Checkatrade
Draw done 3 hours ago to complete silence it would appear. Looks highly regionalised this year (whether by chance or design). As we are classified as a South West club, we have Swindon and Bristol Rovers and a youth team to be confirmed next week. (god knows why they do the draw this week but cant do the "invted teams" yet).
No word yet on home or away but no doubt appetites well and truly whetted.
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I genuinely think they delay in announcing the youth teams is because Football League is still desperately trying to convince the Premier League Top 6 to actually enter this year.
No the 16 teams were confirmed last week apparently Bill. Tottenham, Chelsea and Man City are in of the top six, not Man U, Liverpool or Arsenal.
I don't think we can call it a "draw" - it seems that the League 1 and 2 clubs have been consciously placed into the groups announced today. If you're a cynic, you may suggest that this is so there are more local 'derbies', higher attendances, and therefore the EFL can spin it as a growing acceptance of the format.
If they've made the regionalisation buckets small enough, it could be a formality who is drawn together.
If we're SW, then the "carrot" of Tottenham and Chelsea is presumably off the table in this round, and we'll get the likes of Bristol City perhaps? If that's even possible...
Dont believe the hype.
I forget what the rules are about home games.
If drawn at home you have to actually play at the first team ground, although West Ham got away with it...
But in the groups, the Prem teams play all their games away?
Last season they seemed to make the rules up as they went along; expecting same this season.
West Ham will be the U21/U23/B team, if anyone's interested. The Swindon match will be away, the other two games at home, which at least means that those who choose to go to the Bristol game won't have to experience the delights of the Memorial Stadium.
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Getting West Ham is tedious. One minor upside of this cup* should be the chance for a trip to a big club, yet West Ham can get round this by playing away.
(* rattling around in a big ground is probably slightly better than rattling around in some non glam team's ground in my opinion)
Otherwise even Rovers in there doesn't spice things up
I still think these games could be played behind closed doors or maybe as a pre season round robin.
Or just not at all.
I'd rather the games were not played behind closed doors as it gives me the opportunity to see some of the fringe players in action should I choose to do so.
Also I think there's a new rule this year and NO 'invited' teams will play a single home game in the group stages
@AttitudeEra Yes, I understand that's the case. Still, West Ham...boo!
lets see we made £60,000 last season from this competition and used it to sign Sam Saunders, thats why were in it !!
Oh yes I forgot that we got blood money for taking part. Still good job we didn't make a penny from the FAC run last season wasn't it! after all we only got a measly 45% of the Spurs gate receipts. Also there was me thinking it was a Free transfer and we let McGinn go a week later. But hey you know best.
@m3g Not quite sure what you mean with the free transfer/McGinn comment.
Are you suggesting that we covered Saunders substantial wages with McGinns?
Even though 1) Saunders would undoubtedly be on a lot more, and for an extra year deal, 2)McGinn was settled with too (so not a pure saving anyway)
Did we pay off McGinn's contract or did he just leave to join whoever it was he went to (St Mirren?)
McGinn went by mutual consent. I have no doubt about That Saunders is paid more but he was a direct replacement. TBH i was just having my usual say on the Checkarshite. So beware anyone who try's to justify it to me!
@Jonny_King , we've a history of paying players contracts off unfortunately. Might not be the full amount, but with someone like McGinn i would have said you either stay here and earn your money, or you cancel your deal, get no payoff and are free to go elsewhere.
I'm probably missing a lot though, potentially an unhappy player causing problems etc
LDV, Paint Pot, Checktrade, etc. - never been popular, same moans from the fans, but a competition at this level will always exist to give the squad players a run out.
The alternative - reserve team football that few go to watch and has no sponsor.
What is the history of paying players off, Malone?
If you have a player you don't intend to play but are contracted to pay say £25k to to end of season but after negotiation he will accept £10k to go now, surely that is a sensible thing to do??
@Malone Yeah I'm not sure exactly how it works. Sometimes players are allowed to find a new club and then be released from their contract - no payoff, but in return getting a free transfer to where they want to go without the 'selling' club demanding a fee for a contracted player.
If a club just want shot of a player and they don't have a move lined up, then I understand the club would have to pay off the remainder of his contract (or maybe reach a compromise amount if the player is keen to get out of there too).
No idea what happened with McGinn. I just assumed it would be a free transfer to his new club, but could be wrong. (Usually am!)
This argument of playing a few fringe players would be great if the rule about playing a set number of first teamers wasn't in place or if the rules were the same for every team in the competition. It's just a cash collecting exercise now .
There's no going back once you've played your first teasers I find.
Exactly Righty, it's a chance for West Ham to give their fringe players a run out, the rules prohibit us going the same.