It's all change for Albion's development squad under Simon Rusk as they launch their season away to Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium tonight (7pm).

They are playing in a different league and a different cup competition with some different players.

Here is The Argus guide to the fresh challenges facing Rusk's youngsters.

NEW LEAGUE

Premier League 2 has replaced the Under-21s Premier League.

The age limit has risen to 23 with 24 Premier League and Championship clubs - each with Academy Category One status - split into two divisions.

A goalkeeper over the age limit and up to three over-age outfield players are allowed in every match.

Albion are in division two with fellow Championship clubs Aston Villa, Blackburn, Fulham, Norwich, Newcastle and Wolves, together with Boro, Swansea, Stoke, West Brom and West Ham from the Premier League.

The bottom two are relegated from division one and the division two champions are promoted together with the winners of the play-offs involving the clubs finishing second, third, fourth and fifth. There is no relegation from division two.

The changes are a further attempt to narrow the gap in standard between back-up and first team squads.

NEW CUP

Albion accepted an invitation to take part in the Checkatrade Trophy (formerly known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy).

The competition has been overhauled, 16 Premier League and Championship clubs with Category One Academies joining the 48 clubs from League One and League Two.

Some Premier League clubs opted out, while the experimental changes in force initially for one season have been criticised by supporters of lower league clubs.

For Albion and the rest of the Category One sides, six of the starting team will be under the age of 21. The other positions are open to all ages.

League One and League Two clubs have to include five of the 11 players that have featured most often in the current season or five of those figuring in the previous or next game.

The starting format is eight groups of four, north and south. Albion visit Southend on August 30 and Stevenage on October 4 before entertaining Leyton Orient at the Amex on November 8 (all 7.45pm kick-offs).

NEW PLAYERS

Albion have raised their level of recruitment, primarily to take account of the abolition of the emergency loans system.

 

Chris Hughton will have to turn instead to the development group, so the Seagulls have targeted signings better equipped to step up to senior level in the event of a crisis.

Defenders Ben Hall from Motherwell and Tyler Hornby-Forbes (below) from Fleetwood Town both had a fair amount of first team experience with their former clubs.

The Argus: They join the likes of Rob Hunt, Ben White and Sam Adekugbe - all of whom made their first team debuts in the League Cup against Colchester last week - ex-Real Madrid youth Jack Harper and highly-rated Norwegian Henrik Bjordal.