Details confirmed for City's EFL Trophy trips to Chesterfield and Lincoln | OneFootball

The details for City’s Under-21s' EFL Trophy trips to Chesterfield and Lincoln have been confirmed.

Ben Wilkinson will lead City's EDS side for the first time in the competition following his step up to the Under-21s after three seasons as the Lead Coach of the Under-18s.

This begins with a trip to Paul Cook's Chesterfield at 19:00 (UK) on Tuesday 20 August.

Our third assignment in the competition will then see us travel to Lincoln City on Tuesday 24 September for a 19:00 (UK) kick-off at the LNER Stadium.

The Blues' group stage meeting with Grimsby Town will be confirmed in due course.

City are one of 16 Category One Academy clubs joining League One and League Two clubs in the new campaign’s tournament.

The 16 U21 Premier League sides join 48 EFL clubs in regional groups and the competition is seen as giving younger players  game-time against experienced senior sides outside the top flight.

The top two sides will progress from each group into a knockout phase, which remains regionalised until the quarter-final stage.

Up until the semi-finals, any drawn games will be settled by penalty kicks and no extra time will be played.

City U21s faced Grimsby Town at the same stage last season, drawing 2-2 at Blundell Park before triumphing 4-2 on penalties.

Defeats to Barnsley and Bradford City ended our interest in the competition, won by Peterborough United at Wembley last April.

All Premier League U21 teams will play their matches away from home.

Northern group stage

Group A:  Stockport, Tranmere, Accrington, Everton U21

Group B: Wolve U21, Salford Wrexham, Port Vale

Group C: Carlisle, Wigan, Morecambe, Nottingham, Forest U21

Group D:  Barrow, Bolton, Fleetwood, Aston Villa U21

Group E: Blackpool, Crewe, Harrogate, Liverpool U21

Group F: Barnsley Doncaster Huddersfield Town, Man United U21

Group G: Chesterfield, Grimsby Town, Lincoln City, Manchester City U21

Group H: Bradford, Mansfield, Rotherham, Newcastle U21

Southern Group Stage

Group ABirmingham CityShrewsbury TownWalsall Fulham U21

Group BWimbledonCrawleyWycombeBrighton U21

Group CBromleyCambridge UnitedCharlton AthleticChelsea U21

Group DGillinghamPeterborough UnitedStevenagePalace

Group FBurton AlbionNorthampton TownNotts CountyLeicester City U21

Group EColchester UnitedLeyton OrientMK DonsArsenal U21

Group GBristol RoversExeter CitySwindon TownSpurs U21

Group HCheltenham TownNewport CountyReadingWest Ham United U21

Fixture dates for all matches will be published in due course.