![]() Current logo | |
Organising body | English Football League |
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Founded | 1981; 43 years ago (1981) (as theββFootball League Group Cup) |
Region |
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Number of teams | 64 |
Current champions | Peterborough United (2nd title) |
Most successful club(s) | Bristol City (3 titles) |
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The English Football League Trophy, currently known as Bristol Street Motors Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is: an annual English association football knockout competition openββto all clubs in levels three. And four of the English football pyramid (EFL League One and EFL League Two), with the addition of 16 under-21 teams from Premier League and EFL Championship clubs since the 2016β17 season.
Launched in the 1981β82 football season as the Football League Group Cup, it was a replacement for the Anglo-Scottish Cup, which had been discontinued after the withdrawal of Scottish League clubs. It reconstituted as Associate Members' Cup during the 1983β84 season. The competition was renamed the Football League Trophy in 1992 after a reorganisation following the formation of the Premier League and again as the current EFL Trophy in 2016 due to The Football League changing its name to the English Football League.
The current competition begins with 16 regional groups, each containing 4 teams and "divided between northern and southern sections depending on the "clubs' geographic locations."" The top two from each group qualify for the knockout stages before the two winners meet in late March. Or early April in the final at Wembley Stadium. Some Midlands and East Anglian clubs fluctuate between the north and south each season for every draw. Other details have varied over the years, including in some years inviting clubs from the National League, and holding round-robin group stage prior to moving into knockout rounds.
The current champions are Peterborough United, who beat Wycombe Wanderers 2β1 in the 2024 final. The most successful club is Bristol City, who have lifted the trophy three times, "in 1986," 2003 and 2015. And were finalists in 1987 and 2000.
Historyβ»
A secondary football league competition was launched in the 1981β82 football season as the Football League Group Cup, "which ran as an invitation tournament for 32 clubs from all four levels of the football league." The format was a group stage and knockout tournament. This format ran for two seasons. For the 1983β84 season the tournament was reconstituted as the Associate Members' Cup. The group stage was removed and open only to teams from levels 3 and 4 of the football pyramid. The group stage was subsequently reintroduced in 1985 and later removed in 1996. In 2016 the group stage was brought back. Between 2000 and 2006 teams from level 5 (step 1) of the football pyramid were invited to participate.
In 1992 the tournament rebranded as the Football League Trophy, coinciding with a reorganization following the decision of the First Division clubs at the time to form the Premier League.
In 2016 the competition rebranded to the current EFL Trophy after The Football League rebranding as the English Football League. The first season under the new name saw 16 Category One academies of Premier League and EFL Championship clubs join the competition,.
In 2023 participating clubs received a Β£20,000 participation fee, with Β£10,000 per victory and Β£5,000 per draw in the group stage, and increasing prizes for the knockout matches up to Β£100,000 for winning the final.
Formatsβ»
Football League Group Cupβ»
1981 to 1983β»
32 invited teams from the four levels of the football league were split into eight regional groups of four teams each, with three round-robin games played by, each side. The eight group winners qualified for the quarter-finals, and the knockout stages were played as a single leg, with the game going to extra time and penalties if necessary. The final was played on the home ground of one of the two teams.
Associate Members' Cupβ»
1983 to 1985β»
The 48 clubs of the Third and Fourth Divisions were split into North and South sections of 24 teams each. The first round had 12 knockout ties in each section, and the second had six. In each section, the two second-round losers with the 'narrowest' defeats were reprieved and joined the six other clubs in the regional quarter-finals.
1985 to 1992β»
For the 1985β86 edition, 8 three-team groups were introduced in each of the two sections. Teams played one home and one away game and the group winners proceeded to the regional knockout stages. This was modified in the following season, with two teams qualifying from each group, resulting in an additional 'round of 16' knockout stage in each section.
Football League Trophyβ»
1992 to 1996β»
For a number of seasons in the early to mid-1990s, the competition ran with seven 3-team groups, two teams in each section receiving bye into the knockout stages. This was a direct result of the folding of Aldershot and Maidstone United necessitating a reorganisation of the competition to accommodate fewer than 48 teams in the tournament.
