EFL Trophy group stage draw and reaction!
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Hi there, and welcome along. It's time to make the draw for the EFL Trophy group stage. The EFL Trophy, of course, provides clubs from League One and League Two a chance to get to a Wembley final. Last season, Luton Town beat Stockport County in what was Jack Wilshere's first trophy as a manager. Who will be crowned winners next season? Well, this road to Wembley begins right here. I'm delighted to be joined by former Bolton Wanderers midfielder Kevin Nolan and former Ipswich Town defender Welcome along to you both. Kevin, just want to start with you just reflecting on that final. How big a moment was that for not only Luton Town, but for Jack Wilshere as well? >> Yeah, it was an incredible moment, you know. Don't come around often. So, you know, for him to be so early in his tenure at Luton and and claim a a trophy was fantastic. But, I think it's really important now that he looks at it and and thinks yeah, he can use that momentum for this season going in into the into the league. >> Luke, Kevin mentioned momentum. It's a competition you've actually played in before. How big an incentive is it knowing that at the end of it there's the prospect of a Wembley final? >> Yeah, all players, managers, staff, clubs, fans, they all want to play at Wembley. And to have that opportunity in the regular season is huge and there's a a massive incentive for teams at the end of it in terms of prize money for League One and League Two as well. So, a massive chance for them as well to bed younger players into the competition. And and it's fulfilled every single purpose it's been put in place for. >> Brilliant stuff. Okay, let's get to the draw then. Today we are drawing the invited under-21 teams into the northern and southern groups. The invited teams include the under-21s from the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool. York and Rochdale make a return to the competition following their promotion, while Oxford, Leicester City, and Sheffield Wednesday will also be in this competition this season. Right, the 48 EFL teams have already been placed into groups. The first match is scheduled to take place in early September. We'll start first of all with the northern section of the draw. Kevin, Luke, please give the balls a bit of a stir. Kevin will draw the group and Luke will draw the team. So, Kevin, away we go. >> A >> Group A to kick us off. That's Sheffield Wednesday making a return to the competition, of course. Salford City and Accrington Stanley, and they will be joined in Group A by >> Number eight. >> Number eight. That's Sunderland's under-21 team. So, Group A, Sheffield Wednesday, Salford, Accrington Stanley, and Sunderland's under-21s. >> C >> Up next is Group C. That's Bradford City, York City, and Rotherham United. >> Number six. >> And number six is Newcastle United's under-21. So, Group C looks like that. Bradford, York, Rotherham, and Newcastle United. >> E >> Group E is next. That's Stockport County. They of course were last year's the last season's, rather, beaten finalists. Tranmere Rovers and Shrewsbury Town. >> Two. >> They are joined by Everton's under-21 team. So, Group E, Stockport, Tranmere, Shrewsbury, and Everton. >> Eight. >> Group B. That's Blackpool, Wigan Athletic, and Crewe. And joining them in Group B >> Number one. >> Number one. Aston Villa's under-21s. Blackpool, Wigan crew, and Aston Villa's under-21's. >> G >> Group G, Barnsley, Oldham Athletic, and Fleetwood Town. >> [clears throat] >> Joining them in Group G. >> Three. >> Number three, Leeds United's under-21 team. So, Barnsley, Oldham, Fleetwood, and Leeds. >> D >> Group D, that is Mansfield Town, Chesterfield, and Port Vale. >> Five. >> Number five, Manchester City's under-21 team. So, Mansfield, Chesterfield, and Port Vale joined by Manchester City. >> F >> Group F, that's Burton Albion, Notts County, and Grimsby Town. >> Seven. >> Number seven, Nottingham Forest's under-21 team. So, Burton, Notts County, Grimsby, and Nottingham Forest. That leaves >> H >> Group H, that's Huddersfield Town, Doncaster Rovers, and Rochdale. And the final Premier League under-21 team is >> Four. >> Number four, Liverpool's under-21's team. So, Huddersfield, Doncaster, Rochdale, and Liverpool's under-21 team make up Group H. So, that concludes the northern section of the draw, Kevin. Which one of those groups, or two of those groups if you like, stand out for you there? >> Well, I think we you both we are both of us when when it come, you know, Burton, Notts County, Grimsby, and Nottingham Forest. A little couple of derbies in there. So, yeah, fantastic fantastic draw for for them. And obviously, I always keep a keen eye on Liverpool. So, the under 21s there, they're some tough games for them over at Huddersfield and Doncaster and not too far away, Rochdale. >> Luke, what about you? >> Yeah, I'm I'm looking at the ones obviously Kev said, but group E, the the Tranmere and the Everton under 21s will be an interesting game as well, but some real good fixtures for us to look forward to. >> Right, brilliant stuff. So, that's the northern section. We'll now move to the southern section of the draw. Once again, Kevin will draw the group, and Luke will draw the team. So, Kevin, away you go. >> [panting] [sighs] >> H. >> Right, we've got group H. That's Bromley, Crawley Town, and Milton Keynes Dons. Remember, the teams involved in this are Arsenal, Brentford, Brighton, Chelsea, Palace, Fulham, Ipswich, and Tottenham Hotspur. And Luke, picking out the first team, is Brentford. So, group H, Bromley, Crawley, MK Dons, and Brentford under 21s team. >> D. >> Group D, Luton Town, of course, who won the competition last season against Stockport. They're joined in group D by Peterborough United, Colchester United, and >> Number seven. >> Number seven, Ipswich Town's under 21s, of course. Ipswich promoted back to the Premier League from the Championship last season. >> A. >> Group A, that's Oxford United, Cheltenham Town, and Exeter City. Joining them in group A, >> Number eight. >> Number eight, Tottenham Hotspur's under 21 team. So, Oxford, Cheltenham, Exeter joined by Spurs under 21s. >> C. >> Group C is next. That's Reading, Bristol Rovers, and Wycombe Wanderers. >> [clears throat] >> Number four. >> Number four, Chelsea. Chelsea's under 21 team will be joining Reading, Bristol Rovers, and Wycombe in group C. >> F >> Group F, that's AFC Wimbledon, Leyton Orient, and Barnet. And Lucas picked out >> Number one. >> Number one, Arsenal's under 21 team, yeah? AFC Wimbledon, Leyton Orient, and Barnet are against Arsenal's under 21. >> B >> Group B, that's Leicester City, of course relegated from the Championship to League One, Walsall, and Stevenage. >> Number six. >> Joining them in group B is Fulham's under 21 team. Leicester, Walsall, Stevenage, and Fulham. Couple more groups to go. >> Group G >> Group G, that's Cambridge United, Gillingham, and Northampton Town. >> Number three. >> Number three and group G will be made up with Brighton's under 21 team. So, Cambridge, Gillingham, Northampton, and Brighton, and finally >> E >> Group E is Plymouth Argyle, Swindon Town, and Newport County, and that leaves >> Number five. >> Number five, that's Crystal Palace's under 21 team making up group E. So, that's the southern section done now for the EFL Trophy, Kevin. I think I know which one you're going to say that stands out for you, but just tell us. >> Yeah, I think obviously the the Arsenal one I think stands out massively first first and foremost, you know, Barnet. Every everything when you look at it some really good games there Leyton Orient, Wimbledon and then obviously my old team Northampton got a bite in in that group G so that'll be quite a good group as well to watch. >> And Luke, how about you? >> Yeah, immediately my old team Ipswich Town under 21's against one of the closest rivals in terms of distance away from them in Colchester United so another one of my former club so immediately my eyes go to that not too much traveling for either of them. >> Brilliant. Seamless stuff from the pair of you Kevin. Luke, thanks for now. So that's your completed draw for the group stages of next season's EFL Trophy. Don't forget you can watch every EFL Trophy game live on Sky Sports and we'll be back at 4:30 for the Carabao Cup first round draw. We'll see you then.