Grimsby fans will want revenge and will smash up the city centre again, going to be fun

I've recently had the misfortune to visit Grimsby, Hull and Sheffield on business.

If somebody smashed up Grimsby town centre it would be hard to tell the difference, it was so desolate and run down that post-blitz Portsmouth looked better.

Hull is European City of Culture for 2017 ( a lot of work still to do).

All need investment and industry/business revitalising, but will have to be done from within the UK as EU funding will go in the next 2 years.

Sheffield is getting external Chinese investment.

 

[jamie the seagull]

This is not kids football. The Team that we enter are U23.
If they are not ready by now then they should not be here.
See how our kids have developed pre-season by playing with the 1st team.
Development football is not real football.
L1/L2 teams should be full of youngsters from the PL/Championship not old has beens.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

We played Orient in the proper League Cup, five or six years ago. They won.

When did our U21s last win the Sussex Senior Cup?

the first game at the amex wasn't it? I don't think we've won in the amex 'era' apart from that match

 

[mxs_harrow]

This is not kids football. The Team that we enter are U23.
If they are not ready by now then they should not be here.
See how our kids have developed pre-season by playing with the 1st team.
Development football is not real football.
L1/L2 teams should be full of youngsters from the PL/Championship not old has beens.

The League 1 and 2 teams to be faced will no doubt have a lot of half/full season loanees from Premiership and Championship clubs in any case, Orient and Stevenage have loanees from Bournemouth and West Brom, for example.

Southend have Nile Ranger................

 

[Taybha]

Southend away is always a lovely day out , not sure i like the idea yet but time will tell .

 

[Napper]

Group stage for such a lowly cup. Who the hell dreamt that one up.

U23 participation is a good thing for us as good yardstick of where our players are at.

Ultimately its another nail into this cup.

Sh* t for brains whoever evolved to this format.

Should be straight knockout , no extra time , ticket prices free and rich prem teams made to cover costs

 

[Everest]

Match Day 1 – w/c 29th August 2016
Southend United v Brighton & Hove Albion
Leyton Orient v Stevenage

Match Day 2 – w/c 3rd October 2016
Stevenage v Brighton & Hove Albion
Southend United v Leyton Orient

Match Day 3 – w/c 7th November 2016
Stevenage v Southend United
Brighton & Hove Albion v Leyton Orient

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Brighton & Hove Albion v Leyton Orient

We'll never play you aga . . . . . . . . . Oh.

 

[Hiney]

the first game at the amex wasn't it? I don't think we've won in the amex 'era' apart from that match

League Cup games at The Amex:

9/8/11 v Gillingham W 1-0
23/8/11 v Sunderland W 1-0
21/9/11 v Liverpool L 1-2
4/8/13 v Newport County L 1-3
12/8/14 v Cheltenham Town W 2-0

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

League Cup games at The Amex:

9/8/11 v Gillingham W 1-0
23/8/11 v Sunderland W 1-0
21/9/11 v Liverpool L 1-2
4/8/13 v Newport County L 1-3
12/8/14 v Cheltenham Town W 2-0

i was referring to the sussex senior cup and when we'd last won it- which according to memory was the first game at the amex (vs eastbourne borough)

 

[Postman Pat]

Brighton & Hove Albion v Leyton Orient

Assume this will have to be at the Amex rather than Lancing due to segregation issues etc??

 

[Giraffe]

Bizarre decision to have the group sections. Can't see any league 1 or 2 sides taking this seriously with many resting players and no fans bothering to show up. Latter stages may have more interest as was always the case with the JPT. Early rounds completely pointless so why the group stage?!

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Bizarre decision to have the group sections. Can't see any league 1 or 2 sides taking this seriously with many resting players and no fans bothering to show up. Latter stages may have more interest as was always the case with the JPT. Early rounds completely pointless so why the group stage?!

Agree. You wonder who had a meeting and came up with the conclusion that what was missing from the JPT was more games. It's ludicrous.

I don't agree with B teams being invited but I do agree with Albion joining. It is happening whether we enter or not so there's no point giving other team's young players an advantage by refusing to enter. It will be good experience for our young players.

It's a shame the Orient game is the home one as I might have been tempted to go as I live in London.

 

[The Albion Roar]

i was referring to the sussex senior cup and when we'd last won it- which according to memory was the first game at the amex (vs eastbourne borough)

Nope. We won it two years later - beating Bognor 4-0 (Agdestein 3, Barker) in the final.

 

[JBizzle]

I don't agree with B teams being invited but I do agree with Albion joining. It is happening whether we enter or not so there's no point giving other team's young players an advantage by refusing to enter. It will be good experience for our young players.

This pretty much sums it up for me. I think it's an odd decision to allow it in the first place, but I also don't think the U-23 League offers the right kind of test for players hoping to step up into league football.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

This is not kids football. The Team that we enter are U23.
If they are not ready by now then they should not be here.
See how our kids have developed pre-season by playing with the 1st team.
Development football is not real football.
L1/L2 teams should be full of youngsters from the PL/Championship not old has beens.

[tweet]758266588088918016[/tweet]

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Assume this will have to be at the Amex rather than Lancing due to segregation issues etc??

It will cost a fortune for the club to host it which won't be covered by ticket sales.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

It will cost a fortune for the club to host it which won't be covered by ticket sales.

Presumably the club were happy to sub it though as they haven't declined the invitation.