Wimbledon Get Set For Carling Cup

---

First you must crawl before you can win

Wimbledon are getting set for their first match since their return to the Football League - a preliminary Carling Cup match against Crawley Town on Friday (July 29).

The preliminary round is necessary as a result of last year's winners Birmingham receiving a bye into the third round of this year’s competition after their European qualification.

It's the first time there has been a preliminary round since the 2002/03 season and the winner of the match at Crawley will enter the first round proper in August.

The AFC Wimbledon Manager, Terry Brown (pictured far right) is looking to the game as a springboard to get the club’s first season in the Football League off to a flying start.

He said: "It's a fantastic opportunity; we're the first two teams to kick the cup off this year. We're under no illusions it will be a very, very difficult game – Crawley were the best side in our league last year and they've made some substantial signings, really good significant signings. We're in for a hard game but I think they’ll be a good crowd and a cracking game of cup football."

The newly promoted clubs will battle it out for the right to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the first round proper. It will be a mouth-watering tie, with AFC having to revisit the ground they shared with Palace for 12 years, for the first time since the club was re-established under the ownership of their fans in 2002.

Newly appointed AFC Wimbledon Captain, Jamie Stuart (pictured above left) shares the same love for the club as its loyal fans.

He said: "I'm very excited about the game; all the players are looking forward to it. I'm absolutely delighted to be announced as the new captain for the 2011 season, I'm over the moon really and leading the boys into the clubs first campaign in the Football League and the Carling Cup is a real honour."

Crawley and Wimbledon are certainly not strangers, with both clubs promoted from the Conference last year. Along the way, the clubs recorded victories over one another in their respective home ties. With the game being played at Crawley's home ground, The Broadfield, the scales could tip in favour of the West Sussex side, but under the Friday night lights, in front of a predicted sell-out crowd, this is set to be the hotly contested first game that the Carling Cup is famed for.

July 28, 2011