fans were left furious yesterday after the Football League released details of the group stages of the new EFL Trophy.

The “local” group stages are far from that, with some fans facing a four-hour journey to watch a group game.

This has led to many to call for a boycott of the competition while donating the money they would have spent on tickets and travel to charities.

Fan group Oxford Ultras said they will not “be attending any of the EFL Trophy games this season and will be supporting the boycott” while urging all Oxford fans to do the same.

“Fans need to send out a strong message that lower-league football matters and we will not be bribed and used as puppets to benefit the youngsters of the Premier League clubs, creating an even larger divide between the Premier League and the Football League.

“We will be donating all ticket money to the OxVox ‘oneofourown’ charity in a bid to bring something positive from this.”

Group A sees Cheltenham face a 350-mile round trip to Blackpool, while Everton and Bolton will travel down from north-west England to face the Robins, and Cambridge were grouped with Middlesbrough, Scunthorpe and Shrewsbury.

EFL Trophy organisers stated that this was a result of groups being constructed by division, with Cheltenham being one of the 12 most northenly League Two sides.

The new format been severley criticised after announcing 16 top-flight clubs would be invited to enter their youth teams.

However, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham decided not to, so Championship sides Norwich, Brighton, Derby, Wolves and Reading will enter their youngsters alongside the traditional participants from League One and League Two.

The Football League stressed that the revamp is a trial for one season only.