The highlight of the first round draw is our local derby with our dear neighbours Bradford City.

The game will be at Elland Road, at 7.45 on Tuesday September 2^nd. It remains to be seen how strong a side Gary Mc.Allister will put out, although the team he fielded at Chester in the League Cup was pretty close to full strength. So it looks like we’re taking the cups pretty seriously this year.

We can also be certain that the Bradford fans will be up for it. Whatever the competition, you can always be sure they regard a game against us as a massive occasion.

We have to enter the tournament a round earlier than last year, having failed to get one of the byes, which were drawn at random. I think it would have been more logical to give the byes to the teams that were placed higher in the league last season, as it’s a bit daft that the abysmal Chester get a bye, when we don’t.

But enough of my moaning, here is the draw in full…

Northern Section: Chesterfield v Grimsby, Crewe v Macclesfield, Hartlepool v Leicester, Leeds v Bradford, Oldham v Morecambe, Scunthorpe v Notts County, Stockport v Port Vale, Tranmere v Accrington.  

Southern Section: Aldershot v Swindon, Bournemouth v Bristol Rovers, Brentford v Yeovil, Dagenham & Redbridge v Barnet, Exeter v Sherwsbury, Millwall v Colchester, Northampton v Brighton, Southend v Leyton Orient.

Byes into the second round;  

Northern Section: Bury, Carlisle United, Chester City, Darlington, Huddersfield Town, Lincoln City, Rochdale, Rotherham United.

Southern Section: Cheltenham Town, Gillingham, Hereford United, Luton Town, Milton Keynes Dons, Peterborough United, Walsall, Wycombe Wanderers.  

Photo: Action Images

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