THE EFL TROPHY

      Six of the Football League trophies used in the competition.

(L-R: the Freight Rover / Sherpa Vans trophy, Leyland DAF Cup, Autoglass trophy, Auto Windscreens' Shield, LDV Vans trophy, Vertu Trophy)

The Football League Trophy, also known as the Vertu Trophy, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in League One and League Two, the third and fourth tiers of the English Football League system. 

The competition began in the 1983–84 season as the Associate Members' Cup. From 1992, it became known as the Football League Trophy, after the lower-division clubs became full members of the Football League. The tournament replaced the short-lived Football League Group Cup, a competition which was only played in 1981-82 and 1982-83 - although, somewhat confusingly, the latter edition was also referred to as  the Football League Trophy. With the exception of its inaugural season, The competition has operated with a title sponsor throughout its history.

The Football League Group Cup

The Football League Group Cup was first contested for in the 1981–82 season. For Football League clubs,  it was intended to be a replacement for the Anglo-Scottish Cup, which had been discontinued due to the withdrawal of Scottish League clubs. In the 1982–83 season, the competition was renamed the Football League Trophy.

The tournament is generally regarded as the forerunner of the Associate Members' Cup, whcih was introduced in 1983-84 and later adopted the Football League Trophy name, alongside various sponsorship titles. However, some sources consider the Football League Group Cup to be part of the same continuous competition lineage as the later League Trophy tournaments.

Format

Each season features 32 participating teams, divided into eight regional groups of four. Teams played one another in a round-robin format, with each club completing three group matches. The eight group winners progressed to the quarter-finals, after which the competition moved into a knockout format. 

All knockout ties were played as single-leg fixtures, with extra time and penalties used to determine the winnner if required. The final was staged at the home ground of one of the two competing teams.

Participants

1981–82

The following 32 sides played in the competition, and these are sub-divided according to the League division they played in that season.

Football League Division One: Notts County

Football League Division Two: Bolton Wanderers, Grimsby Town, Norwich City, Orient, Rotherham United, Shrewsbury Town, Watford

Football League Division Three: Burnley, Carlisle United, Chester, Chesterfield, Doncaster Rovers, Gillingham, Lincoln City, Newport County, Oxford United, Plymouth Argyle, Preston North End, Reading, Southend United, Wimbledon

Football League Division Four: Aldershot, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Bradford City, Bury, Hartlepool United, Hull City, Peterborough United, Sheffield United, Torquay United

The tournament was won by Grimsby Town, who defeated Wimbledon 3–2 in the final at Blundell Park on Tuesday 6 April 1982.

1982–83

The following 32 sides played in the competition, and these are sub-divided according to the League division they played in that season.

Football League Division One: Norwich City, Watford

Football League Division Two: Crystal Palace, Grimsby Town, Shrewsbury Town

Football League Division Three: Bournemouth, Bradford City, Brentford, Chesterfield, Exeter City, Lincoln City, Millwall, Newport County, Orient, Oxford United, Reading, Sheffield United, Southend United

Football League Division Four: Aldershot, Bristol City, Chester, Colchester United, Halifax Town, Hartlepool United, Hull City, Mansfield Town, Northampton Town, Peterborough United, Scunthorpe United, Torquay United, Tranmere Rovers, Wimbledon

The tournament was won by Millwall, who defeated Lincoln City 3–2 in the final at Sincil Bank on Wednesday 20 April 1983.

Previous formats from 1983-84 season

In the first year of the tournament the 48 eligible Third and Fourth Division clubs 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. The two losers with the 'narrowest' defeat were reprieved and joined the six other clubs in the regional quarter finals.

A major change was introduced for the 1985–86 tournament, with 8 three-team groups being set up 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 format was tweaked the following season, with two teams qualifying from each group, resulting in an additional 'round of 16' knockout stage in each section.

For a number of seasons in the early to mid-1990s the competition ran with only seven three-team groups with two teams in each section getting a bye to the knockout stages. This was necessary due to League reorganisation and the demise of Aldershot and Maidstone United, which resulted in there being fewer than 48 teams in the 3rd and 4th levels.

The group phase was abolished for the 1996–97 tournament, with 8 teams in each section getting a bye to the second round, where they were joined by the 8 winners of the first round ties.

For the 2000–01 edition, 8 Football Conference sides also played in the tournament, resulting in 12 ties in each of the north/south sections in the 1st round, with only four teams in each section gaining a bye into the second round. The number of Conference entrants was increased to 12 starting in 2002–03, resulting in 14 1st round ties, and two teams in each regional section gaining a bye straight to the second round.

From the 2006–07 tournament Conference teams no longer participated, and the format reverted to 8 1st round teams in each section, with 8 sides gaining byes to the 2nd round.

Participants

The competition has always been contested by all teams at Levels Three and Four of the English football league system. However, between 2000-01 and 2005-06 the event was also open to a certain number of Football Conference sides, and these are listed by season below:

2000–01: Chester City, Doncaster Rovers, Dover Athletic, Hereford United, Morecambe, Rushden & Diamonds, Scarborough, Yeovil Town

2001–02: Barnet, Dagenham & Redbridge, Doncaster Rovers, Leigh RMI, Scarborough, Southport, Stevenage Borough, Yeovil Town

2002–03: Chester City, Dagenham & Redbridge, Doncaster Rovers, Halifax Town, Hereford United, Leigh RMI, Morecambe, Scarborough, Southport, Stevenage Borough, Woking, Yeovil Town

2003–04: Barnet, Chester City, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Forest Green Rovers, Halifax Town, Hereford United, Morecambe, Scarborough, Shewsbury Town, Stevenage Borough, Telford United

2004–05: Accrington Stanley, Aldershot Town, Barnet, Carlisle United, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Hereford United, Morecambe, Scarborough, Stevenage Borough, Woking, York City

2005–06: Accrington Stanley, Aldershot Town, Cambridge United, Crawley Town, Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Halifax Town, Hereford United, Kidderminster Harriers, Morecambe, Stevenage Borough, Woking

Finals Venue

The League Trophy final is held at the 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium in London, the English national football stadium. The first final in 1984 was to have been played at Wembley, but due to damage to the pitch caused during the Horse of the Year show it was moved to Hull. From 2001 to 2007 when the 1923-built Wembley was being rebuilt, the Football League Trophy finals were played at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Present format

A total of 64 teams enter the competition at the first round stage. These consist of 48 clubs from League One and League Two along with 16 Category One academy (under-21) teams from the Premier League and Championship clubs. 

The teams are divided into 16 regional groups of four, evenly split between eight Northern and eight Southern groups. Each group includes one academy team. The top two teams from each group progress to the knockout stages, with the first two knockout rounds remaining regionalised. From the quarter-finals onwards, the draw becomes completely open. 

Billy Hamilton for Burnley v Carlisle United at 3.02pm at Turf Moor, Burnley, Group Cup Group A (final score: 4-2)