No Checkatrade Trophy spot for Wolves
Wolves won't compete in the Checkatrade Trophy next season after three Premier League clubs decided to take part.
Scott Sellars' team enjoyed a fruitful five-match run in the competition last season, with several players being propelled into the first team as a direct result.
However due to Manchester City, Spurs, Newcastle and Championship rivals Fulham electing to take part in 2017/18 – after shunning the tournament last season – there's no room for Wolves.
That's despite the club possessing the third-best rated academy in the country.
Sixteen Premier League and Championship clubs will compete, as last season. Only clubs with Category 1 academies (there are 24 Category 1 academy clubs) are invited but places are decided on the league position of their first teams.
Wolves needed a number of Premier League sides to decline their invitations, as happened last season. Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have again declined to take part but the likes of Manchester City have changed their minds this time around.
The lowest-ranked club to take part will be Fulham, meaning if Wolves had finished above the Cottagers in the Championship last season they would have been able to play in the Checkatrade Trophy.
Wolves fully embraced the competition and were keen to take part again. Bright Enobakhare, Harry Burgoyne and Morgan Gibbs-White were promoted to the first team after Paul Lambert was impressed with their performances in the tournament.
Academy boss Gareth Prosser said last month: "We hope it’ll be open to us next year – as a club we’re all for it.
“Fingers crossed we get it because we think it’s been a great addition to our programme this year. We hope to be part of the trophy again next year.
“If we’re not we’ll have to find other experiences to test our players.”
Wolves may now look to arrange more friendly against high-profile European opposition. Sellars has previously been critical of the lack of competitive football in the under-23 league that his youngsters take part in.
In last season's Checkatrade Trophy Wolves beat Crewe 3-2 in a thriller at Gresty Road, narrowly lost 2-1 at Chesterfield after missing a late penalty, beat Accrington Stanley 4-0, edged out Sunderland on penalties and then lost 2-1 to Swansea in the last 16.
