Papa John's Trophy draw: Newcastle United, Leeds, Everton and Premier League U21 sides find out group stage opponents

The draw took place on Thursday morning to confirm which Premier League academy sides would be joining the senior Football League clubs in the group stage of the competition.

As always, all three of The Young Magpies’ group matches will be played away from home.

Last season, Newcastle’s side finished bottom of their group with three defeats from three matches against Mansfield Town, Harrogate Town and Sheffield Wednesday. Holders Rotherham United will not take part in the 2022-23 competition due to their promotion to the Championship.

After being knocked out by Sunderland's first team in the last-16 of the competition during the 2018-19 season, Newcastle’s academy side have lost all three of their group stage games in each of the three seasons that followed.

It’s an unwanted run that they will be hoping to end this coming season with the competition set to get under way on the week commencing August 29.

Newcastle are one of 16 Premier League teams who have entered an academy side this season. Newly promoted Fulham, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest are the top-flight sides who have not entered along with Brentford.

Papa John’s Trophy group stage draw in full

Northern Groups

Group A

Harrogate Town

Hartlepool United

Morecambe

Everton U21

Group B

Bolton Wanderers

Crewe Alexandra

Tranmere Rovers

Leeds United U21

Group C

Port Vale

Shrewsbury Town

Stockport County

Wolverhampton Wanderers U21

Group D

Accrington Stanley

Rochdale

Salford City

Liverpool U21

Group E

Barnsley

Doncaster Rovers

Lincoln City

Newcastle United U21

Group F

Derby County

Grimsby Town

Mansfield Town

Manchester City U21

Group G

Barrow

Carlisle United

Fleetwood Town

Manchester United U21

Group H

Bradford City

Burton Albion

Sheffield Wednesday

Leicester City U21

Southern Groups

Group A

Charlton Athletic

Colchester United

Gillingham

Brighton U21

Group B

AFC Wimbledon

Crawley Town

Portsmouth

Aston Villa U21

Group C

Cheltenham Town

Milton Keynes Dons

Walsall

West Ham U21

Group D

Peterborough United

Stevenage

Wycombe Wanderers

Tottenham Hotspur U21

Group E

Bristol Rovers

Plymouth Argyle

Swindon Town

Crystal Palace U21

Group F

Exeter City

Forest Green Rovers

Newport County

Southampton U21

Group G

Oxford United

Leyton Orient

Sutton United

Chelsea U21

Group H

Cambridge United

Ipswich Town

Northampton Town

Arsenal U21