Chesterfield team selection approach confirmed for Bristol Street Motors tie against Manchester City under-21s

The Spireites kick-off this competition at home on Tuesday night (7pm). It is the first of three group stage games, with Lincoln City away and a visit from Grimsby Town to follow.

Town are back playing in this cup, which they won in 2012 and reached the final in 2014, for the first time since December 2017.

Manager Paul Cook is set to give a runout to players who are in need of minutes and who are working their way back from injury. The likes of Branden Horton, Jamie Grimes, Tyrone Williams, Liam Jessop, Harvey Araujo, Mike Jones, Tim Akinola, Bailey Hobson and Kane Drummond could all feature.

"We have got to get minutes into our lads,” Cook said. “So the team will be picked with that in mind. We have got the likes of Branden Horton, Jamie Grimes, Tyrone Williams, Mike Jones, Tim Akinola – we have got loads of lads who need to play so those players will be playing on Tuesday night.”

However, Chesterfield will have to take into account that clubs have certain criteria to meet when it comes to team selection for this trophy and that they will be fine £5,000 if they do not meet the requirements. A qualifying player means any player who:

• Had started the immediately preceding first team fixture
• Subsequently starts the immediately following first team fixture
• Is in the list of ten players at the club with the highest number of starting appearances in first team fixtures in the same season
• Has made 40 or more starting appearances in first team fixtures or international equivalents
• Is on standard loan from a Premier League club or any EFL club operating a Category One Academy.

The Bristol Street Motors Trophy involves clubs from League One and League Two, plus an additional 16 Premier League under-21 sides. The sixty-four teams are divided into 16 groups of four, with a northern and southern section, with each team playing each other once at this stage before the knockout ties commence. The eight winners and eight runners-up of each group advance to the round of 32.

Matches are 90 minutes and there is no extra-time. Three points are awarded for a win. If the score is level after 90 minutes both clubs are awarded one point and then whoever wins the resulting penalty shootout is given an additional point.

Chesterfield’s next league game is on Saturday at home to Salford City.