admira Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 DERBY County could take part in the English Football League Trophy as part of a shake-up of the tournament in 2016-17. The competition, previously the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, has been contested exclusively by League One and League Two clubs in past years. However, the Football League - recently rebranded as the EFL - is to pilot a new format, which will feature 16 Category One Academy sides. Derby are one of the clubs who would be eligible to field an under-21 side in the tournament, though it is not yet clear if they will be involved. The Premier League is understood to have provided £1m to create a total prize fund of £1.95m. In the one-season trial, there will be 64 teams split into 16 regional groups of four. The top two teams will progress to the knock-out stages, with the final to be played at Wembley Stadium in April. There has been some opposition to the new format, with the likes of Portsmouth, Accrington Stanley, AFC Wimbledon, Hartlepool United and Luton Town confirming that they voted against the proposals. Full details are due to be confirmed within the next two weeks. Barnsley are the current holders, having beaten Oxford United 3-2 in the final in April. Derby won the Barclays U21 Premier League Division Two title in 2015-16, securing them promotion to the top flight. The Rams achieved Category One status in the summer of 2014, the highest ranking for Academy set-ups under the Premier League's Elite Players Performance Plan (EPPP). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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