Checkatrade Trophy set to continue in current format

It is understood Fleetwood were part of the 66.6 per cent of the clubs that voted to keep the current format and allow the continued involvement of 16 invited Premier League and Championship U21 sides in the competition, although there will be a few amendments.

The EFL’s rationale for the changes to include the academy sides for the first time last season was that the tournament, known for the previous nine seasons as the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, was stagnating and the overhaul would enable bigger clubs to blood homegrown youngsters in meaningful games.

At the outset of the Checkatrade Trophy overhaul the EFL committed to giving its clubs the opportunity to determine the competition’s future format and, following a period of consultation in April, League One and League Two representatives met to share views.

During this meeting Clubs were presented with a review of the 2016/17 season before being asked to vote on three options, either to Retain the current format with amendments, revert to a 48-team knock-out competition or Abandon the Checkatrade Trophy altogether.

It is understood Fleetwood, along with an overwhelming amount of other League One and Two clubs voted for the first and winning option - providing amendments were made.

One of the big amendments is player eligibility.

Last term Fleetwood were fined £5,000 for breaking Checkatrade Trophy rules after head coach Uwe Rosler changed their entire starting 11 from their previous FA Cup Monday night game at Southport for the Wednesday night 4-2 defeat at Carlisle that saw them bow out of the controversial competition. Town were hit with the fine due to the rules demanding that at least five starting players are retained from the previous match.

But now the EFL has increased flexibility in team selection for the competition and clubs can play ANY goalkeeper in the competition with a revised requirement of rule 7.3 - the one Town were fined for will now be changed so that four qualifying outfield players from 10 will now be required.

Those qualifying outfield players would be any player that has started the previous or following first team fixture, are in the top 10 players at the club for starting appearances in league and domestic competitions, have made 40 or more first team appearances in their career, are on-loan from either a Premier League or Category 1 Academy Club.

Under those requirements Fleetwood would not have been slapped with a fine for the team they fielded at Carlisle with Martyn Woolford (more than 40 league career appearances), Alex Jakubiak (on-loan from Premier League side Watford), George Glendon (on-loan from Manchester City), Ash Eastham (more than 40 league career appearances) and Joe Davis (more than 40 league career appearances) all featuring in that starting line-up.

At the time Rosler was livid READ THE ORIGINAL STORY HERE and claimed the changes were necessary to protect his squad given that their previous game for the November clash was played only 48 earlier and they faced two more the six days after.

The competition will have some more amendments this year with the 16 invited clubs announced in June and the group stage fixture draw taking place in July as the competition will feature 16 groups of four teams.

For the 2017/18 term the EFL team selection criteria has been amended to allow increased flexibility for League One and League Two clubs as some key format changes have been put in place.

There is also an increase in the total competition fund from £1.95m to £3m, each group will continue to contain one invited U-21 team with the remainder made up of EFL clubs from either League One or League Two.

In addition groups will be formed to minimise overall travel time for EFL clubs and fans

Invited Under-21 teams will play their group games away from home and this also means regionalisation until the Quarter-Final stage (improved from Round Two in 2016/17) to minimise overall travel time for clubs and fans.

Flexibility of fixture dates will also be available to allow teams to schedule games outside of international weeks.

As part of the proposals, the selection criteria for invited U-21 teams will remain as ‘six players from the starting 11 must be under the age of 21 as at 30 June 2017.’

EFL Chief Executive Shaun Harvey has welcomed the support of the competition.

He said: “The history of the EFL Trophy is one of new ideas and innovation, but at its heart has always been the belief that this is an opportunity for League One and League Two clubs to taste cup success.

“I am therefore delighted to see the backing the Checkatrade Trophy has received from our clubs for the next two seasons, following a full and comprehensive review of this year’s pilot format.

“We wanted to ensure that League One and League Two Clubs had the opportunity to make the key decisions regarding where we take the competition in 2017/18 and beyond and I believe we have reached a revised format that benefits all parties.

“EFL clubs will have greater flexibility with regard to team selection, while still maintaining the principle that this is a first-team competition for our clubs that will support the development and progression of young players.

“The competition will also provide significant financial rewards for all EFL clubs, which increases with success.”

Checkatrade Trophy – Format

Key dates

· Invited clubs announced in June;

· Group Stage fixture draw in July;

· First Group Stage matches to take place w/c 28th August.

Group stages

· 16 groups of four teams;

· Each group to contain one invited team;

· Groups formed to minimise overall travel for EFL clubs and fans;

· Invited under 21 teams to play all Group games away;

· Clubs will be awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw;

· In the event of a drawn game after 90 minutes, a penalty shootout will be held with the victorious team gaining an extra point.

· Two clubs qualify from each Group.

Knock-out rounds

· Round Two will remain regionalised with Group winners at home against a second placed team from a different qualifying Group;

· Round Three will remain regionalised;

· Quarter-Finals will be drawn without geographical restriction (no regionalisation);

· If scores are level after 90 minutes, all knock-out rounds will be decided by penalties except for the Final, which will have extra-time and then penalties.

Player Eligibility

For EFL Clubs:

· A Club can play any goalkeeper in the competition;

· The revised requirement of Rule 7.3 – ‘4 qualifying outfield Players from 10’.

A qualifying outfield Player would be:

· Any Player that meets the current criteria (excluding Goalkeepers), includes those who:

o Have started the previous or following first team fixture;

o Are in the top 10 players at the club for starting appearances in league and domestic cup competitions for season;

o Have made 40 or more first team appearances in their career;

o Are on loan from either a Premier League or Category 1 Academy Club.

For invited under 21 teams:

· Six from the starting 11 must be under the age of 21 as at 30 June 2017