Reading FC not invited to the... erm... party?

[UpThePrem]

Swindon and Oxford are in the same group. TVP will love that.

[John Smith]

I hope the Yeovil game is away as I missed the league game there a few years back and always wanted an excuse to go.

[tidus_mi2]

Swindon and Oxford are in the same group. TVP will love that.

Would have been interesting if we had been in that group, must be the first time in quite a while all 3 of us would have played each other in a competitive competition, yes I'm being a bit generous because it is our U23 team.

[The Royal Forester]

Looking at the dates of the first round matches, I see that they are all the Tuesday before international matches. So I am not sure how many of even our U21 players will be there for the matches, as they may be off for U21 internationals.

I still don't like the idea of the new format, but I can see how it would be good for clubs like us I suppose. And, well, it's more football which can't be bad. Most importantly though, this season especially, if we did well in the competition it would be a fantastic tribute to the late great Eamonn Dolan.

I think that by choosing these dates, the EFL are ensuring that the Cat 1 clubs can not use their international (or best?) players to bolster the six youngsters they have to play. perhaps that may give the League 1 & 2 clubs less of an uphill struggle against the "big" teams. For example it would prevent Chelsea playing five internationals to bolster the six youths they have to play. This would help the likes of Exeter City to have a better chance of beating them. C'mon the City, you can beat that rabble.

[One8Seven1*]

Happy enough with the group. Hopefully home advange for the Pompey game. I don't agree we should have a team in it but it adds to the season and it's a great opportunity for the youngsters. It does concern me that the games appear to fall days before the U21 International Break and we might not have a strong academy side to put out. If that is the case it could be a very short lived competition for us.

[Upper West Ginger]

First round Southern Groups

Group A: Reading, Bristol Rovers, Portsmouth, Yeovil Town

Group B: Swansea City, AFC Wimbledon, Newport County, Plymouth Argyle

Group C: Chelsea, Swindon Town, Exeter City, Oxford United

Group D: West Ham United, Coventry City, Wycombe Wanderers, Northampton Town

Group E: Southampton, Charlton Athletic, Colchester United, Crawley Town

Group F: Norwich City, Peterborough United, Barnet, Milton Keynes Dons

Group G: Brighton and Hove Albion, Southend United, Stevenage, Leyton Orient

Group H: West Bromwich Albion, Millwall, Luton Town, Gillingham

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10513963/10-premier-sides-in-efl-trophy-including-chelsea-and-west-ham

[Platypuss]

North Group G
Middlesbrough, Scunthorpe, Cambridge, Shrewsbury.

[Sutekh]

So two Division 4 teams and a side from Division 3. I bet we have to play all our games away from home being the group's seed team

[genome]

So Coventry are in the south section while Cheltenham are in the north section.

Makes sense...

[Sutekh]

So Coventry are in the south section while Cheltenham are in the north section.

Makes sense...

Well it makes some sort of consistency sense after all they have Gloucester playing in the Northern League section of the Conference

[Stranded]

So two Division 4 teams and a side from Division 3. I bet we have to play all our games away from home being the group's seed team

The academy sides all have one home game to be played at the first team stadium.

[royalp-we]

I hope the Yeovil game is away as I missed the league game there a few years back and always wanted an excuse to go.

w/c 29 Aug - Bristol Rovers (A)
w/c 03 Oct - Portsmouth (A)
w/c 07 Nov - Yeovil Town (H)

[John Smith]

I hope the Yeovil game is away as I missed the league game there a few years back and always wanted an excuse to go.

w/c 29 Aug - Bristol Rovers (A)
w/c 03 Oct - Portsmouth (A)
w/c 07 Nov - Yeovil Town (H)

[genome]

Wonder how many fans Yeovil will bring on a Monday night.

[maffff]

Wonder how many fans Yeovil will bring on a Monday night.

If they coordinate a car-share, maybe both of them.

[sandman]

Swindon and Oxford are in the same group. TVP will love that.

The OxfoROFLd ULOLtras aren't happy.

https://twitter.com/OxfordUltras09

[Sutekh]

Seems quite a few of the lower division clubs supporters calling for a boycott of this tournament which they see as being hijacked by the PL and other big clubs (although very few actual "big clubs" are bothering with it).

It'll be the same as the tinpot competition it replaced with little interest until the semi finals when suddenly that view will disappear.

[tidus_mi2]

Swindon and Oxford are in the same group. TVP will love that.

The OxfoROFLd ULOLtras aren't happy.

https://twitter.com/OxfordUltras09

Ha Oxford have Ultras.

[tidus_mi2]

So Coventry are in the south section while Cheltenham are in the north section.

Makes sense...

I would imagine they have split the League One, League Two and U23 teams into north/south separately so it could well be League One has more northern teams and League Two have more southern teams, leading to the odd split we have in the EFL Trophy.

[LWJ]

Swindon and Oxford are in the same group. TVP will love that.

The OxfoROFLd ULOLtras aren't happy.

https://twitter.com/OxfordUltras09

fcuk me that is embarrassing. Oxford ultras