Fleetwood meet Forest in pick of Capital One Cup first round ties

With the League Cup’s first round draw having taken place today, newly-promoted Fleetwood Town have been handed a plum tie with the Championship’s Nottingham Forest.

Next season will represent the first in the Football League for the Cod Army, whilst their newly-named Capital One Cup opponents are two-time winners of the European Cup in contrast.

However, the recent fortunes of either club have contrasted too, with Fleetwood wasting no time in adding players with experience at a higher level to their squad, after promotion.

Forest meanwhile, are feeling the effects of a season in which they narrowly avoided relegation after being fancied by many for a promotion challenge.

The tie is scheduled to take place in the week commencing 13 August, along with a host of other notable fixtures.

All Championship sides barring Blackburn and Bolton will compete in the first round, and Fleetwood’s neighbours Morecambe will meet Blackpool in a Lancashire derby.

Bury will welcome Middlesbrough to Gigg Lane too, whilst Shrewsbury Town will be excited by the prospect of a trip to Elland Road, where they will meet Leeds.

Winners of the 2011 competition Birmingham City are set to host Barnet at St Andrew’s, and Wolves, a Premier League outfit last season, face a clash with League Two Aldershot Town at Molineux.

Elsewhere, a newly-relegated side meets a promoted outfit when Doncaster Rovers take on York City, who have just ended an eight-year exile from the Football League, and therefore, this competition.

And in a clash ironic due to the new sponsors of this competition, and the financial state of either club, Plymouth Argyle will take on Portsmouth at Home Park in a League Two vs League One tie.

Meanwhile, Torquay United will relish the challenge of a home meet with Championship Leicester, whilst Northampton will have their work cut out at Sixfields against a rebranded Cardiff City outfit.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.