EFL Trophy: Draw unites English football in their collective hatred of stupid, political ideas
The re-branded EFL Trophy draw was made today, featuring some of the Premier League's academy teams, and it's safe to say the reaction hasn't been all that positive.
Hey, remember the announcement that the throwaway lower-league-only tournament called the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy would be replaced by a group stage orientated competition, incorporating development sides from bigger English clubs, dubbed the EFL Trophy?
Do you remember how much the concept was pretty much rejected by everyone who wasn’t turning a profit from it?
Well, that’s nothing compared to the reaction the group stage draw itself has provoked!
The news that lower league sides would have to take time out of their hectic schedules of trying to keep their heads above water down in the doldrums of the Football League structure in order to help ‘develop’ the reserves of better-off clubs, comprised partly of players they had poached from said minnows for a relative pittance, wasn’t laughable enough, it seems.
Now, the draw itself has taught us several other amazing facts - such as Cambridge and Cheltenham apparently being part of the North!
Social media wasted no time in taking a collective dump on the latest top-heavy scheme from the powers-that-be. Here are some of the best quips and remarks from Twitter:
The regionalised EFL Trophy could see Cambridge v Sunderland. What region is this, Western Europe?
— Tony Greenall (@TonyCSGreenall)
Sat here, nervous, sweating…just hope we can get West Brom Academy away in the EFL Cup..that’s what dreams are made of… #lofc
— James Masters (@Masters_JamesD)
Lads @EFLTrophy pic.twitter.com/caKAMpbr0t
— Louis Mendez (@LouisMend)
@EFLTrophy Humberside Police will be delighted with that draw (if we’re away). Stick them on the list of people seething at the #EFLTrophy
— Coops (@Lock_the_Locks)
The Spireites get the excitement of a clash against the mighty Wolves Academy! #EFLTrophy #TinPotTrophy https://t.co/FRsltl0CsF
— SpireTweet (@SpireTweet)
This #EFLTrophy is a complete shambles 😂
— Emma'Louise (@EmmaLouise096)
Who says taxpayers won’t get a good return on the OS? West Ham academy at home to either Coventry, Wycombe or Northampton in the cup!
— James Masters (@Masters_JamesD)
This is all an absolute joke, hate what football is becoming #EFLTrophy
— Liam O'Hare (@liamohare96mp)
Can we just drop out now? 😩 #EFLTrophy
— Jonny_Packer (@Jonny_Packer)
Instead of pandering to prem teams, why not just stop them hoovering up all the youth talent in the country? #EFLTrophy #efl
— Incapable Hulk (@Incapable_Hulk)
Not only have the introduced B teams, practically every good B team pulled out. #EFLTrophy
— Jordan Westlake (@Jordan_BRFC)
Cambridge & Cheltenham in #EFLTrophy “Northern” section… Says it all about absurd format being ridiculed by fans of all lower-league clubs
— Zaki Dogliani (@ZakiDogliani)
The great Northern town of Cheltenham is a combined 453 miles away from their regional rivals in the #EFLTrophy group stage
— Phil Shepka (@PShepka)
Can’t believe we’ve got Chelsea under-21s, Exeter Ladies and Swindon under-14s in our group #OUFC #EFLTrophy pic.twitter.com/PkCzDAviuv
— Emlyn Begley (@EmlynBegley)
Jokes aside, the club have got at least one sizeable away game to finance travel for at a busy time of the season. Pointless. #EFLTrophy
— The 9yrs Podcast (@9yrspodcast)
Whatever their reasons for not taking part, I am glad @LFC are not in the #EFLTrophy - ridiculous that it is even happening! @AgainstLeague3
— Jay McKenna (@JayMcKenna87)
This #EFLTrophy is the worst thing ever. No exaggeration. What a stupid idea.
— Liam Kent (@tnekmail)
This EFL Trophy stuff just seems strange and wrong to me. What if the lower division Wembley showcase final ends up as Chelsea v Everton ?
— Simon O'Rourke (@sorourkeITV)
Read the replies. Unanimously against! #EFLTrophy symptomatic of football authorities’ disdain for lower league fans https://t.co/nYSbEoDBlV
— Zaki Dogliani (@ZakiDogliani)
For those who remain remotely interested in the competition, here’s the rundown of the group draw.
Each group consists of four teams, including a Category 1 Academy team. Each club will be each other once, either home or away.
Northern Group A: Everton Bolton Wanderers Cheltenham Town Blackpool
Northern Group B: Wolverhampton Wanderers Chesterfield Crewe Alexandra Accrington Stanley
Northern Group C: Stoke City Bradford City Morecambe Bury
Northern Group D: Blackburn Rovers Fleetwood Town Carlisle United Oldham Athletic
Northern Group E: Derby County Port Vale Doncaster Rovers Mansfield Town
Northern Group F: Sunderland Rochdale Hartlepool United Notts County
Northern Group G: Middlesbrough Scunthorpe United Cambridge United Shrewsbury Town
Northern Group H: Leicester City Sheffield United Grimsby Town Walsall
Southern Group A: Reading Bristol Rovers Portsmouth Yeovil Town
Southern Group B Swansea City AFC Wimbledon Newport County Plymouth Argyle
Southern Group C: Chelsea Swindon Town Exeter City Oxford United
Southern Group D: West Ham United Coventry City Wycombe Wanderers Northampton Town
Southern Group E: Southampton Charlton Athletic Colchester United Crawley Town
Southern Group F: Norwich City Peterborough United Barnet Milton Keynes Dons
Southern Group G: Brighton & Hove Albion Southend United Stevenage Leyton Orient
Southern Group H: West Bromwich Albion Millwall Luton Town Gillingham
