Short answer: everyone.
It’s natural that playing in competitions which we’ve not appeared in for 15 years means a little confusion when it comes to getting up to speed with the regulations. I’ve had a few people asking what restrictions apply to the EFL Trophy, and who we can actually select at Crewe. I’ve had a nice long dig around the regulations, and the fruits of my labour are rather surprising. Everyone can play!
First things first. Suspensions earned in the EFL carry over to the FA and League Cups, but not to the EFL Trophy, so Ryan Barnett and Andy Cannon can play at Gresty Road.
Secondly, unregistered players can appear, so Bryce Hosannah, Callum McFadzean and Billy Waters can be selected. With our wing-backs going down like flies, Hosannah and McFadzean’s availability might prove to be rather handy!
At time of writing, neither Paul Mullin nor James McClean have been called up from the international standby lists, so they’ll also be available.
And then we get to the remarkably lax rules around fielding as strong a team as possible. Squad rotation has, admittedly, made it difficult to frame rules to ensure the naming of teams which are as strong as possible. We have to select our “Full Available Strength” in each match, but the competition regulations are so broad, though, that “Full Available Strength” essentially means anyone we want!
So what defines a “Qualifying Player”? The definition is so generous that it barely matters. There are five criteria on which eligibility rests.
Let’s ignore 7.4.2 for a moment – it feels like a retrospective opportunity for any team who fails to meet the criteria to decide whether to take a £5,000 hit or select a weakened side the following Saturday.
The truth is that virtually every available Wrexham player is a “Qualifying Player”.
Jake Bickerstaff is the only player who has played for us in the first team this season who isn’t eligible, but he needn’t worry: we only need to select 4 eligible outfield players!
And here’s a peculiarity: I’ve listed Scott Butler, but you might wish to point out that he’s currently on loan at Nantwich Town. True, but remarkably, if an arrangement was put in place between the two clubs, we’d be allowed to play him! I’m pretty sure that isn’t the case, but it shows how loose the regulations are.
Indeed, we could pick the following side and escape sanction for fielding a weakened team: a debutant keeper; a back three with 2 FA Trophy appearances between them; a midfield containing another debutant and a suspended player (I couldn’t fit Barnett in!); two unregistered wing-banks and another player in that boat up front.
I know we won’t, but in answer to those of you who were fretting about what sort of team we are allowed to select, please don’t lose sleep over it!
DragonHeart 