Middlesbrough Under-21s ready to experience senior games in divisive new cup competition
Middlesbrough are looking forward to giving their academy players experience against senior teams as they enter the inaugural National League Cup.
The recently-formed competition between the Premier League and National League sees 16 National League sides and 16 Premier League 2 teams compete in a cup that begins next month with a four-game group stage. There are eight teams per group, with the Under-21 sides visiting each of the National League sides to determine a top two in each group to advance to the knockout stages.
Boro have been placed in a group with Tamworth, Gateshead, Boston United and FC Halifax Town. Leeds United, Sunderland, and Newcastle United are the other three academy sides that Boro won't play in the group stage.
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Previewing the start of the competition, Boro academy manager Craig Liddle said: “It’s a good competition for us to be in. Going back a few years we used to take part in the old Checkatrade Trophy against EFL clubs and that was always a good experience. This will be similar because the lads will play against senior players and that’s massively important in their development.
“With the National League Cup and the Premier League International Cup [a tournament played against 12 academies from top European clubs] the players have got some great opportunities to gain experience this season beyond the league matches.”
National League sides will host all games and will keep all gate receipts. The Premier League have provided a £1 million prize fund for the competition which will be distributed between the National League sides only, as the tournament is about giving young players experience for elite academies like Boro's.
The midweek competition has not proven universally popular, however. Eight fifth-tier sides have decided against entering, including Hartlepool United and York City, with factors such as fixture congestion and the cost of staging games outweighing predicted revenue listed.
Hartlepool boss Darren Sarrl explained: "We were approached but we decided we didn't want to be involved. What is the benefit? If there's a financial benefit, then Darren Sarll gets told that we're doing it, there's no discussion, that's the business of football.
"Is there a benefit to it in terms of football? I don't think so. We can't arrange reserve games to give our players extra minutes during the week, so why would we add another three or four games? Seriously, why? "You look at some of the EFL Trophy games and the stadiums are at, what, 15 per cent capacity. It costs more than that to get the ground open, it's crazy.
"When you rounded all of the decimals up, nothing ever came to one and there was no reason to do it. I think the club has made a brilliant decision - if other teams want to do it, then good on them and good luck to them."
Boro will enter though, providing their potential first-team stars of the future a chance to test themselves against men. That starts on October 1 when they make the short trip to the International Stadium to take on Gateshead. Boro's full National League Cup fixtures are:
Tues 1st Oct v Gateshead (A) K.O. 7.45pm @ The International Stadium
Tues 12th Nov v FC Halifax (A) K.O. 7pm @ The Shay Stadium
Tues 3rd Dec v Tamworth (A) K.O. 7.45pm @ The Lamb Ground
Tues 21st Jan v Boston United (A) K.O. 7.30pm @ Jakemans Community Stadum