Checkatrade trophy query

[Silver Fox]

The draw for the next round of the EFLOL trophy is tomorrow, so why aren't we playing our first knockout match until December 21st?

I'm sure it's* not important, but you know...

*the question or the tournament

[Forbury Lion]

Is it because our U21's are still at school and the fixture had to be played in school holidays?

[Sutekh]

Is it because our U21's are still at school and the fixture had to be played in school holidays?

Aren't Soton playing some Israeli team at home on Thursday so that may rule out Wednesday so they can be sure the massed hordes that will follow both teams don't make a mess of the stands with their littering etc.

Then the next week is out cos Soton are superstitious and won't play on 13th

[AthleticoSpizz]

some write us as an U21 team, others as U23.....such is the misunderstanding of the competition.

Either way, we (and no Prem/Chump team) should be involved.

Leave it to the minnows to earn their day in the sun at Wembley

[LWJ]

Anyone know when tickets will be on sale?

[Hendo]

Draw has been made.

Away to Yeovil.

Mansfield v Walsall or Oldham

Luton Town v Chesterfield

Oxford United v Scunthorpe United

Blackpool v Wycombe Wanderers

Cheltenham or Leicester Under-21s v Bradford City

Yeovil Town v Southampton Under-21s or Reading Under-21s

Coventry City v Brighton Under-21s

Swansea City Under-21s v Wolves Under-21s

[Four Of Clubs]

Anyone know when tickets will be on sale?

https://southamptonfc.com/news/2016-11- ... on-reading

...From 9 AM last Thursday....

[Forbury Lion]

some write us as an U21 team, others as U23.....such is the misunderstanding of the competition.

Either way, we (and no Prem/Chump team) should be involved.

Leave it to the minnows to earn their day in the sun at Wembley

+1

Why didn't they just create an U21 cup instead or run this top 2 U21's versus bottom 2 no age limits competition in addition to the existing cup competition? - Extra games for the lower tier clubs = more money.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Draw has been made.

Away to Yeovil.

Mansfield v Walsall or Oldham

Luton Town v Chesterfield

Oxford United v Scunthorpe United

Blackpool v Wycombe Wanderers

Cheltenham or Leicester Under-21s v Bradford City

Yeovil Town v Southampton Under-21s or Reading Under-21s

Coventry City v Brighton Under-21s

Swansea City Under-21s v Wolves Under-21s

Just noticed Yeovil haven't lost since 1 October. Fair fcuks.

[LWJ]

Anyone know when tickets will be on sale?

https://southamptonfc.com/news/2016-11- ... on-reading

...From 9 AM last Thursday....

No sale through Reading then?

[LWJ]

Anyone know when tickets will be on sale?

https://southamptonfc.com/news/2016-11- ... on-reading

...From 9 AM last Thursday....

No sale through Reading then?

Just spoke to ticket office, they will have a small allocation to sell themselves and will release more info in the next few days.

For anyone else interested.

[Sutekh]

One thing to note, the first 1500 fans through the turnstiles on the night, be they home or away, are supposedly going to receive a free matchday programme....

So you better move quick when our allocation goes on sale

[Hendo]

One thing to note, the first 1500 fans through the turnstiles on the night, be they home or away, are supposedly going to receive a free matchday programme....

So you better move quick when our allocation goes on sale

Would it matter when it goes on sale or not though, just got to be one of the first 1500 people in the ground?*

*If 1500 even turn up.

[John Smith]

I don't think 1500 have turned up to any fixture in this tournament to be honest

[Z175]

The fact that we are playing bizarrely so much later than other teams is a bit silly. The fact that we could draw another academy in this round is also silly, and the fact that we can play Yeovil, again, is a bit silly!

However I think this competition is actually a great idea . It has just been sadly sabotaged by the "against league 3" brigade.

Premier league reserve sides playing in the football league is a non- starter and should never have been considered. Yet this trophy is ignored in the early rounds anyway and not prioritised by any clubs. It therefore seems a great way of allowing young British players at the top category 1 academies, a way of playing first team football alongside their own teammates.

This is vastly better than the ridiculous loan system where 1 young, probably raw, player will be forced to play a certain way in a lower league environment and vastly better than playing against other young, raw academy teams.

Reading have fielded a good 7 or 8 young players eligible for the home nations in each game. If every category 1 academy was doing the same I don't think it is stretching the point to say most future internationals would have cut their first team football teeth in this competition.

I think this was great innovative idea that shoud have been expanded to all cat 1 academies, and probably regionalised a lot more to boost attendances.

However it will obviously be shelved after this seasons' disastrous attendances, which in my humble opinion are caused by the ego of fans ashamed to see their 1st teams play the likes of reading's reserves and the total distain for football development in this country shown by the "big clubs" who refused to enter, and who stockpile ridiculous amounts of young talent anyway.

The least I can do is try to get to St Marys to show my support!

[One8Seven1*]

Disagree. U21 sides have no place in this competition. This is for League 1 and 2 clubs who have a realistic chance to have a big day out at Wembley and bring in a small windfall financially.

[handbags_harris]

Leave it to the minnows to earn their day in the sun at Wembley

Of course, like Southampton, Wolves, Birmingham and Stoke, all of whom are on the winners list

***snigger***

[Ian Royal]

The fact that we are playing bizarrely so much later than other teams is a bit silly. The fact that we could draw another academy in this round is also silly, and the fact that we can play Yeovil, again, is a bit silly!

However I think this competition is actually a great idea . It has just been sadly sabotaged by the "against league 3" brigade.

Premier league reserve sides playing in the football league is a non- starter and should never have been considered. Yet this trophy is ignored in the early rounds anyway and not prioritised by any clubs. It therefore seems a great way of allowing young British players at the top category 1 academies, a way of playing first team football alongside their own teammates.

This is vastly better than the ridiculous loan system where 1 young, probably raw, player will be forced to play a certain way in a lower league environment and vastly better than playing against other young, raw academy teams.

Reading have fielded a good 7 or 8 young players eligible for the home nations in each game. If every category 1 academy was doing the same I don't think it is stretching the point to say most future internationals would have cut their first team football teeth in this competition.

I think this was great innovative idea that shoud have been expanded to all cat 1 academies, and probably regionalised a lot more to boost attendances.

However it will obviously be shelved after this seasons' disastrous attendances, which in my humble opinion are caused by the ego of fans ashamed to see their 1st teams play the likes of reading's reserves and the total distain for football development in this country shown by the "big clubs" who refused to enter, and who stockpile ridiculous amounts of young talent anyway.

+1

The lower league clubs should have more faith in their sides against 16 - 21 yr olds. Ideally I'd like to see Reading make the semi final, but the two finalists to still be from L1/2.

It's a shame the big academy sides aren't in for the attraction factor. It really can't be a slippery slope to academies in L1&2. That's just a completely different scenario.

[LWJ]

https://southamptonfc.com/news/2016-11- ... on-reading

...From 9 AM last Thursday....

No sale through Reading then?

Just spoke to ticket office, they will have a small allocation to sell themselves and will release more info in the next few days.

For anyone else interested.

Tickets now on sale

[Nameless]

Our game is late because we've got an U23 European game this week against Bilbao plus an u18 cup game the day after.
Asking players to do three games in a week is just wrong !
I used to be involved in youth football (move along, no impropriety here) and cups were a nightmare. We once knew one finalist but in the other half of the draw were still 4 rounds behind....