Newport head for Brighton in opening round of League Cup
Newly-promoted Newport have been handed an exciting trip to Championship side Brighton in the first round of the Capital One Cup.
The Exiles ended a 25-year absence from the Football League when they triumphed in the Blue Square Bet Premier play-offs last season and they will face a mouth-watering visit to the south coast high-flyers, whose boss Gus Poyet remains suspended.
Mansfield, also returning to the elite level having won the Conference outright, have been drawn away to Ronnie Moore’s Tranmere.
QPR return to earth with a bump as they were the only relegated side from the Barclays Premier League not to be handed a bye. They will make the long journey to Devon to face Exeter.
Last season’s finalists Bradford will make the short jaunt along the M62 to take on West Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield, while beaten Championship play-off finalists Watford head to League Two Bristol Rovers.
There is a South Yorkshire derby at New York Stadium as League One Rotherham host Sheffield Wednesday while Blackburn travel to Carlisle and Bournemouth and Portsmouth will battle it out for local bragging rights on the south coast.
Preston boss Simon Grayson makes a return to his former club Blackpool, while Birmingham welcome John Sheridan’s Plymouth.
Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest host Hartlepool, Leicester make the trip to Wycombe, Leeds take on Chesterfield and Bolton visit Shrewsbury.
Wolves, beginning life in the third tier after back-to-back relegations, visit the Lancashire seaside to take on Morecambe.
