Kevin Thelwell: Wolves would accept Football League Trophy invitation

As part of a radical and controversial revamp, 16 teams from Category One academies will be allowed to enter next season's competition and while it is understood those in the Premier League will be given first refusal, Wolves have not given up hope of taking part.

Thelwell, the club's head of development and recruitment, believes the experience would prove invaluable to young players.

He said: "Being involved in the Trophy would be ideal in that respect in providing the players with a really good experience which would bode well for when they move on to our first team and have got to play at Molineux with the same expectations and pressures of needing to win the game.

"I can only see a positive in it and would be absolutely delighted if we were, but at present we are just awaiting clarification as to which teams will be involved."

Under the new structure, the competition will consist of 16 regional groups of four before becoming a straight knockout, with the final held at Wembley.

Thelwell continued: "What the league are now doing with the Under-21s programme, and quite rightly too, is to provide more spikes in the programme and give young players the experience of playing in front of crowds in stadiums and with more emphasis on having to win or lose.

"It is all about having the additional pressure and stresses involved in that to give them that experience."

Wolves last week announced their academy had retained Category One status for the next three years following an extensive audit, which confirmed its standing as among the best in the country. In recent seasons a number of players have followed the path from under-18s and under-21s teams into the first-team and Thelwell is positive about the future.

"I think the news about the opportunities here at Wolves is out there," he said. "There are a lot of clubs in the country who will have Category One status which means there will be a high level of coaching contact with the players and of feedback and support to the players.

But what we are doing better than a lot of other clubs is that we are providing the most important bit – the opportunity – to progress through to the first team.

"I think that is what the Premier League and Football League will be saying about what makes the difference at a club like Wolves – and what players and parents will see – is that we have got a lot of home-grown players who have gone through to the first team.

"I appreciate that fans sometimes see that as a negative because they want more spend. But I don't think there is much better than seeing a player come through who you have developed at your club go on and play in the first team.

"You want a conveyor belt of players coming through and I understand supporters want that balanced off with experience."