THE League Cup first-round fixtures are too early in the season.

I’m not just saying this because Swindon continue to exit the competition in the first two weeks of August every single season.

I’m saying it because I’ve watched multiple Swindon sides and their respective opponents treat the game as a glorified pre-season friendly year after year.

There seems to be very little respect from both clubs and the English Football League towards the country’s second-most-prestigious domestic cup competition – a trophy that Swindon Town once lifted in 1969 and one that has been in existence for over 60 years.

Meanwhile, EFL Trophy group games are saved until squads have hit their straps and a clear first team has often been defined.

Town exited the League Cup at the first-round stage for the eighth season in a row on Tuesday night after making 10 changes to the side that drew 0-0 in the league three days prior. Walsall made it through after winning 2-0 but still made six changes.

Neither team wanted to make that many changes, but both felt like they had to.

Why are teams penalised for making more than a handful of alterations in the EFL Trophy, yet clubs are able to send out a severely under-strength side for a League Cup game without fear of punishment?

While I completely understand the frustrations of those who saw Town’s starting XI against Walsall and felt they had been misled or let down, consider the timing of the game from Scott Lindsey’s point of view.

Even though he wanted a win to boost morale after an underwhelming start, he looked at a squad which is still getting up to speed, Saturday’s trip to Carlisle, and his mounting list of injuries and probably thought: “I could do with this game being in a couple of weeks.”

In fact, that is more or less what he said to me when I proposed that the League Cup would benefit in more than one way by pushing the first-round fixtures back to the end of August.

Fans probably knew the contest would not be the genuine article either, given the attendance at the Poundland Bescot Stadium was 3,500 lower than in the Saddlers’ opening league game.

Yes, this one was on a Tuesday night, but Town always travel really well to every away game and there was still only a few hundred hardy souls who supported away to my right.

The League Cup just feels like an inconvenience these days. It’s supposed to be a chance to reach Wembley – and not a pipe-dream either. Look at Bradford City in 2013, they took it seriously, received a couple of slices of luck, and they were within 90 minutes of claiming silverware.

This competition can be worthwhile, but only if the EFL are willing to put a bit of thought into how it could thrive. I won’t hold my breath.