Wigan Athletic handed Premier League opposition on road to Wembley
Wigan Athletic will face League Two outfits Carlisle United and Morecambe as well as Nottingham Forest Under-21s in the group stage of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.
Latics looked on course to go all the way to Wembley last season, only to lose on penalties at League Two strugglers Doncaster Rovers, with another fourth-tier outfit, Bradford City, waiting for them in the semi-finals.
The club has twice won the competition in its former guises – the Freight Rover Trophy in 1985 and the Auto Windscreens Shield in 1999.
And the finances on offer mean it’s a competition well worth taking seriously, with this season’s winners potentially in line to bank more than a quarter of a million pounds.
All clubs taking part will receive £20,000, with an additional £10,000 up for grabs for every group stage victory – which drops to £5,000 if the game is settled on penalties.
The win bonus jumps to £20,000 in the Round of 32, £40,000 in the Round of 16, and £50,000 in the quarter-final.
Winning at Wembley means a cool £100,000, with the runners-up receiving £50,000.