Bradford and Rotherham left in derby daze
The Bantams, the talk of football when they reached the competition’s final at Wembley last season – beating Premier League trio Aston Villa, Arsenal and Wigan Athletic along the way – have been handed a mouth-watering tie against the Terriers at the John Smith’s Stadium.
A second marque White Rose derby sees the Millers, basking in the feel-good factor along with Bradford following their promotion to League One, play host to neighbours Sheffield Wednesday at the New York Stadium, with the match expected to attract a capacity 12,000 crowd.
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Hide AdThe pick of the other ties sees York City welcome Championship outfit Burnley to Bootham Crescent where the Clarets sealed the old Fourth Division title in April 1992.
It is the Minstermen’s first home draw in the League Cup in its various guises since 2001. Meanwhile, Leeds United welcome Chesterfield, their sixth successive home draw in the competition.
Lawn admits to being delighted with Bradford’s attractive tie and while many felt the club should have been seeded after their magnificent exploits last season, he is relishing the all-West Yorkshire contest against Town, who Bantams manager Phil Parkinson famously turned down the chance to manage after a last-minute change of heart in April 2007.
On a blue riband tie for the Bantams, who earned £1.7m from their cup adventure in 2012-13, Lawn said: “Apart from Leeds United, we really could not have asked for more. I would have loved to have got Leeds away, but Huddersfield Town is the second-best for us.
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Hide Ad“I remember going there and losing 4-0 (in the first round in 2008), but we did also go there and beat them on penalties in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy (in October 2011), didn’t we?
“I would have thought it would be ourselves or Rotherham that will get on Sky and there should be a decent crowd there for the first round.
“It certainly makes a change from going down to Nottingham as we seem to go there quite a lot.”
Millers chairman Stewart admits his side’s draw with the Owls is as ‘good as it gets’ and is now hoping the encounter is selected for live TV coverage by Sky Sports, yet to screen a match from the £20m New York Stadium.
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Hide AdStewart, who remains hopeful the Millers will wrap up several signings in the next few days – with manager Steve Evans confident about completing the capture of Aldershot forward Danny Hylton – said: “I have been doing backward somersaults because if I had got a wish-list, that draw would have been at the top.
“It’s obviously going to be a sell-out and will create a lot of interest. It’s as good as it gets.
“The timing could not be better and it’s an exciting fixture. I think it’s got ‘TV’ written all over it. It’s a lovely derby for South Yorkshire.
“I remember the cup match when we beat them on penalties in the League Cup in 2008 at Hillsborough and we will endeavour to do the same and beat them again.
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Hide Ad“To get them at the New York Stadium for the second game of the season is something we are really looking forward to.
“Backsides on seats bring in the money and will allow Rotherham to compete next season against the likes of Wolves and Bristol City.”
Stewart’s company ASD Lighting’s involvement in South Yorkshire football was confirmed in 2007 when they agreed a sponsorship deal with the Owls for the naming rights to the Kop stand at Hillsborough.
But while Stewart was born and raised in the staunch Wednesdayite enclave of High Green in the steel city, his affiliations begin and end with one team these days.
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Hide AdStewart added: “We used to sponsor Sheffield Wednesday and certain people in Rotherham thought Tony Stewart was a Sheffield Wednesday fan. But the only connection was that my family lived in High Green, a part of Sheffield that tended to lean towards Wednesday.
“But I probably haven’t watched 12 games at Hillsborough, which shows how affiliated I am.”
Other ties see Barnsley and Doncaster Rovers play host to Scunthorpe United and Rochdale respectively, with Sheffield United entertaining Burton Albion, who knocked the Blades out of the competition in the first round on penalties last August. Middlesbrough welcome Accrington.
League Cup first round draw
Bury v Crewe
Shrewsbury v Bolton
MIDDLESBROUGH v Accrington Stanley
DONCASTER v Rochdale
Preston v Blackpool
BARNSLEY v Scunthorpe
Tranmere v Mansfield
YORK CITY v Burnley
Notts County v Fleetwood
SHEFFIELD UNITED v Burton Albion
Oldham v Derby
Carlisle v Blackburn
Morecambe v Wolves
Nottingham Forest v Hartlepool
LEEDS UTD v Chesterfield
Huddersfield TOWN v Bradford CITY
Rotherham UNITED v Sheffield Wednesday
Port Vale v Walsall
Gillingham v Bristol City
Bournemouth v Portsmouth
Wycombe v Leicester
Brentford v Dagenham
Exeter City v QPR
Charlton v Oxford
Southend v Yeovil
Millwall v Wimbledon
Swindon v Torquay
Birmingham v Plymouth
Stevenage v Ipswich
Cheltenham v Crawley
Bristol Rovers v Watford
Northampton v MK Dons
Leyton Orient v Coventry
Colchester v Peterborough
Brighton v Newport
Ties to be played week commencing August 5.