The SPFL is reintroducing the cross-border element to this year’s Trust Trophy, with two sides from Wales and two from Northern Ireland joining the competition.
The New Saints and Caernarfon Town of the JD Cymru Premier will join Linfield and Cliftonville from the Danske Bank Premiership in the 2022/23 version of the tournament.
They will be added to the sides from the Scottish Championship, League 1 and League 2, as well as four Lowland League outfits, four Highland League sides and 11 Premiership B teams.
The draw for the first and second rounds of this season’s SPFL Trust Trophy will take place at 1pm on Monday, July 4 at Airdrieonians’ Excelsior Stadium.
The draw will be made by presenter and writer – including as a columnist for The Courier – Ally Heather.
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“This competition is a great avenue for teams to challenge for silverware, and it always throws up great ties. Fans are looking forward to backing their team at home and on the road. Interesting fixtures is exactly what we want at this time of year to whet our appetite.” pic.twitter.com/BKU69wy2m6
— SPFL Trust (@SPFLTrust) June 29, 2022
Cross-border clubs first joined in 2016/17 but their involvement was paused after 2019/20 because of the pandemic.
Connah’s Quay Nomads are the cross-border side to go deepest into the competition so far, reaching the final in 2019 where they were defeated 3-1 by Ross County.
There will be a reimbursement payment of £6,500 per match, for any club travelling between nations.
SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “The involvement of cross-border teams helped reinvigorate the tournament when they were first introduced, and we believe the SPFL Trust Trophy will benefit from their return.
“This tournament has been a real success story over the years, and we look forward to the action kicking off again in August.”
The first round will be played in the midweek of August 9/10.
It will involve 11 cinch Premiership B teams, Highland and Lowland League sides – which will include Brechin City – and the bottom three clubs from last season’s cinch League 2.
The remaining seven cinch League 2 clubs from last season’s standings – which will include Forfar and Kelty Hearts – join in round two in the midweek of August 23/24.
The bottom two League 1 clubs from last season will also join at this stage.
The 10 winners of that round’s matches are joined by the other eight cinch League 1 clubs – which includes Montrose – in round three.
They will be joined at this stage by the 10 cinch Championship clubs – including holders Raith Rovers, Arbroath and Dunfermline, due to it being based on last season’s standings.
This 10 does not include champions Kilmarnock but does include Dundee after they were relegated from the Premiership.
This is also when the four cross-border clubs will enter, with ties to be played on the weekend of September 24/25.
Round four will take place on the weekend of December 10/11, followed by the quarter-finals on the weekend of January 7/8.
The semi-finals will be held on February 4/5 or February 7/8, with the final taking place on a provisional date of March 25/26.
SPFL Trust chief executive Nicky Reid said: “Alongside the matches taking place right up to the final, we hope this magnificent cross-border competition can continue to shine a light on the work being done by football clubs across the UK to serve their communities.”
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