TOWN boss Andy Ritchie says he’d be happy with any home tie when the FA Cup first-round draw takes place today.
The pairings will be made live on BBC1 at 5.10pm.
Ritchie has won all four first-round ties he’s been involved in as a manager, against Gillingham, Chelmsford and Hednesford while at Oldham and Darlington when he was with Barnsley.
But Town’s recent record is less impressive, with four defeats at the first hurdle in the last five seasons – by Swindon, Accrington, Stockport and, last year, Blackpool.
Town haven’t won any of their last six cup games in all competitions, and it’s a record Ritchie is desperate to improve.
“You get what you get in any draw, but I’m the same as most people, a home game would be preferable,” he said of a match which will take place on the weekend of November 10/11.
“We were disappointed to go out of both the Carling Cup (to Blackpool) and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy (Grimsby), and we’d certainly like to have a run in this competition.”
Leeds, one of Ritchie’s old clubs and cup winners in 1972, 50 years after Town, will be making their first first-round appearance in the modern era.
Halifax Town, Farsley Celtic and Bradford Park Avenue were all trying to win through today’s fourth-qualifying round.
