Harrogate Town miss out on Leeds glamour tie as cup draws tee up Leicester and Tranmere clashes

Harrogate Town have missed out on a dream clash with near-neighbours Leeds United after the EFL Trophy draw instead pitted Simon Weaver's side up against Leicester City.
By Matthew Reeder
Published 18th Aug 2020, 15:05 BST
Updated 18th Aug 2020, 15:07 BST
Harrogate Town will face Leicester City Under-21s in the EFL Trophy and Tranmere Rovers in the Carabao Cup. Picture: Getty ImagesHarrogate Town will face Leicester City Under-21s in the EFL Trophy and Tranmere Rovers in the Carabao Cup. Picture: Getty Images
Harrogate Town will face Leicester City Under-21s in the EFL Trophy and Tranmere Rovers in the Carabao Cup. Picture: Getty Images

Football League new-boys Harrogate Town will face the Foxes Under-21s in a draw which has already seen them paired with Grimsby Town and Hull City in Group H of the Northern Section of the draw.

Town have also been drawn away to Tranmere Rovers in the Carabao Cup, with the tie due to take place at Prenton Park on Saturday, September 5.

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The draw for 'invited clubs' in the northern section of the EFL Trophy had also included Leeds United Under-21s and their counterparts from Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Newcastle United.

Harrogate Town are having to dig up their plastic pitch and lay a new grass surface as EFL regulations do not allow for teams to play on artificial pitches. Picture: Gerard BinksHarrogate Town are having to dig up their plastic pitch and lay a new grass surface as EFL regulations do not allow for teams to play on artificial pitches. Picture: Gerard Binks
Harrogate Town are having to dig up their plastic pitch and lay a new grass surface as EFL regulations do not allow for teams to play on artificial pitches. Picture: Gerard Binks

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Making their debut in the competition, Harrogate fans had hoped they could face their Premier League rivals from Elland Road, but instead Leeds were drawn into Group G and will face trips to Accrington, Barrow and Blackpool.

All invited clubs must play all their fixtures away from home.

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EFL Trophy fixtures are scheduled to begin on September 8 and 9 with the competition split into northern and southern sections with invited clubs joining League One and Two clubs in one of eight groups. The top two clubs from each group progress to a final 32 in a knock-out format.

Harrogate Town will be playing in the Football League for the first time in their history next season after a 3-1 National League Promotion Final win over Notts County.Harrogate Town will be playing in the Football League for the first time in their history next season after a 3-1 National League Promotion Final win over Notts County.
Harrogate Town will be playing in the Football League for the first time in their history next season after a 3-1 National League Promotion Final win over Notts County.

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Town's full fixture list is due to be revealed on Friday, August 21 at 9am.

Specialist grass teams have been hard at work at CNG Stadium on Wetherby Road as the club puts its plastic revolution into reverse to meet strict EFL rules for a top tier team after its play-offs triumph at Wembley.

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The team will have to play their first few ‘home’ fixtures of the 2020/21 season away from Harrogate in a short-term ground-share with League One side Doncaster Rovers.

EFL Trophy - Northern Group Draw:

Group A: Aston Villa, Carlisle United, Fleetwood Town, Sunderland

Group B: Man Utd, Morecambe, Rochdale, Salford City

Group C: Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers, Crewe Alexandra, Shrewsbury Town

Group D: Liverpool, Port Vale, Tranmere Rovers, Wigan Athletic

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Group E: Man City, Mansfield Town, Lincoln City, Scunthorpe United

Group F: Wolves, Bradford City, Doncaster Rovers, Oldham Athletic

Group G: Leeds United, Accrington Stanley, Barrow, Blackpool

Group H: Leicester City, Grimsby Town, Harrogate Town, Hull City

Southern Group Draw:

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Group A: West Ham, Colchester United, Portsmouth, Southend United

Group B: Arsenal, Crawley Town, Gillingham, Ipswich Town

Group C: Southampton, MK Dons, Northampton Town, Stevenage

Group D: Chelsea, Bristol Rovers, Oxford United, Walsall

Group E: West Brom, Exeter City, Forest Green Rovers, Swindon Town

Group F: Norwich City, Cheltenham Town, Newport County, Plymouth Argyle

Group G: Brighton, AFC Wimbledon, Charlton Athletic, Leyton Orient

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Group H: Fulham, Burton Albion, Cambridge United, Peterborough United

Carabao Cup - Round One draw, Northern section:

Tranmere vs Harrogate

Crewe vs Lincoln

Walsall vs Sheffield Wednesday

Rochdale vs Huddersfield

Preston vs Mansfield

Bolton vs Bradford

Blackburn vs Doncaster

Stoke vs Blackpool

Fleetwood vs Wigan

Grimsby vs Morecambe

Middlesbrough vs Shrewsbury

Derby vs Barrow

Scunthorpe vs Port Vale

Sunderland vs Hull

Burton vs Accrington

Salford vs Rotherham

Barnsley vs Nottingham Forest

Oldham vs Carlisle

Round One draw, Southern section:

Bristol City vs Exeter

Plymouth vs QPR

Swindon vs Charlton

Forest Green vs Leyton Orient

MK Dons vs Coventry

Crawley vs Millwall

Stevenage vs Portsmouth

Peterborough vs Cheltenham

Brentford vs Wycombe

Northampton vs Cardiff

Luton vs Norwich

Birmingham vs Cambridge

Newport vs Swansea

Oxford vs AFC Wimbledon

Reading vs Colchester

Gillingham vs Southend

Ipswich vs Bristol Rovers

Related topics:Harrogate TownFleetwood TownLeicesterLeedsLeicester CitySimon Weaver