The EFL must surely realise that having such ridiculous sounding sponsors/names for this trophy actually work against it being seen as credible by the masses?
The EFL must surely realise that having such ridiculous sounding sponsors/names for this trophy actually work against it being seen as credible by the masses?
I just find the snottiness of some towards this trophy a bit weird, suspect Bristol Street saw 80k at Wembley last year, and thought it was a credible thing to be involved with
The EFL must surely realise that having such ridiculous sounding sponsors/names for this trophy actually work against it being seen as credible by the masses?
The EFL must surely realise that having such ridiculous sounding sponsors/names for this trophy actually work against it being seen as credible by the masses?
I just find the snottiness of some towards this trophy a bit weird, suspect Bristol Street saw 80k at Wembley last year, and thought it was a credible thing to be involved with
I'm not being snotty about it at all.
I enjoy going to EFL Trophy games at The Valley and want it to be respected more. But you're going to struggle to get people interested in going to games when there is very little effort being made to make it seem credible - whether its down to sponsorship or formatting. The attendances (outside of the final) tell that story.
Crawley beat Aston Villa U21s last night to win the Group, and knock the Villa out of the competition
It means that Charlton vs Sutton will decide who finishes 2nd place - Both teams are on the same points, so even a draw / penalty shootout win, will see either side motor their way to the next round.
The Bristol Street Motors Trophy Round of 32 draw will take place live on Sky Sports News at 6.30pm on Friday 24 November, in the lead-up to Sky Sports’ coverage of the Sky Bet Championship match between Rotherham United and Leeds United.
Draw B
Winners Pot
Ball No.
Runner Up Pot
Ball No.
Portsmouth
5
Brighton & Hove Albion Under-21s
9
Milton Keynes Dons
6
Charlton Athletic
10
Reading
7
AFC Wimbledon
11
West Ham United Under-21s
8
Colchester United
12
Bristol Street Motors Trophy Round of 32 ties are to take place week commencing December 4.
Of course these things are never fixed, never ever, but wouldn't Sky just love it if Portsmouth v Brighton U21 and Charlton v West Ham U21 came out of the hat.
So it’s only possible to face Portsmouth, MK, Reading or West Ham, is how I’m reading that.
Wonder why they’ve split the north and south regions in half and are having four draws instead of two.
an attempt to keep costs down for what is a major loss making venture for almost all of the clubs involved the groupings are supposed to minimise the potential mileage clubs do getting to away games there's probably a belief it might add a few to the away attendances too
So it’s only possible to face Portsmouth, MK, Reading or West Ham, is how I’m reading that.
Wonder why they’ve split the north and south regions in half and are having four draws instead of two.
an attempt to keep costs down for what is a major loss making venture for almost all of the clubs involved the groupings are supposed to minimise the potential mileage clubs do getting to away games there's probably a belief it might add a few to the away attendances too
It’s group winners vs group runners up isn’t it? If it’s West Ham I wonder if they’ll use the London stadium.
So it’s only possible to face Portsmouth, MK, Reading or West Ham, is how I’m reading that.
Wonder why they’ve split the north and south regions in half and are having four draws instead of two.
an attempt to keep costs down for what is a major loss making venture for almost all of the clubs involved the groupings are supposed to minimise the potential mileage clubs do getting to away games there's probably a belief it might add a few to the away attendances too
It’s group winners vs group runners up isn’t it? If it’s West Ham I wonder if they’ll use the London stadium.
In the past, the U21 had to play their games away. Would be good togo the stadium that we paid for.
So it’s only possible to face Portsmouth, MK, Reading or West Ham, is how I’m reading that.
Wonder why they’ve split the north and south regions in half and are having four draws instead of two.
an attempt to keep costs down for what is a major loss making venture for almost all of the clubs involved the groupings are supposed to minimise the potential mileage clubs do getting to away games there's probably a belief it might add a few to the away attendances too
It’s group winners vs group runners up isn’t it? If it’s West Ham I wonder if they’ll use the London stadium.
Yes but there’s eight group winners in the south section and our draw is limited to only four of them as potential opponents.
There’s an entire other half to the Southern half that includes Forest Green, Wycombe, Peterborough etc. but looks like we’re unable to draw those teams.
So it’s only possible to face Portsmouth, MK, Reading or West Ham, is how I’m reading that.
