Wolves U21s Chasing Progress After Tough EFL Trophy Draw

Wolves U21s will enter the EFL Trophy once again for the 2025/26 season. The draw for the group stage is regionalised into northern and southern sections, with the invited category one academies being drawn into groups featuring League One and League Two sides. The competition, this year known as the Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, provides a fantastic opportunity for fans of premier league teams to visit EFL grounds for some very enjoyable away days.

Wolves have been drawn into Group A of the northern section with Salford City, Stockport County and Wigan Athletic. Wolves and League Two outfit Salford were both drawn into Group B last season, with both sides failing to make the knockout stage. The two met at the Peninsula Stadium with Salford winning 3-2 despite goals from Ty Barnett and Caden Voice. Wolves finished bottom of the group due to the result and will be out for revenge when they clash once more. This will be Salford’s first foray into the competition under their new ownership group, led by Manchester United icons Gary Neville and David Beckham.

Stockport County also have history with our U21 side in this competition, having been drawn together in the group stages of the 2022/23 edition. It was Wolves who emerged victorious when the two met at Edgeley Park back in September 2022. Lee Harkin and Tyler Roberts got the goals that day, to cancel out a late consolation from Connor Jennings. Wolves escaped that group finishing second, leaving Stockport to crash out in third place but ‘The Hatters’ have come a long way since then. Stockport have since been promoted to League One from the foot of the English football league and were close to another promotion to the Championship, having finished 3^rd last season. They lost out to Leyton Orient on penalties in the semi-finals of the play-offs and will now serve as the toughest test for James Collins’ team.

Rounding off the group is Wigan Athletic, the only senior team in Group A with Premier League experience to their name. It has been a rough ride for ‘The Latics’ since winning the FA Cup and being relegated back in 2013, and they finished 15^th in League One last campaign. Wigan returned to the Championship briefly in 2022 but were immediately relegated back to the third tier the season after amidst financial issues. It will be first chance for Wolves supporters to visit the DW Stadium since a 0-0 draw between the two sides in the 2021/22 Papa Johns Trophy. Wolves claimed the penalty shootout bonus point that day thanks to a winning spot kick from defender Kam Kandola.

Times and dates for the fixtures will be announced in due course and Wolves will hope to fair much better than last seasons group stage exit. This competition will be one of three in which Wolves’ academy players can face senior opposition and usually provides the hardest games of their calendar. It will be a difficult but exciting test for our young players, who will be raring to go against three of the football league’s finest.