Spurs will feature in the tournament for the first time next season, which could end up with a Wembley date in the spring of 2018.
Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed on their website that they will enter their development squad into the Checkatrade Trophy next season, giving fans a chance to see one of the most productive academies of recent times match up against Football League clubs.
It comes after Spurs were absent from the controversial approach to the lower league competition in the campaign just ended.
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A number of Premier League and Championship clubs – usually not involved in the Football League Trophy – were invited to field development squads in the 2016/17 edition. Chelsea, Everton, Southampton and West Ham were some of the high-profile teams that took part, but Spurs rejected the chance according to BBC Sport.
Tottenham and other invited sides will be involved in regional matches away from home up to the quarter final stage, where it will go national. Last year, Swansea City were the only academy team to make it to the quarter finals.
Head of Player Development John McDermott told the Tottenham website that the competition could offer significant benefits to the club’s promising youngsters: “We took the decision to enter the competition as it is beneficial for the Development Squad’s scheduling this year. We know the EFL Trophy will provide a massive challenge for us and we look forward to testing ourselves.”
Tottenham’s academy has been reeling out talents over the last ten years, supplying more new England internationals than any other academy, while the club currently have a number of graduates in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad and on the fringes of the first team.
Perhaps this tournament will be the making of a few more.
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