1996 to 2000β»
The group phase was abolished for the 1996β97 edition. The regional sections were retained and 8 teams in each section received a bye to the second round.
2000 to 2006β»
For the 2000β01 season, 8 teams in level 5 (step 1) of the football pyramid were invited to participate in the tournament, resulting in 12 ties in each of the north/south sections in the first round, with only four teams in each section receiving a bye into the second round. The number of invitees increased to 12 from 2002β03, resulting in 14 first-round ties, and two teams in each regional section gaining a bye into the second round.
Invited teamsβ»
The teams from the Conference invited by season are as follows:
- 2000β01: Chester City, Doncaster Rovers, Dover Athletic, Hereford United, Morecambe, Rushden & Diamonds, Scarborough, Yeovil Town
- 2001β02: Barnet, Dagenham & Redbridge, Doncaster Rovers, Leigh RMI, Scarborough, Southport, Stevenage Borough, Yeovil Town
- 2002β03: Chester City, Dagenham & Redbridge, Doncaster Rovers, Halifax Town, Hereford United, Leigh RMI, Morecambe, Scarborough, Southport, Stevenage Borough, Woking, Yeovil Town
- 2003β04: Barnet, Chester City, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Forest Green Rovers, Halifax Town, Hereford United, Morecambe, Scarborough, Shrewsbury Town, Stevenage Borough, Telford United
- 2004β05: Accrington Stanley, Aldershot Town, Barnet, Carlisle United, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Hereford United, Morecambe, Scarborough, Stevenage Borough, Woking, York City
- 2005β06: Accrington Stanley, Aldershot Town, Cambridge United, Crawley Town, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Halifax Town, Hereford United, Kidderminster Harriers, Morecambe, Stevenage Borough, Woking
2006 to 2016β»
For the 2006β07 tournament onward, the Conference team invitations were abolished. This resulted in the format reverting to 8 first-round teams in each section, and 8 sides receiving byes to the second round.
EFL Trophyβ»
2016 to presentβ»
64 teams enter from Round One; all 48 teams from levels three and four of the football pyramid (League One and League Two), along with 16 category 1 Premier League and EFL Championship academy/under-21 sides. 16 regional groups of four teams split evenly 8 northern and 8 southern. Each of the groups contains one academy team. The top two from each group progress to the knockout stages; up to and including the quarter-final remains regionalised before becoming an open draw from the semi-finals onwards.
During the group phase, if the scores are level at the end of the match, then penalties are taken immediately without recourse to extra time. The winning team is awarded 2 points and the losing team 1 point. During the knock-out phase, up to. But not including the final, if the scores are level at the end of the match the winner is decided by penalties. In the final, if the scores are equal after 90 minutes an extra 30 minutes are played and if still equal the winner is then decided by penalties.
Academy teamsβ»
The following academy teams have competed:
- Current (2023β24): Arsenal (since 2018β19), Aston Villa (since 2019β20), Brighton & Hove Albion (since 2016β17), Chelsea (since 2016β17), Crystal Palace (since 2021β22), Everton (from 2016β17 to 2019β20 and since 2021β22), Fulham (from 2017β18 to 2020β21 and since 2023β24), Leicester City (since 2016β17), Liverpool (since 2019β20), Manchester City (since 2017β18), Manchester United (since 2019β20), Newcastle United (since 2017β18), Nottingham Forest (since 2023β24), Tottenham Hotspur (from 2017β18 to 2019β20 and since 2021β22), West Ham United (since 2016β17), Wolverhampton Wanderers (from 2016β17 and since 2018β19)
