Celtic Clubs in English Football League Trophy

Celtic Clubs in English Football League Trophy

I think they should allow Scottish, Welsh, and possibly Irish sides in the English Football League Trophy.
This would massively help Welsh football, and would be a interesting part of the season for Scottish and Irish sides.
Th English Football League Trophy is the trophy also known as the leasing.com trophy and formerly known as the Checkatrade Trophy.
It is a trophy in the main for English League and English Two teams. But has additional sides from the top under 21 sides from the English Premier.

At present the Scottish allow 2 English Non League sides, 2 Welsh, and 2 Republic of Ireland and 2 Northern Ireland sides in the Scottish Challenge Cup.
So UEFA would be ok about allowing non English sides in the lower divisions English trophy.
Teams in the trophy.
Who should be invited in-
I say invite every Scottish Premier sides who has not qualified for Europe, plus selected Welsh Premier sides.
They could play the games at the same time as the Champions League and Europa League games so the calendar would be open for Scottish and Welsh sides.

Welsh Boost-
I think the Welsh would benefit from this massively. Because they would get the chance for some of their top sides to play for professional clubs. Which would be massive. It would be transformational for Welsh sides.

Scottish fun
I recognise it would not be massive for Scottish sides. But as a Scot I would love my fave sides to get some games against pro English sides. It would be an interesting part of the season.


English Fun
I recognise the English would not benefit from this massively. But it would be an opportunity for English sides, that never qualify for Europe, to play against foreign league sides. It would be a fun part of the season to test how good they are against Scottish and Welsh sides.

Irish Sides
I would love it if Ulster and Republic of Ireland sides were invited in. I recognise though travel is tougher due to the Irish Sea.


Travel Issues
The Trophy would be split to a Northern and Southern section as it is know. So teams would not have Aberdeen or Inverness to Plymouth. Plus travel is not such an issue for pro sides.
The Welsh sides would only have to travel a handful of times into England so it would not be too much of a chore to travel to England a few times a season fore the trophy.

Imagine Scottish sides getting to play at Wembley. Or games like Aberdeen V Coventry City. Or Hearts V Burton Albion. Or Hibernian V Oldham.
It would be a fun novelty part of the season for Scottish V English banter.

If the English really want to help Scottish football, then instead of merging our leagues and destroying our identity I think cross border cups are the way to go. Where we get the best of both worlds.


Mary Scottish.