Derby County set to feature in new competition after Reading FC update

Premier League 2 sides will face some of the clubs in step one of the non-league system, and the likes of Newcastle United, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are all sending their youth teams to take part.

Reading made the decision to turn down their invite on Tuesday after they were originally set to take part. After it was announced that Rob Couhig’s takeover had fallen through last week, with the League One side looking to “manage the workload” of their younger players.

It has given Derby the opportunity to enter their U21s instead, but the competition is a controversial one.

Derby will face three other Premier League 2 and four National League sides

Wednesday’s announcement will come as a surprise to Rams fans, who may not know too much about the competition and how it works.

Derby have been placed in Group A with fellow Premier League 2 teams; Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham and Southampton, while Aldershot Town, Maidenhead United, Wealdstone and Woking make up the sides from the National League.

The young Rams will take on the four non-league sides away from home, starting with Aldershot on Tuesday 15 October at 7pm.

The top two from each group will go through to the quarter-finals that are scheduled to take place at the start of February, before the semi-finals in March, and eventually the final on 1-2 April 2025.