EFL Trophy

Not to be confused with the EFL Cup.

EFL Trophy
Current logo
Organising bodyEnglish Football League
Founded1981; 43 years ago (1981) (as the Football League Group Cup)
Region
  • England
  • Wales
Number of teams64
Current championsPeterborough United (2nd title)
Most successful club(s)Bristol City (3 titles)
2024–25 EFL Trophy

The English Football League Trophy, officially known as Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL League Two and U-21 teams from Premier League and EFL Championship.[1]

Launched in the 1981–82 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.[2] It reconstituted as Associate Members' Cup during the 1983–84 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.[1]

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 a round-robin group stage prior to moving into knockout rounds.

The current champions are Peterborough United, who beat Wycombe Wanderers 2–1 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.

History

A secondary football league competition was launched in the 1981–82 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.[3][4] For the 1983–84 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.[5]

In 2016 the competition rebranded to the current EFL Trophy after The Football League rebranding as the English Football League.[6] The first season under the new name saw 16 Category One academies of Premier League and EFL Championship clubs join the competition.[7]

In 2023 participating clubs received a £20,000 participation fee, with £10,000 per victory and £5,000 per draw in the group stage, and increasing prizes for the knockout matches up to £100,000 for winning the final.[8]

Formats

Football League Group Cup

1981 to 1983

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.[9]

Associate Members' Cup

1983 to 1985

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.[10]

1985 to 1992

For the 1985–86 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.[11] 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.[12]

Football League Trophy

1992 to 1996

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 a 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.[13]

1996 to 2000

The group phase was abolished for the 1996–97 edition. The regional sections were retained and 8 teams in each section received a bye to the second round.

2000 to 2006

For the 2000–01 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 2002–03, resulting in 14 first-round ties, and two teams in each regional section gaining a bye into the second round.

Invited teams

The teams from the Conference invited by season are as follows:[14]

2006 to 2016

For the 2006–07 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.[15]

EFL Trophy

2016 to present

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.[16]

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.[16] 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.[16]

Academy teams

The following academy teams have competed:

Finals

Main article: List of EFL Trophy finals

Venue

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.[17] 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.[citation needed]

Winners

Source:[18][19][20]

Records

Attendances

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.[21] 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.[22] The 2020 and 2021 finals were played behind closed doors, but clubs raised money for charity by selling supporters virtual tickets.[23]

EFL Trophy final attendance records
Stadium Attendance record Year Winner Finalist Result
Wembley Stadium (new) 85,021 2019 Portsmouth Sunderland 2–2 (5–4 pen.)
Millennium Stadium 59,024 2007 Doncaster Rovers Bristol Rovers 3–2 (a.e.t.)
Wembley Stadium (old) 80,841 1988 Wolverhampton Wanderers Burnley 2–0

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 3–0 at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry (they later won the away leg 2–0, going down 3–2 on aggregate), in front of a crowd of 31,054.[24]

The lowest attendance in the history of the competition (excluding those affected by pandemic restrictions) came during the 2018–19 season when just 202 attended a Middlesbrough academy team's 1–0 victory against Burton Albion in November 2018 at Burton's Pirelli Stadium.[25][26]

Sponsors

From 1984 to the present (except from 1981–84), the League Trophy has attracted title sponsorship, giving it the following names:

Period Sponsor Name Trophy
1981–1982 — Football League Group Cup Original
1982–1983 Football League Trophy
1983–1984 Associate Members Cup
1984–1987 Freight Rover Freight Rover Trophy Unknown
1987–1989 LDV Group Sherpa Van Trophy
1989–1992 Leyland DAF Leyland DAF Cup
1992–1994 Autoglass Autoglass Trophy
1994–2000 Auto Windscreens Auto Windscreens Shield
2000–2007 LDV Group LDV Vans Trophy[a] Original
2007–2016 PPG Industries Johnstone's Paint Trophy
2016–2019 Checkatrade.com Checkatrade Trophy[27]
2019–2020 Leasing.com Leasing.com Trophy[b]
2020–2023 Papa John's Pizza Papa Johns Trophy[28][c]
2023–2024 Vertu Motors Bristol Street Motors Trophy[30][d]
2024–2026

It was still known as the previous name until the knockout stages and was renamed to the Vertu Trophy. Vertu is the owner of Bristol Street Motors.

Vertu Trophy[31]
  1. ^ LDV Vans entered administration in 2007 and the final in March 2007 was branded as the Football League Trophy Final
  2. ^ Since Leasing.com no longer sponsored the competition in 2021, and the 2020 final was delayed by an entire year, the 2019–20 final was actually branded as the 2020 Papa John's Trophy Final
  3. ^ Originally branded as Papa John's Trophy[29] before dropping the apostrophe during the 2021–22 season.
  4. ^ The branding did not come into effect until after the group stage of the 2023–24 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".

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Premier League trial for the Trophy". English Football League. 10 June 2016. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  2. ^ "List of Texaco/Anglo-Scottish/Football League Group Cup Finals at RSSSF". Archived from the original on 21 September 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  3. ^ Bateson, Bill; Sewell, Albert, eds. (1992). News of the World Football Annual 1992–93. London: Invincible Press. p. 211. ISBN 9780855431884.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ "English Autoglass Trophy 1991–1992: Results". Statto. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ "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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "English Football League Trophy 1981-1982 First Round Group 1". statto.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2013.
  10. ^ "English Associate Members Cup 1983-1984 Southern Second Round". statto.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  11. ^ "English Freight Rover Trophy 1985-1986 Northern First Round Group 1". Statto. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  12. ^ "English Freight Rover Trophy 1986-1987 Southern First Round". Statto. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  13. ^ "English Autoglass Trophy 1993-1994 Northern First Round Group 5". Statto. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  14. ^ 2004–05 Southern 1st Rnd results, and links to other rounds/seasons – statto.com Archived 6 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ "English LDV Vans Trophy 2002-2003 Northern First Round". Statto. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  16. ^ a b c "EFL Trophy Regulations". English Football League. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Harry Redknapp comments on BBC Radio Solent". 17 October 2008. Archived from the original on 20 October 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  18. ^ "Previous Finals". EFL. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  19. ^ "Football League Group Cup Summary (1981–1983)". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Football League Trophy Summary (1983–2016)". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  21. ^ "Wolves - A trip down Wembley lane". Express & Star. 25 February 2015. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ "Finalists' fundraisers a huge success". www.efl.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  24. ^ "Coventry 0–3 Crewe". BBC Sport. 2 May 2013. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  25. ^ "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.
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ "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.
  28. ^ "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.
  29. ^ "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.
  30. ^ "Bristol Street Motors drives EFL Trophy into new era". EFL. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  31. ^ EFL (21 November 2024). "Bristol Street Motors Trophy renamed Vertu Trophy". EFL. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
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