The draw for the first round of the competition, which was made at Football League Communications HQ in Preston, sees United paired with East London outfit West Ham United, who are the source of much resentment in southeast Essex with their coverage in the Southend Evening Echo and the influx of Hammers into the area from London. The tie will take place at Upton Park in the week commencing 23rd August 2004.
The last time the two clubs, separated by about 40 miles and the A13, met was in January 1996 in the third round of the F.A. Cup. On that occasion Northern Ireland international Michael Hughes and John Moncur netted for the Hammers in a 2-0 win, played out in front of over 23,000 at the Boleyn Ground. Shrimpers prefer to remember the Seasiders only win in six meetings with their London neighbours, so-called St. Angell’s Day in April 1993 when a goal from Brett Angell handed United a 1-0 win, a vital victory that contributed to the club staying up in their second season in the new Division One.
The two sides have met before in this competition, with the Hammers only prevailing after two replays in the 1979/80 competition. The sides fought out a 1-1 draw at Upton Park and then a goalless affair at Roots Hall before West Ham finally won 5-1 in a second replay. Of course, nowadays there is no replay system in this competition, and if the sides are tied after ninety minutes, thirty minutes of extra time, and possibly penalty kicks will follow.
However, the omens are not good for a Blues win. The club have not won in the first round of the League Cup in all of its various guises since 1998/9 – defeats to Swindon Town (home – 2-3), Wimbledon (home – 1-4), Birmingham City (away – 0-3), Birmingham City (aggregate – 0-5), Oxford United (aggregate – 0-3) have all followed in the first round since Blues beat Gillingham with 1-0 wins at home and away, before promptly floundering 5-0 on aggregate to Coventry City.
Full First Round Draw
Lincoln City vs. Derby County
Sunderland vs. Chester City
Darlington vs. Barnsley
Hull City vs. Wrexham
Nottingham Forest vs. Scunthorpe United
Rochdale vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
Bradford City vs. Notts County
Bury vs. Burnley
Tranmere Rovers vs. Shrewsbury Town
Crewe Alexandra vs. Blackpool
Mansfield Town vs. Preston North End
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Walsall
Sheffield United vs. Stockport County
Hartlepool United vs. Macclesfield Town
Doncaster Rovers vs. Port Vale
Oldham Athletic vs. Stoke City
Grimsby Town vs. Wigan Athletic
Rotherham United vs. Chesterfield
Leeds United vs. Huddersfield Town
Colchester United vs. Cheltenham Town
Peterborough United vs. Milton Keynes Dons
Gillingham vs. Northampton Town
Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Bristol Rovers
Leyton Orient vs. AFC Bournemouth
Wycombe Wanderers vs. Bristol City
Boston United vs. Luton Town
Watford vs. Cambridge United
Queens Park Rangers vs. Swansea City
Kidderminster Harriers vs. Cardiff City
West Ham United vs. Southend United
Ipswich Town vs. Brentford
Rushden & Diamonds vs. Swindon Town
Oxford United vs. Reading
Yeovil Town vs. Plymouth Argyle
Coventry City vs. Torquay United
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com