The initial draw for the group stages of the Checkatrade Trophy have been completed and the Robins will be in group E alongside Forest Green Rovers and Newport County AFC.
This season the groups have been drawn on a more localised basis in order to avoid the additional travelling experienced by teams last season. In season 2016-17 Cheltenham Town were placed in a northern group with Everton, Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers.
The fourth team to participate in Group E will be drawn from the list of invited clubs, these are the Category 1 academy teams who have entered the competition for the past two seasons.
The 16 invited clubs have been split into two lists of eight on a north/south basis and they will be drawn into the groups next Wednesday. Once this draw is complete the list of fixtures will then be released.
The eight invited clubs in the southern half of the draw who could potentially face Cheltenham Town are Brighton & Hove Albion; Chelsea; Fulham; Reading; Southampton; Swansea City; Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.
This season each team will play three group stage matches and the top two teams in each group will qulify for the knockout stages leading to a final at Wembley Stadium.
The first group stage match is due to be played on Tuesday 29 August so we will bring you news of the fixtures as soon as we have them next Wednesday.