Since the early eighties, English Football League clubs have been forced into competing in a trophy few care about.
It’s been known as the Freight Rover Trophy, Autoglass Windscreens Shield and, more recently, the Checkatrade Trophy. That last incarnation brought controversy because it was the point at which Under 21 teams entered from the Premier League, drawing huge anger and boycotts.
The Issue With Under-21 Teams
Depending on your political standing, the Under 21 team’s inclusion is either a little insulting or a Trojan Horse attack intended to get youth-level teams into the football pyramid. The latter has been a real fear since the League 3 proposals and the subsequent Against League 3 campaign. The fear is that by entering the EFL Trophy, big clubs are slowly buttering up clubs to allow their B teams to enter the league structure. That led to nationwide boycotts and rubbish attendances as far back as 2016/17, but here we are, seven years later, and the prospect of those clubs entering the league is further away than ever.
Why Has The EFL Trophy Failed?
Under 21 clubs, quite simply, haven’t been good enough. Chelsea Under 21s have gone the furthest, losing to Lincoln City in the 2017/18 semi-final, but in recent times, there’s been a real lack of threat from the so-called talented youngsters. This season, Manchester City’s Under 21 side was thrashed by a Lincoln City team featuring a 20-year-old midfielder on loan in the National League North, playing at centre-back for the Imps. This is against supposedly the best youngsters in the country.
Across the board, there have been huge failings this season, with Aston Villa Under 21s the only elite academy to make the second round. They’ve been so ineffective that there’s now a competition involving the National League sides and elite academies that it’s as if they’ve had to take the difficulty down a level just to compete.
What Next For The Vertu Trophy?
It’s unclear what the future holds. With name changes and ever-changing sponsors, the competition hasn’t proven financially beneficial, aside from the trickle-down of Premier League money. However, it has been useful for many League One and League Two sides, blooding young players. Leaning on the example of Lincoln City, they have debuted Zane Okoro this season, one of several debutants the Imps have played in the competition, and that’s reflected across the board. Reading boss Noel Hunt has confirmed today he’ll be playing a young squad as well.
Premier League sides intended this competition to be their backdoor into the EFL, highlighting how brilliant their young players are. The opposite seems to have happened—EFL clubs have showcased their own talent, and in the battle of morals versus wallets, the former seems to be winning.