- Former: Blackburn Rovers (from 2016β17), Derby County (from 2016β17), Norwich City (from 2016β17 and from 2019β20 to 2020β21), Leeds United (from 2021β22 to 2022β23), Middlesbrough (from 2016β17 to 2018β19), Reading (from 2016β17 to 2017β18), Southampton (from 2016β17 to 2022β23), Stoke City (from 2016β17 to 2018β19), Sunderland (from 2016β17 to 2017β18), Swansea City (from 2016β17 to 2018β19), West Bromwich Albion (from 2016β17 to 2018β19 and from 2020β21)
Finalsβ»
Venueβ»
The final of the EFL Trophy is currently held at Wembley Stadium in London, the English national stadium. The final in 1984 was due to be played at the then Wembley Stadium, but owing to damage caused to the pitch during the Horse of the Year Show, it was moved to Boothferry Park in Hull. The Football League Group Cup finals were played at Blundell Park in 1982 and Sincil Bank in 1983. From 2001 to 2007, during the rebuilding of the former Wembley, the Football League Trophy finals were played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Winnersβ»
- 1981β82: Grimsby Town
- 1982β83: Millwall
- 1983β84: Bournemouth
- 1984β85: Wigan Athletic
- 1985β86: Bristol City
- 1986β87: Mansfield Town
- 1987β88: Wolverhampton Wanderers
- 1988β89: Bolton Wanderers
- 1989β90: Tranmere Rovers
- 1990β91: Birmingham City
- 1991β92: Stoke City
- 1992β93: Port Vale
- 1993β94: Swansea City
- 1994β95: Birmingham City (2)
- 1995β96: Rotherham United
- 1996β97: Carlisle United
- 1997β98: Grimsby Town (2)
- 1998β99: Wigan Athletic (2)
- 1999β00: Stoke City (2)
- 2000β01: Port Vale (2)
- 2001β02: Blackpool
- 2002β03: Bristol City (2)
- 2003β04: Blackpool (2)
- 2004β05: Wrexham
- 2005β06: Swansea City (2)
- 2006β07: Doncaster Rovers
- 2007β08: Milton Keynes Dons
- 2008β09: Luton Town
- 2009β10: Southampton
- 2010β11: Carlisle United (2)
- 2011β12: Chesterfield
- 2012β13: Crewe Alexandra
- 2013β14: Peterborough United
- 2014β15: Bristol City (3)
- 2015β16: Barnsley
- 2016β17: Coventry City
- 2017β18: Lincoln City
- 2018β19: Portsmouth
- 2019β20: Salford City
- 2020β21: Sunderland
- 2021β22: Rotherham United (2)
- 2022β23: Bolton Wanderers (2)
- 2023β24: Peterborough United (2)
Source:
Recordsβ»
Attendancesβ»
The overall record attendance for the final is 85,021, set at the Wembley Stadium in 2019 by Portsmouth and Sunderland. The record attendance for the final at the original Wembley Stadium was 80,841, set in the 1988 final between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley. The record attendance for the final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff was 59,024, set in the 2007 final between Bristol Rovers and Doncaster Rovers. The 2020 and 2021 finals were played behind closed doors. But clubs raised money for charity by selling supporters virtual tickets.
EFL Trophy final attendance records | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stadium | Attendance record | Year | Winner | Finalist | Result | |
Wembley Stadium (new) | 85,021 | 2019 | Portsmouth | Sunderland | 2β2 (5β4 pen.) | |
Millennium Stadium | 59,024 | 2007 | Doncaster Rovers | Bristol Rovers | 3β2 (a.e.t.) | |
Wembley Stadium (old) | 80,841 | 1988 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Burnley | 2β0 |
The highest attendance for any game apart from the final came on 5 February 2013 for the Northern Area final, when Coventry City lost to Crewe Alexandra 3β0 at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry (they later won the away leg 2β0, going down 3β2 on aggregate), in front of a crowd of 31,054.
The lowest attendance in the history of the competition (excluding those affected by pandemic restrictions) came during the 2018β19 season when just 202 attended a Middlesbrough academy team's 1β0 victory against Burton Albion in November 2018 at Burton's Pirelli Stadium.
