Loan round-up | FA Cup first round draw

Four our players who are spending their 2024/25 campaigns out on loan in League One and Two have discovered their opponents for the FA Cup first round proper.

Matthew Craig (Barnsley), George Abbott (Notts County) and Jamie Donley and Josh Keeley (both Leyton Orient) are all out on loan this season gaining valuable experience and minutes in England's lower tiers and, at the first round stage, League One and League Two sides enter for the first time.

Tonight (Monday 14 October) saw the draw for the first round and our boys have found out who they and their respective loan sides will face in the FA Cup campaign opener.

Jamie and Josh's Leyton Orient will face a trip to non-league Boreham Wood while Matthew's Barnsley will travel to League Two leaders Port Vale. George's Notts County, meanwhile, will host non-league side Alfreton Town.

In-depth - Each of our boys' loan sides

Barnsley - Matthew Craig

Barnsley are back in the FA Cup this year after being disqualified from last season's competition for fielding an ineligible player in the first round against Horsham.

The non-league side forced a replay after a thrilling 3-3 draw at Oakwell, before the Tykes initially progressed with a 3-0 win.

That was the first time since 2015/16 that the Yorkshire-based side had failed to make it past the first round while they have also made both the quarter and semi-finals in the last 20 years.

Their run into the quarter-finals in 2012/13 saw them dispatch Burnley, Hull City and MK Dons before bowing out with defeat at the Etihad to Manchester City.

But their semi-final run in 2007/08 was far more memorable, beating Liverpool at Anfield in the fifth round, before edging Chelsea 1-0 at Oakwell, eventually being eliminated by eventual runners-up Cardiff City at Wembley.

Leyton Orient - Jamie Donley & Josh Keeley

Leyton Orient made it to the second round last season, beating then-League One rivals Carlisle United at Brisbane Road, before bowing out to non-league Chesterfield thanks to an Idris El Mizouni own goal.

That was just the third time in the last decade that Orient have made it past round one, being eliminated six times and failing to qualify as a National League side in 2018/19 - a run that included being knocked out by eighth tier Maldon & Tiptree in 2019.

However, Orient boss Richie Wellens does have experience winning in cup competitions, triumphing in the EFL Trophy back in 2019/20 when he guided Salford City to victory at Wembley.

Notts County - George Abbott

Notts County made it past the first round for the first time since 2019/20 last season when they beat Crawley Town 3-2 at Meadow Lane in November, 2023.

However, they fell at the next hurdle falling to a reversed scoreline against Shrewsbury Town, meaning they've only made it past round two once in the last 12 seasons.

That includes two qualifying round eliminations as a non-league side however, they did make it to the fourth round in 2017/18 - a run that included beating a then-Championship Brentford side at Griffin Park and forcing then-Premier League Swansea City to a replay, before being knocked out.

County won this competition in 1894 and also made round five in 2009/10, keeping a clean sheet as they beat then-Premier League Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium before being knocked out at Craven Cottage by Fulham - victory would've seen them drawn against us in round six.