Rochdale will face local rivals Bury in this season’s Northern Section Groups of the Checkatrade Trophy will Manchester City will enter an Academy side for the first-time next season.
The Trophy until last season featured only League 1 and League 2 sides but now 16 clubs from the Premier League and Championship that hold Category One academy status are invited to enter an under-21 side.
City will compete in Group F which will also include Bradford, Chesterfield and Rotherham, while Rochdale and Bury will also face Blackburn and the Stoke academy side.
Oldham will face Crewe, Port Vale, Newcastle’s academy side.
City will play all their games away from home, which is part of the agreed regulations for the Category One academy sides competing in the competition, and are one of 16 Category One academy teams taking part, a list that also includes fellow Champions League sides Tottenham and Chelsea.
Coventry won the trophy last season, beating Oxford in the final at Wembley in front of 74,434 fans.