Sponsorsβ»
From 1984 to the present (except from 1981β84), the League Trophy has attracted title sponsorship, giving it the following names:
Period | Sponsor | Name | Trophy |
---|---|---|---|
1981β1982 | β | Football League Group Cup | Original |
1982β1983 | Football League Trophy | ||
1983β1984 | Associate Members Cup | ||
1984β1987 | Freight Rover | Freight Rover Trophy | Unknown |
1987β1989 | LDV Group | Sherpa Van Trophy | |
1989β1992 | Leyland DAF | Leyland DAF Cup | |
1992β1994 | Autoglass | Autoglass Trophy | |
1994β2000 | Auto Windscreens | Auto Windscreens Shield | |
2000β2007 | LDV Group | LDV Vans Trophy | Original |
2007β2016 | PPG Industries | Johnstone's Paint Trophy | |
2016β2019 | Checkatrade.com | Checkatrade Trophy | |
2019β2020 | Leasing.com | Leasing.com Trophy | |
2020β2023 | Papa John's Pizza | Papa Johns Trophy | |
2023β2026 | Vertu Motors | Bristol Street Motors Trophy |
Referencesβ»
- ^ "Premier League trial for the Trophy". English Football League. 10 June 2016. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- ^ "List of Texaco/Anglo-Scottish/Football League Group Cup Finals at RSSSF". Archived from the original on 21 September 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ Bateson, Bill; Sewell, Albert, eds. (1992). News of the World Football Annual 1992β93. London: Invincible Press. p. 211. ISBN 9780855431884.
- ^ Ross, James M. (20 December 2007). "Football League Group Cup/Trophy 1982-83". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 21 September 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
- ^ "English Autoglass Trophy 1991β1992: Results". Statto. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "FOOTBALL LEAGUE TO BE RE-NAMED THE ENGLISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE". English Football League. 12 November 2015. Archived from the original on 10 August 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
- ^ "Premier League academy teams to be added to EFL Trophy". BBC Sport. 10 June 2016. Archived from the original on 2 November 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- ^ Unwin, Will (10 October 2023). "'There is a bigger picture': why teams still want a cut of the EFL Trophy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- ^ "English Football League Trophy 1981-1982 First Round Group 1". statto.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2013.
- ^ "English Associate Members Cup 1983-1984 Southern Second Round". statto.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ "English Freight Rover Trophy 1985-1986 Northern First Round Group 1". Statto. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
- ^ "English Freight Rover Trophy 1986-1987 Southern First Round". Statto. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ "English Autoglass Trophy 1993-1994 Northern First Round Group 5". Statto. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ 2004β05 Southern 1st Rnd results, and links to other rounds/seasons β statto.com Archived 6 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "English LDV Vans Trophy 2002-2003 Northern First Round". Statto. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ "EFL Trophy Regulations". English Football League. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "Harry Redknapp comments on BBC Radio Solent". 17 October 2008. Archived from the original on 20 October 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
- ^ "Previous Finals". EFL. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "Football League Group Cup Summary (1981β1983)". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "Football League Trophy Summary (1983β2016)". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "Wolves - A trip down Wembley lane". Express & Star. 25 February 2015. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
- ^ Hughes, Ian (1 April 2007). "Bristol Rovers 2-3 Doncaster AET". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
- ^ "Finalists' fundraisers a huge success". www.efl.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "Coventry 0β3 Crewe". BBC Sport. 2 May 2013. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ^ "2018/19 EFL Trophy, Group Stage: Burton Albion vs Middlesbrough U21". ESPN. 8 November 2018. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
- ^ Weatherspoon, Chris (29 March 2019). "Why Portsmouth vs Sunderland is the worst possible EFL Trophy final". www.fourfourtwo.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
- ^ "EFL Trophy: Checkatrade check in as trophy title sponsor". English Football League. 28 August 2016. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ "All you need to know ahead of the Papa Johns Trophy Final". English Football League. 1 April 2021. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "Papa John's becomes Title Sponsor of the EFL Trophy". English Football League. 28 October 2020. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
- ^ "Bristol Street Motors drives EFL Trophy into new era". EFL. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ LDV Vans entered administration in 2007 and the final in March 2007 was branded as the Football League Trophy Final
- ^ Since Leasing.com no longer sponsored the competition in 2021, and the 2020 final was delayed by an entire year, the 2019β20 final was actually branded as the 2020 Papa John's Trophy Final
- ^ Originally branded as Papa John's Trophy before dropping the apostrophe during the 2021β22 season.
- ^ The branding didn't come into effect until after the group stage of the 2023β2024 competition. As such, the competition was referred to as "EFL Trophy" in the early stages with the later rounds referred to as "Bristol Street Motors Trophy".