Cats’ Checkatrade Trophy opponents revealed

Sunderland will play Stoke City U21s, Carlisle United and Morecambe in the Checkatrade Trophy group stages.

The Black Cats had already been drawn alongside League Two sides Carlisle and Morecambe, with the invited teams added in yesterday’s draw at Wembley Stadium.

Stoke City’s youngsters came out of the hat and they will join Sunderland in Group A.

Further details regarding match dates and venues are yet to be confirmed but the match dates for the group stages are as follows; Matchday one - w/c 3 September, Matchday two - w/c 8 October,

Matchday three - w/c 12 November.

Following relegation to League One the Checkatrade Trophy now becomes a first team competition for Sunderland. Invited U21 teams will play all group games away from home and the top two clubs qualify. In the event of a drawn game after 90 minutes, a penalty shootout will be held with an extra point for the winner. One of 16 invited Premier League and Championship clubs, Newcastle United’s U21s will face Doncaster Rovers, Notts County and Grimsby Town in Group G.

Ex-Newcastle favourite Kevin Nolan, pictured – now manager of Notts County – will come up against his old club.

Championship Middlesbrough, meanwhile, will once again enter an U21 side, and will take on three football league sides during the group stages. Boro have been placed in Northern Group E alongside Burton Albion, Port Vale and Walsall. Dates could be changed depending upon progress in the Carabao Cup.

Middlesbrough are yet to win a Checkatrade Trophy game, despite having been involved in the competition for the last two seasons.

The club’s youngsters have fallen to defeat in all six of their outings in the competition. Invited teams can only field two players over the age of 21 and who have more than 40 first-team games under their belt in this season’s competition.