Editing EFL Trophy (section)

====2000 to 2006====
For [[2000–01 Football League Trophy|the 2000–01 season]], 8 [[National League (English football)|teams in level 5 (step 1) of the football pyramid]] were invited to participate in the tournament, resulting in 12 ties in each of the north/south sections in the first round, with only four teams in each section receiving a bye into the second round. The number of invitees increased to 12 from [[2002–03 Football League Trophy|2002–03]], resulting in 14 first-round ties, and two teams in each regional section gaining a bye into the second round.

=====Invited teams=====
The teams from the Conference invited by season are as follows:<ref>[http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/football-league-trophy/2004-2005/results/s.r1 2004–05 Southern 1st Rnd results, and links to other rounds/seasons – statto.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106012717/http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/football-league-trophy/2004-2005/results/s.r1 |date=6 January 2010 }}</ref>
* [[2000–01 Football League Trophy|2000–01]]: [[Chester City F.C.|Chester City]], [[Doncaster Rovers F.C.|Doncaster Rovers]], [[Dover Athletic F.C.|Dover Athletic]], [[Hereford United F.C.|Hereford United]], [[Morecambe F.C.|Morecambe]], [[Rushden & Diamonds F.C.|Rushden & Diamonds]], [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]], [[Yeovil Town F.C.|Yeovil Town]]
* [[2001–02 Football League Trophy|2001–02]]: [[Barnet F.C.|Barnet]], [[Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.|Dagenham & Redbridge]], Doncaster Rovers, [[Leigh Genesis F.C.|Leigh RMI]], Scarborough, [[Southport F.C.|Southport]], [[Stevenage F.C.|Stevenage Borough]], Yeovil Town
* [[2002–03 Football League Trophy|2002–03]]: Chester City, Dagenham & Redbridge, Doncaster Rovers, [[Halifax Town A.F.C.|Halifax Town]], Hereford United, Leigh RMI, Morecambe, Scarborough, Southport, Stevenage Borough, [[Woking F.C.|Woking]], Yeovil Town
* [[2003–04 Football League Trophy|2003–04]]: Barnet, Chester City, Dagenham & Redbridge, [[Exeter City F.C.|Exeter City]], [[Forest Green Rovers F.C.|Forest Green Rovers]], Halifax Town, Hereford United, Morecambe, Scarborough, [[Shrewsbury Town F.C.|Shrewsbury Town]], Stevenage Borough, [[Telford United F.C.|Telford United]]
* [[2004–05 Football League Trophy|2004–05]]: [[Accrington Stanley F.C.|Accrington Stanley]], [[Aldershot Town F.C.|Aldershot Town]], Barnet, [[Carlisle United F.C.|Carlisle United]], Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Hereford United, Morecambe, Scarborough, Stevenage Borough, Woking, [[York City F.C.|York City]]
* [[2005–06 Football League Trophy|2005–06]]: Accrington Stanley, Aldershot Town, [[Cambridge United F.C.|Cambridge United]], [[Crawley Town F.C.|Crawley Town]], Dagenham & Redbridge, Exeter City, Halifax Town, Hereford United, [[Kidderminster Harriers F.C.|Kidderminster Harriers]], Morecambe, Stevenage Borough, Woking