2023 EFL Trophy final

2023 EFL Trophy Final
Event	2022–23 EFL Trophy
Date	2 April 2023
Venue	Wembley Stadium, London
Referee	Ben Toner
Attendance	79,389
	← 2022 2024 →

The 2023 EFL Trophy, known as the Papa Johns Trophy for sponsorship reasons, the 40th season in the history of the competition, is a knock-out tournament for clubs in EFL League One and League Two, the third and fourth tiers of the English football league system, as well as the "Academy teams" of 16 Premier League clubs with Category One status.^[1] With a crowd of 79,389, the Final was the highest attended match in Europe that week.^[2] Bolton defeated Plymouth 4–0, it was the biggest ever win in an EFL Trophy Final.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Route to the final

Bolton Wanderers

Pos	Div	Team v t e	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1	Bolton Wanderers	3	2	0	1	0	9	3	+6	7	Advance to Round 2
2	L2	Tranmere Rovers	3	1	1	0	1	6	7	−1	5	Advance to Round 2
3	ACA	Leeds United U21	3	1	0	1	1	5	6	−1	4
4	L2	Crewe Alexandra	3	0	1	0	2	1	5	−4	2

Source: EFL.com

30 August 2022 Group Stage	Bolton Wanderers	4–1	Crewe Alexandra	Bolton
19:00	Bakayoko 5' Charles 78', 89' Sadlier 86'		Baker-Richardson 16'	Stadium: University of Bolton Stadium Attendance: 2,115 Referee: Scott Oldham

20 September 2022 Group Stage	Tranmere Rovers	2–2 (5–4 p)	Bolton Wanderers	Tranmere
19:00	Morris 21' Lewis 40'		Sadlier 72' Carty 90+1'	Stadium: Prenton Park Attendance: 1,779 Referee: Martin Coy
	Penalties
	Hemmings Hughes McAlear Merrie Burton		Morley Afolayan Isgrove Sadlier Sheehan

18 October 2022 Group Stage	Bolton Wanderers	3–0	Leeds United U21	Bolton
19:00	Böðvarsson 14' Bakayoko 78' Sadlier 89'			Stadium: University of Bolton Stadium Attendance: 2,936 Referee: Peter Wright

22 November 2022 Round of 32	Bolton Wanderers	3–2	Barrow	Bolton
19:45 GMT	Afolayan 23' Böðvarsson 38' Kachunga 69'	Report	Kay 42' Canavan 56'	Stadium: University of Bolton Stadium Attendance: 2,381 Referee: Rebecca Welch

13 December 2022 Round of 16	Bolton Wanderers	4–0	Manchester United U21	Bolton
19:45 GMT	Afolayan 68' Morley 76' Bakayoko 90+3' Bradley 90+5'	Report		Stadium: University of Bolton Stadium Attendance: 4,735 Referee: Martin Coy

10 January 2023 Quarter-Final	Bolton Wanderers	1–0	Portsmouth	Bolton
19:45 GMT	Böðvarsson 17'	Report		Stadium: University of Bolton Stadium Attendance: 4,413 (304 Away) Referee: Bobby Madden

22 February 2023 Semi-Final	Accrington Stanley	0–2	Bolton Wanderers	Accrington
20:00 GMT		Report	Kachunga 82' Morley 84'	Stadium: Crown Ground Attendance: 4,874 (2,625 Away) Referee: Samuel Barrott

Plymouth Argyle

Pos	Div	Team v t e	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	L1	Plymouth Argyle	3	2	1	0	0	5	2	+3	8	Advance to Round 2
2	L1	Bristol Rovers	3	2	0	1	0	6	1	+5	7	Advance to Round 2
3	ACA	Crystal Palace U21	3	1	0	0	2	2	3	−1	3
4	L2	Swindon Town	3	0	0	0	3	1	8	−7	0

Source: EFL.com

30 August 2022 Group Stage	Plymouth Argyle	1–1 (4–3 p)	Bristol Rovers	Plymouth
19:00	Hardie 58' (pen.)		Loft 50'	Stadium: Home Park Attendance: 2,298 Referee: Carl Brook
	Penalties
	Azaz Randell Gillesphey Houghton Ennis		Collins Evans Greenslade McCormick Jones

20 September 2022 Group Stage	Swindon Town	1–3	Plymouth Argyle	Swindon
19:00	Hepburn-Murphy 90+1'		Jenkins-Davies 28' Halls 30' Hardie 88'	Stadium: County Ground Attendance: 2,026 Referee: David Rock

18 October 2022 Group Stage	Plymouth Argyle	1–0	Crystal Palace U21	Plymouth
19:00	Ennis 90+1'			Stadium: Home Park Attendance: 1,918 Referee: Ben Speedie

