Stevenage have been drawn in Southern Group G of the new EFL Trophy 2016/17 along with Southend, Leyton Orient and Brighton & Hove Albion.
A total of 64 clubs will compete in the competition beginning with 16 groups of four teams, each of which will include at least one club from each of Leagues One and Two, along with one invited team from clubs with Category One Academies. The top two sides in each group will then go into a knockout stage that will culminate in a showpiece final at Wembley Stadium on April 2.
The new look competition will also have an enhanced prize fund with an expected £1.95m being up for grabs, including £10,000 per win and £5,000 per draw during the Group Stage and £100,000 for the eventual winner.
Southern Group G Fixtures
Match Day 1 – w/c 29th August 2016
Southend United v Brighton & Hove Albion
Leyton Orient v Stevenage
Match Day 2 – w/c 3rd October 2016
Stevenage v Brighton & Hove Albion
Southend United v Leyton Orient
Match Day 3 – w/c 7th November 2016
Stevenage v Southend United
Brighton & Hove Albion v Leyton Orient
Exact dates and ticket prices will be confirmed in due course.
COMPETITION FORMAT
Clubs:
- 48 clubs from League One & Two.
- 16 invited Category One Academy teams.
Eligibility Criteria:
- EFL Clubs – a minimum of 5 ‘First Team’ players in the starting 11 as defined under the
- competition’s existing rules.
- Invited Clubs – 6 of the starting 11 to be U21 (as at June 30).
Group Stage:
- 16 groups of 4 teams organised on a regionalised basis.
- Groups to include one invited club and at least one club from each of Leagues One & Two.
- Clubs to play each other once, either home or away. Invited clubs will play one home game
- at the club’s first team stadium.
- Clubs will be awarded 3 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. In the event of a drawn
- game (after 90 minutes), a penalty shootout will be held with the winning team earning an
- additional point.
- The top two teams will progress to the Knockout Stage.
Knockout Stage:
- Round 2 (32 teams) will remain regionalised with each group winner being drawn at home to a
- second placed team from a different qualifying group.
- Round 3 (16 teams) and Round 4 (8 teams) will be ‘free’ draws.
- Semi-finals (4 teams) will be a 'free’ draw and will consist of single ties played at the stadium of
- the club drawn first in each tie.
- If scores are level after 90 minutes in Rounds 2, 3 and 4, the game will be determined by the
- taking of penalties. The EFL will confirm arrangements for the Semi-Finals and Final in due
- course following further consultation.
Dates:
Group Stage: w/c 29th August 2016, w/c 3rd October 2016, w/c 7th November 2016
Round 2 - w/c 5th December 2016
Round 3 - w/c 9th January 2017
Round 4 - w/c 23rd January 2017
Semi- Final - w/c 20th February 2017
Final - 2nd April 2017 (Wembley Stadium)
Match Proceeds:
After deduction of match expenses, all proceeds will be split:
45% Home Club
45% Away Club
10% to the pool account
Invited clubs will donate all or some of their share of gate receipts to a fund that will be shared
equally by League One and Two clubs.
Group Stage - Invited Clubs will donate their 45% share to the fund.
Knockout Stage - Invited Clubs will retain 25% of their share and donate 20% to the fund.
Semi-finals & Final - Invited Clubs will retain 30% of their share and donate 15% to the fund.