Ipswich Town will take on a raft of their former players next season after they were drawn in the same Papa John’s Trophy group as Colchester United.

The two clubs are also paired with Gillingham in Group A of the competition and will be joined by a Premier League Under 21 side following Thursday’s draw.

A game with Colchester will see the Blues face a team packed with former Town players, including departed captain Luke Chambers, midfielder Cole Skuse as well as Alan Judge and Freddie Sears.

All four of those players joined Colchester this summer following their Ipswich release, while Dean Gerken, Tommy Smith, Tom Eastman and Frank Nouble are also ex-Ipswich players in the U’s ranks.

Emyr Huws, another player freed by the Blues this summer, is also understood to be under consideration at Colchester.

EFL rules suggest the game against the U's will be played at Portman Road, given Ipswich and Gillingham faced off in Suffolk in the group stage of last season's competition. They will play at Priestfield.

Town could also face the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham or West Ham in the group stage, with the game against the Premier League academy side played at Portman Road.

Academy teams: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Brighton, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham