AFC Fylde get great FA Cup draw, Blackpool and Fleetwood don’t

While Dave Challinor’s side travel to London to face a side three leagues above them, Blackpool have a long trip to Barnet to look forward to while Fleetwood travel to League One rivals Walsall.

And Challinor sent a defiant message to his players, saying: ‘Go out and show what you can do.”

The meeting with the Londoners, former finalists in the competition, is the hardest assignment in the history of AFC Fylde, but Challinor is not daunted.

He reflected: “They don’t come much tougher, I suppose, but we will go there to enjoy it - look to win.

“We have an important league game before then on Saturday - we will concentrate on that and after that look forward to an eventful tie at Millwall.”

The Coasters’ boss continued: “It is a great opportunity for our players and a chance to show what they are about on such a big stage against at a proper football club and a team that was in the Championship last season.

“Our lads have worked hard for a tie like this and they deserve it.

“It is great football club at Millwall and a great pitch to play on.”

Challinor was present at the televised draw, which took place place at Thackley Juniors Football Club in Yorkshire.

Millwall reached the FA Cup Final in 2004, losing 3-0 to Manchester United.

Blackpool won’t be as pleased with their draw, with a long trip to League Two side Barnet coming out of the draw.

It’s will be the first first round tie for the Seasiders 2006 after promotion to the Championship then Premier League saw them enter in round three.

Back then the Seasiders reached the fourth round, with wins against Huddersfield, MK Dons and Aldershot.

Pool were eventually lost in a fourth round replay at Norwich.

For Fleetwood they will be hoping to do better than last year’s first round exit away at Cambridge, their best ever run in the competition came in 2011/12 when they went out in the third round to Blackpool.

Ironically that was Blackpool’s last win in the competition with defeats to Bolton, Fulham and Aston Villa in recent seasons.

Fleetwood boss Steven Pressley said: “In terms of teams we could have been drawn against, we couldn’t have had a more difficult draw.

“In terms of the form book and where they are right now in the table, it couldn’t have been a more difficult draw for us.

“But the reality is we have to go there and believe we can win and that’s what we’ll do.

“Their stadium can create a real cup atmosphere and we are looking forward to playing there.

“It’s a good surface which you don’t get if you go to some of the lower league clubs.”

The ties will take place on the weekend of November 7.