Lyons-Foster on Stevenage clash: 'It will be good experience for us'

Brooklyn Lyons-Foster expects our Development Squad will learn a great deal from tonight’s trip to Stevenage – and their Papa John's Trophy campaign as a whole.

We return to the competition after a year out and kick-off our campaign by taking on League Two outfit Stevenage at the Lamex Stadium this evening (7pm kick-off).

First participating in the 2017/18 edition of the competition, which is played out between sides from League One and League Two, as well as 16 Premier League Under-21 sides, the group enjoyed their best run in the tournament in 2018/19, reaching Round Two after they finished as runners-up to eventual winners Portsmouth in the group stage.

This year, we have been placed in Group H alongside Stevenage, as well as League One duo Oxford United and Cambridge United, and skipper Brooklyn believes these games against first team opposition will provide the squad with invaluable experience for their development.

“It gives us the opportunity to play against a more mature opposition, a more experienced opposition which we wouldn’t normally get in the Premier League 2,” he explained. “It will be a good lesson for us, whether we win, lose or draw. Obviously, we are aiming for a win tonight, but it is a good lesson, nonetheless.

“We have watched a few of Stevenage’s games so we are expecting them to be quite direct, quite physical, but there is nothing that we are not expecting, going into the game. We have trained well, we’ve prepared, and we are ready.”