RECAP: Bristol Rovers to face Rochdale in FA Cup first round at Memorial Stadium

It’s the day that fans across the English football pyramid system look forward to the most. The FA Cup first round draw takes place this evening with some interesting potential ties in store.

Clubs in League One and League Two enter the first round stage after the earlier rounds were played teams in the National League set-up as well as the leagues that feed into it.

The magic of the FA Cup is well and truly alive with some fallen former Football League sides a victim of a Cup upset. There will be no reunion with Scunthorpe United for this season for Bristol Rovers as they were dumped out of the competition by South Shields, who play in the Northern Premier League which is the seventh tier of English football. Notts County, who were one of the oldest Football League clubs before their relegation also lost to Coalville Town, who are another of the lowest ranked teams.

The third tier of English football has several teams who have had their day in the FA Cup or dined at the top table in the Premier League. Portsmouth, winners of the competition in 2008 after beating Cardiff City, also reached the final in 2010 but eventually lost out to Chelsea. Three-time winners Sheffield Wednesday are another team who will be involved in the draw although their last success in the competition came in 1935 with their earliest success being in 1896. They reached the final in 1993 but ended up losing to Arsenal in a replay, before that was scrapped shortly after.

European Cup winners Ipswich are also one-time winners of the FA Cup having beaten Arsenal in the 1978 final at the old Wembley Stadium. They were managed by the legendary Bobby Robson who also managed Newcastle United as well as the England national team.

BristolWorld will have the first round draw covered for you, providing build-up before it as well as the balls that come out of the pot later in the evening.