22 November 2022 Round of 32	Plymouth Argyle	3–2	Charlton Athletic	Plymouth
19:00 GMT	Cosgrove 13' Ennis 15' Roberts 46'	Report	Kanu 8' Anderson 90+2'	Stadium: Home Park Attendance: 1,394 Referee: Robert Lewis

21 December 2022 Round of 16	Plymouth Argyle	3–3 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p)	AFC Wimbledon	Plymouth
19:00 GMT	Cosgrove 61', 72', 76'		Hudlin 10', 17' Assal 45+1'	Stadium: Home Park Attendance: 1,747 Referee: Samuel Barrott
	Penalties
	Hardie Cosgrove Houghton Whittaker Mumba		Hudlin Towler Assal Fisher Chislett

10 January 2023 Quarter-Final	Bristol Rovers	0–2	Plymouth Argyle	Bristol
19:45 GMT		Report	Waine 24' Hardie 32'	Stadium: Memorial Stadium Attendance: 3,742 Referee: Darren Drysdale

21 February 2023 Semi-Final	Plymouth Argyle	1–1 (3–2 p)	Cheltenham Town	Plymouth
20:00 GMT	Hardie 63'	Report	May 49'	Stadium: Home Park Attendance: 12,047 Referee: Robert Lewis
	Penalties
	Hardie Cosgrove Azaz Gillesphey Houghton		Sercombe Brown Broom Bonds May

Match

2 April 2023

15:00 BST

Bolton Wanderers	4–0	Plymouth Argyle
Dempsey 4' Charles 10' Kachunga 49' Jones 62'	Report

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 79,389

Referee: Ben Toner

Bolton Wanderers

Plymouth Argyle


GK	19	James Trafford
CB	2	Gethin Jones
CB	5	Ricardo Santos (c)
CB	18	Eoin Toal	86'
RWB	21	Conor Bradley
CM	16	Aaron Morley	82'
CM	8	Josh Sheehan	82'
LWB	3	Declan John
AM	22	Kyle Dempsey	74'
CF	10	Dion Charles	73'
CF	24	Elias Kachunga
Substitutions:
GK	12	Joel Dixon
DF	6	George Johnston	86'
DF	27	Randell Williams
MF	4	MJ Williams	82'
MF	20	Kieran Lee	74'
MF	25	George Thomason	82'
FW	35	Cameron Jerome	73'
Manager:
Ian Evatt


GK	25	Callum Burton
CB	5	James Wilson
CB	6	Dan Scarr	51'
CB	3	Macaulay Gillesphey		66'
RWB	8	Joe Edwards (c)
CM	4	Jordan Houghton
CM	28	Jay Matete		45'
LWB	17	Bali Mumba		73'
AM	26	Callum Wright		54'
AM	10	Danny Mayor	40'	45'
CF	9	Ryan Hardie
Substitutions:
GK	32	Adam Parkes
DF	21	Nigel Lonwijk
DF	22	Brendan Galloway		66'
MF	7	Matt Butcher		45'
MF	18	Finn Azaz		54'
FW	14	Mickel Miller		73'
FW	16	Sam Cosgrove	45'	84'
Manager:
Steven Schumacher

References

^ "About The Competition". EFL.com. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
^ "Papa Johns Trophy Final highest attended match in Europe this weekend". EFL. 2 April 2023.
^ "Papa Johns Trophy final: Bolton Wanderers 4-0 Plymouth Argyle - Trotters thrash Pilgrims". BBC Sport. 1 April 2023.
^ "Bolton 4-0 Plymouth: Bolton reign at Wembley in one-sided Papa John's Trophy final". Sky Sports. 2 April 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
^ "Bolton win EFL Trophy final after smashing four past Plymouth". Guardian. 2 April 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.

[1] "About The Competition". EFL.com. Retrieved 1 September 2020.

[2] "Papa Johns Trophy Final highest attended match in Europe this weekend". EFL. 2 April 2023.

[3] "Papa Johns Trophy final: Bolton Wanderers 4-0 Plymouth Argyle - Trotters thrash Pilgrims". BBC Sport. 1 April 2023.

[4] "Bolton 4-0 Plymouth: Bolton reign at Wembley in one-sided Papa John's Trophy final". Sky Sports. 2 April 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.

[5] "Bolton win EFL Trophy final after smashing four past Plymouth". Guardian. 2 April 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.

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v t e Bolton Wanderers F.C. matches
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League Cup Finals	1995 2004
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EFL League One play-offs Finals	1991 2024
Football League Trophy Finals	1986 1989 2023
Football League War Cup Finals	1945 (north) 1945 (play-off)

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Related articles	All articles 1996 Football League Third Division play-off final 2016 Football League Two play-off final 2023 EFL Trophy final