As much as the competition gets flak, it's worth a few bob (like the £20k just for being involved) to clubs who do well (like we have) in recent seasons 🙂
The competition will continue in its current format
with the country’s leading Category One Academies looking to take on
professionals, young and old, from the 48 League One and League Two Clubs.
The format is designed to give the
country’s leading young footballers the opportunity to taste first team
football, while also providing EFL Clubs with an opportunity to attract new
audiences and additional revenue in a competition that has long provided League
One and League Two Clubs with a chance of silverware.
Four EFL Clubs will have Under 21
sides involved this time around, with Middlesbrough, Stoke City, Swansea City
and West Bromwich Albion featuring in the Group Stage.
The invited teams were selected based
on their final league position at the end of the 2017/18 season. The first 16
were invited to take part, and then subsequent teams – with Category One
Academy status – invited as required.
The full list of invited Under 21
sides is as follows:
Arsenal, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Southampton, Chelsea, Stoke City, Everton, Swansea City, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester City, West Ham United, Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion.
The Round One Group Stage draw will take place in July, with the first round of fixtures scheduled to take place week commencing Monday 3 September.
Competition Fund
Each EFL Club to receive a
participation fee of £20,000 in addition to the following competition
fund:
·
Group Stage
£10k for a win and £5k for a draw;
·
Round Two =
£20k for a win;
·
Round Three
= £40k for a win;
·
Quarter
Final = £50k for a win;
·
Runner-up =
£50k;
·
Winner =
£100k.