Derby tie greets McClaren’s return to England

The former England coach has succeeded Billy Davies at the Midlands club and the Carling Cup first-round tie could be his first home game in charge.

McClaren confirmed that he was approached by Aston Villa about becoming their manager but said that talks were abandoned before he had a chance to be interviewed.

McClaren had emerged as a front-runner to replace Gerard Houllier at Villa Park and was due to meet club officials before Villa had a change of heart and turned their interest to Alex McLeish, who resigned from Birmingham on Sunday.

There were suggestions that a negative response from fans – many recalling McClaren’s ill-fated spell as England coach and a recent unsuccessful stint with Wolfsburg – led to Villa’s decision, but the 50-year-old said: “There was an approach, an appointment was set up that wasn’t fulfilled. I moved on. At the time it was a disappointment, but I’ve had many highs and lows in my career. You quickly move on.”

McClaren revealed that a return to Dutch club FC Twente had been one of several other offers he had received.

Carling Cup first-round draw:

Rochdale v Chesterfield; Port Vale v Huddersfield; Rotherham v Leicester; Hull v Macclesfield; Hartlepool v Sheffield United; Leeds v Bradford; Doncaster v Tranmere; Walsall v Middlesbrough; Barnsley v Morecambe; Accrington v Scunthorpe; Derby v Shrewsbury; Oldham v Carlisle; Bury v Coventry; Sheffield Wednesday v Blackpool; Burnley v Burton; Preston v Crewe; Nottingham Forest v Notts Co; Brighton v Gillingham; Bournemouth v Dagenham & R; Ipswich v Northampton; Cheltenham v MK Dons; Bristol R v Watford; Plymouth v Millwall; Oxford v Cardiff; West Ham v Aldershot; Southampton v Torquay; Charlton v Reading; Portsmouth v Barnet; Stevenage v Peterborough; Southend v Leyton O; Wycombe v Colchester; Hereford v Brentford; Exeter v Yeovil; Bristol C v Swindon; Crystal Palace v Crawley/AFC Wimbledon.

Ties to be played during the week of August 8.