The EFL Trophy draw is a complicated beast. Apparently, we can only draw four teams in the next round, and two of them we really wouldn’t want.
It’s a complex thing. As we know, the Northern and Southern sections are split into two separate draws, labelled Draw A and Draw B.
To split it further, the four winners from Northern Groups A–D will face the four runners-up from Groups E–H. Draw B reverses the order, with winners from E–H facing runners-up from A–D. So despite there being eight runners-up, we can only draw four of those. I suppose this is to avoid group winners meeting group runners-up.
Still, ballache, right? It means we can only draw four teams.
Rotherham United
We could be given a chance to get a bit of quick revenge over Rotherham, as they’re one of the sides we could face. They finished as runner up in the group Bolton won, knocking out Manchester City Under 21s and Oldham Athletic.
We have met them before in this competition, winning 3-0 on the only occasion we have not advanced from the group stage. In that game, Grant Smith, Lee Frecklington and Ben Coker all made their final City appearances.
They also beat us 1-0 in the old JPT Trophy back in 2010, Adam Le Fondre with the goal.
Chesterfield
Chesterfield finished as runner-up to Crewe Alexandra, eliminating Liverpool Under 21s and Burton Albion. Sitting tenth in League Two, they were stuffed 7-1 by Crewe, but beat Burton before losing to Liverpool Under 21s on penalties.
The last time we met the Spireites was in this competition, losing 1-0 to a Conor Cook goal. We did beat them 4-3 in extra time (after a 3-3 draw) back in 2003, and got a resounding 4-1 win in the competition in 2001.
Fleetwood Town
Nobody wants a winter trip to Fleetwood. They finished behind Port Vale, but ahead of Accrington Stanley and Leeds Under 21s in what looks, on paper, like a weak group.
They’re 13th in League Two, and if we were to meet, it would be the first cup clash of any sort between the two sides.
Huddersfield Town
Harrogate Town won Huddersfield’s group, with the Terriers coming second ahead of Mansfield Town and Newcastle United Under-21s.
We have met them in the competition before – in 1993/94 they beat us thanks to a golden goal in the old AWS Shield. They’re tenth in League One at present, and beat Newcastle Under 21 6-2 on their route through the group.