There is something deeply depressing about the first-round draw of the Carling Cup. It just means that your team are not one of the big clubs and paints a picture of a wet Tuesday evening watching a mixture of your youth and reserve players playing out a boring 0-0 draw in front of a couple of thousand die-hards who deserve better.

I’m normally very upbeat about any football and I can’t wait for the fixtures to be announced. But the Carling Cup just doesn’t do it for me.

In the past, at least you could look forward to the possibility of entertaining one of the big teams in the later rounds, but now they just send their reserves and players you’ve never heard of who are still good enough to beat you.

This year´s first-round draw has been made and amongst the exciting fixtures are Reading’s trip to Dagenham and Redbridge, Southampton’s trip to Exeter and Aldershot’s game at Coventry City. I would add my team, Watford, being drawn against Bristol Rovers but not even a fanatical Hornets fan can call that one exciting!

How Reading and their fans will be looking forward to the trip into deepest Essex! Old Trafford and Anfield last season, Dagenham this. The bad news for the Dagenham and Redbridge fans is that Steve Coppell didn’t take the competition seriously when they were in the Premier League, so don’t expect to see too many famous names visiting in August.

Jan Poortvliet will get an interesting introduction to English football when he takes the Saints down to St James Park in Exeter. The newly-promoted League Two club could make an early dent in the Dutchman’s English managerial career.

Aldershot, the Blue Square Premier champions, will enjoy their trip to Coventry and will fancy their chances of taking one of their bigger scalps.

There are some derby matches to add some spice to what are usually pretty dreadful games as Sheffield Wednesday host Rotherham, Bradford travel to Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield and across the Pennines Bury face Lancashire neighbours Burnley at Gigg Lane. The draw in full:

Preston v Chesterfield, Chester v Leeds, Leicester v Stockport, Sheff Utd v Port Vale, Grimsby v Tranmere, Crewe v Barnsley, Hartlepool v Scunthorpe, Derby v Lincoln, Notts County v Doncaster, Sheff Wed v Rotherham, Shrewsbury v Carlisle.

Wolves v Accrington, Bury v Burnley, Rochdale v Oldham, Nottm Forest v Morecambe, Huddersfield v Bradford, Macclesfield v Blackpool, Walsall v Darlington, Coventry v Aldershot, M K Dons v Norwich, Wycombe v Birmingham, Brighton v Barnet, Gillingham v Colchester.

Southend v Cheltenham, Swansea v Brentford, Luton v Plymouth, Exeter v Southampton, Watford v Bristol Rovers, Bournemouth v Cardiff, Bristol City v Peterborough, Charlton v Yeovil, Millwall v Northampton, Swindon v QPR, Crystal Palace v Hereford, Dag & Red v Reading, Ipswich v Leyton Orient.

Games will take place in the week commencing August 11. Presumably the matches will be on all different nights so that Sky can bring us the delights of Southend v Cheltenham or Gillingham v Colchester. Rochdale against Oldham also sounds like a good game for the live television coverage.

I can’t wait….oh yes I can.