Last year's Carabao Cup gave us a memorable trip to Elland Road in the second round. We took over 600 supporters to Leeds and even took a well-deserved lead through Joss Labadie. It's time to start getting excited about the Carabao Cup again as Friday marks the first round draw of the competition.
Newport County AFC will be draw ball 20 and are in the South Group. Unlike previous seasons, the first round draw will not be seeded meaning County are able to be drawn against any of the following teams EFL teams:
AFC Wimbledon, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Brentford, Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Cambridge United, Charlton Athletic, Cheltenham Town, Colchester United, Coventry City, Crawley Town, Exeter City, Forest Green Rovers, Gillingham, Ipswich Town, Luton Town, Millwall, Milton Keynes Dons, Northampton Town, Norwich City, Oxford United, Peterborough United, Plymouth Argyle, Portsmouth, Queens Park Rangers, Reading, Southend United, Stevenage, Swindon Town, West Bromwich Albion, Wycombe Wanderers, Yeovil Town.
As well as the change in seeds for the first round, a number of other changes have been agreed too. EFL Clubs have voted to remove extra-time from every round, apart from the Final, from the start of the 2018/19 season, with matches tied at 90 minutes going straight to a penalty shoot-out. The 2019 Final will feature extra time and penalties if required.
The format of penalties will revert to the traditional format, as opposed to the recently trialled ABBA formula, which will no longer feature in EFL competitions.
VAR will again be utilised in the competition and can be incorporated for all games that are played at Premier League stadiums, while this season’s Final will take place on Sunday 24 February 2019 with the winners guaranteed a place in the Europa League in the following campaign.
The draw will take place on the 15th June in Vietnam at 10.45am UK Time. Steve McManaman, Louis Saha and Dennis Wise are preparing to head to the country largest city, Ho Chi Minh City, to complete the draw. The Carabao Cup First Round will take place the week commencing the 13th August.
For more information on the draw
Visit www.efl.com