Wonder why they’ve split the north and south regions in half and are having four draws instead of two.
an attempt to keep costs down for what is a major loss making venture for almost all of the clubs involved the groupings are supposed to minimise the potential mileage clubs do getting to away games there's probably a belief it might add a few to the away attendances too
It’s group winners vs group runners up isn’t it? If it’s West Ham I wonder if they’ll use the London stadium.
Yes but there’s eight group winners in the south section and our draw is limited to only four of them as potential opponents.
There’s an entire other half to the Southern half that includes Forest Green, Wycombe, Peterborough etc. but looks like we’re unable to draw those teams.
Ah ok, didn’t realise that cheers. It’s a strange competition all round isn’t it.
The EFL must surely realise that having such ridiculous sounding sponsors/names for this trophy actually work against it being seen as credible by the masses?
EFL go deaf and blind as soon as the numbers on the cheque from the sponsor reach the requisite level. They'll accept money from anyone and anything "for the good of the game" *cough* A car sales franchise is a damn sight less silly than a far eastern energy drink (Carabao) you've never seen and isn't morally bankrupt like accepting money for promoting gambling (SkyBet and too many more to list)
So it’s only possible to face Portsmouth, MK, Reading or West Ham, is how I’m reading that.
Wonder why they’ve split the north and south regions in half and are having four draws instead of two.
an attempt to keep costs down for what is a major loss making venture for almost all of the clubs involved the groupings are supposed to minimise the potential mileage clubs do getting to away games there's probably a belief it might add a few to the away attendances too
It’s group winners vs group runners up isn’t it? If it’s West Ham I wonder if they’ll use the London stadium.
Yes but there’s eight group winners in the south section and our draw is limited to only four of them as potential opponents.
There’s an entire other half to the Southern half that includes Forest Green, Wycombe, Peterborough etc. but looks like we’re unable to draw those teams.
The OS report on the draw was the first I heard of us only being able to draw one of those teams, because as you say there are 8 group winners in the South, 7 of whom we could draw (eg not the team we were runners up to)
Local press in Peterborough still reporting they could draw us, for example. Very strange!
Wrexham v Burton Blackpool v Barnsley Accrington v Lincoln Wigan v Stockport Derby v Fleetwood Bradford v Liverpool U21 Doncaster v Forest U21 Bolton v Port Vale
South section:
Peterborough v Arsenal U21 Forest Green v Oxford Crawley v Bristol Rovers Wycombe v Fulham U21 Portsmouth v Wimbledon West Ham U21 v Colchester (venue TBD) Reading v Charlton MK v Brighton U21
Comments
I enjoy going to EFL Trophy games at The Valley and want it to be respected more. But you're going to struggle to get people interested in going to games when there is very little effort being made to make it seem credible - whether its down to sponsorship or formatting. The attendances (outside of the final) tell that story.
It means that Charlton vs Sutton will decide who finishes 2nd place - Both teams are on the same points, so even a draw / penalty shootout win, will see either side motor their way to the next round.
Draw B
Winners Pot
Ball No.
Runner Up Pot
Ball No.
Portsmouth
5
Brighton & Hove Albion Under-21s
9
Milton Keynes Dons
6
Charlton Athletic
10
Reading
7
AFC Wimbledon
11
West Ham United Under-21s
8
Colchester United
12
Bristol Street Motors Trophy Round of 32 ties are to take place week commencing December 4.
https://www.efl.com/news/2023/november/22/bristol-street-motors-trophy--round-of-32-draw/
the groupings are supposed to minimise the potential mileage clubs do getting to away games
there's probably a belief it might add a few to the away attendances too
Car puns aplenty, fill your boots.
There’s an entire other half to the Southern half that includes Forest Green, Wycombe, Peterborough etc. but looks like we’re unable to draw those teams.
Just pull balls out from a bag & be done with it !
Local press in Peterborough still reporting they could draw us, for example. Very strange!
That's the thing- every game is winnable in this tournament. We genuinely can win it.
Wrexham v Burton
Blackpool v Barnsley
Accrington v Lincoln
Wigan v Stockport
Derby v Fleetwood
Bradford v Liverpool U21
Doncaster v Forest U21
Bolton v Port Vale
South section:
Peterborough v Arsenal U21
Forest Green v Oxford
Crawley v Bristol Rovers
Wycombe v Fulham U21
Portsmouth v Wimbledon
West Ham U21 v Colchester (venue TBD)
Reading v Charlton
MK v Brighton U21