FA Cup draw pits hooligan-supported minnows against the champions of England

Making it to the First Round of the English FA Cup is considered to be an amazing achievement for many small clubs around the country. First Round Proper, as many like to call it is like the promised land – the ultimate destination. But the Third Round is where it gets really interesting – because Premier League clubs are included in the draw then. And the results of the draw often give us some unusual and intriguing fixtures.

This season, Third Round is going to see Ligue Two club Swindon Town take on the champions of England, Manchester City at their 15,728-capacity County Ground in the southwest of England. The Robins have been relegated from League One last season and haven't played in the FA Cup Third Round for a decade. So, you bet it's going to be quite an occasion.

The FA Cup: The oldest competition in the world with a surprisingly young trophy

Hopefully, the local hooligans don't ruin it, though.

Swindon Town has had a real big problem with hooligans since the gloomy days of the 1970s onwards. There were organised firms of so-called fans who made violence a usual part of the Robins' matches. Although the problem has been put in control in recent years due to attendances at County Ground dropping to around 7,000 on average, every now and again there is a game where the ugly face of yesterday appears again.

Tuesday, 22.45: (2.25) Leyton (3.15) Swindon (3.15)

During Swindon's League One match against hated rivals Oxford Town in 2017, there were lit flares being thrown back and forth between stands of County Ground, hooligans invading the pitch, fighting with police around the city and destroying property around the stadium. It's like an ancient evil that wakes up from time to time.

In other ties, there will be a memorable trip for Chesterfield, an old club from Nottinghamshire that spent most of this century playing in the third tier – but who have recently dropped down to the fifth tier of English football. Chesterfield are going to Stamford Bridge to play the champions of Europe!

Their fellow non-leaguers Kidderminster Harriers will welcome the Championship side Reading. Harriers, who are fifth in the National League North, reached the fifth round in 1994 where they went down 1-0 against West Ham.

Yeovil, of the National League, will host Bournemouth, who are flying high in the Championship, while Boreham Wood will play the League One side Wimbledon.

In an all-Premier League encounter Leeds United will travel to West Ham while Millwall will face their London rivals Crystal Palace at The Den. League One Morecambe will visit Tottenham and Arsenal have been handed a tricky tie at Nottingham Forest.

FA CUP - Third Round draw

All matches to be played between 7-10 January 2022

Boreham Wood - AFC Wimbledon

Yeovil Town - AFC Bournemouth

Stoke City - Leyton Orient

Swansea City - Southampton

Chelsea - Chesterfield

Liverpool - Shrewsbury Town

Cardiff City - Preston North End

Coventry City - Derby County

Burnley - Huddersfield Town

West Bromwich Albion - Brighton

Kidderminster Harriers - Reading

Leicester City - Watford

Mansfield Town - Middlesbrough

Hartlepool United - Blackpool

Hull City - Everton

Bristol City - Fulham

Tottenham Hotspur - Morecambe

Millwall - Crystal Palace

Port Vale - Brentford

Swindon Town - Manchester City

Wigan Athletic - Blackburn Rovers

Luton Town - Harrogate Town

Birmingham City - Plymouth Argyle

Manchester United - Aston Villa

Wolverhampton Wanderers - Sheffield United

Newcastle United - Cambridge United

Barnsley - Ipswich Town or Barrow

Peterborough United - Bristol Rovers

West Ham United - Leeds United

Queens Park Rangers - Rotherham United

Charlton Athletic - Norwich City

Nottingham Forest - Arsenal