Notts handed Paint Trophy bye

Notts County have made the second round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for the first time in almost a decade, courtesy of being one of the sixteen teams handed a bye for the tournament's first round. After last year, when Notts led 1-0 at Scunthorpe going into injury time but lost 2-1, we'd accepted that it just wasn't our tournament, but paint pot fever could now be set for the Lane this season.

The Magpies are in the Northern half of the draw, although whether they or East or West is yet to be determined. However, it may well be East judging by the fact Rochdale are in the Eastern side of the draw! The other Northern sides to receive a bye are:-

Grimsby Town
Hartlepool United
Leeds United
Macclesfield Town
Port Vale
Shrewsbury Town
Tranmere Rovers

Meanwhile, the Northern first round will be split into two halves, East and West, comprising:-

Northern Section - West

Accrington Stanley
Bury
Carlisle United
Crewe Alexandra
Morecambe
Oldham Athletic
Stockport County
Walsall

Northern Section - East

Bradford City
Burton Albion
Chesterfield
Darlington
Huddersfield Town
Lincoln City
Rochdale
Rotherham United

The first round ties will be played in the week commencing August 31st 2009. But we don't have to worry about that.