Town’s U18 and U21 sides face trips to clubs as far away as Cardiff and Swansea in the new leagues being introduced as a result of the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) which is revolutionising youth football this summer. The Blues will play in Division Two South along with all the other southern-based Category Two academies.
That means the Town youngsters will come up against teams from Barnet, Brentford, Brighton, Bristol City, Colchester, Millwall and QPR, as well as the visits to Wales to take on Cardiff and Swansea.
The Blues will play their U18 games on Saturday mornings, as they do now, while home matches in the U21 league — which replaces traditional reserves football - will take place on Mondays. Clubs are expected to play at least two of their U21 matches at their main stadium.
Teams will be able to name three overage players in U21 squads, while they will no longer be permitted at U18 level.
Category One clubs — all the Premier League clubs minus Swansea, QPR and Wigan plus Championship Wolves, Crystal Palace, Watford, Middlesbrough, Blackburn and Bolton — will only play other Category One clubs at both levels.