SWINDON Town have been handed a plum draw in the group stages of the EFL Trophy as they are set to face local rivals Oxford United and Chelsea’s U21s at the County Ground.
With Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United all rejecting the chance to play U21 teams in the revamped Trophy, Swindon have been drawn with one of the top academy sides left in the competition.
Town will also face local rivals Oxford United, who knocked them out of the competition – previously known as the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy – in the second round last season at the Kassam Stadium, as well an away trip to League Two side Exeter City, who knocked them out of the League Cup last season, in Southern Group C.
Town's game with Chelsea will now take place on the week commencing September 12, rather than the scheduled week commencing August 29, with Oxford landing a trip to Stamford Bridge.
Norwich City, Brighton and Hove Albion, Derby County, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and Reading were the six Championship academy sides who took the place of the teams that opted out of the 64-team competition.
Clubs will play each other once, with the top two teams progressing to the knockout stages.
The round of 32, which will commence on the week beginning December 5, will remain regionalised, with each group winner being drawn at home to a second-placed team from a different qualifying group.
The last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals will not be regionalised, with the side drawn first playing at home.
If scores are level after 90 minutes in the knockout stages, the games will be decided by penalties, with arrangements for the semi-finals and final yet to be discussed.
KEY DATES:
Group Stage
Match Day 1 – w/c 29th August 2016
Swindon Town v Chelsea (week commencing September 12)
Oxford United v Exeter City
Match Day 2 – w/c 3rd October 2016
Exeter City v Chelsea (week commencing October 17)
Swindon Town v Oxford United
Match Day 3 – w/c 7th November 2016
Exeter City v Swindon Town
Chelsea v Oxford United
Round 2 - w/c December 5, 2016
Round 3 - w/c January 9, 2017
Round 4 - w/c January 23, 2017
Semi-final - w/c February 20, 2017
Final - April 2, 2017 (Wembley Stadium)
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