Soccer: Exeter City get glamour FA Cup tie at Man United

LONDON - FA Cup holders Manchester United will play non-League Exeter City at Old Trafford in the third round of the FA Cup next month following Sunday's draw.

Exeter, relegated from the English League in 2003 and whose Director of Football Steve Perryman led Tottenham Hotspur to successive FA Cup wins in 1981 and 1982, made it through after a 2-1 victory over third division Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.

The game represents a lifeline for the Devon club who have been perilously close to extinction because of financial problems for years.

Manchester United, who have won the FA Cup a record 11 times, won the only other previous Cup match between the pair 3-1 in a third round tie in 1968-69.

Nine-time FA Cup winners Arsenal will face second division Stoke City at Highbury while Premier League leaders Chelsea, who won the last of their three FA Cups in 2000, should have no problems against fourth division leaders Scunthorpe United in their first-ever Cup meeting.

Minor league side Yeading from west London, who knocked out local rivals Slough Town in the second round on Saturday, were rewarded with a home tie against Newcastle United who last won the FA Cup 50 years ago.

Eight-times Cup winners Tottenham will face second division Brighton at White Hart Lane in their first-ever FA Cup meeting.

Liverpool, who won the Cup for the sixth time when they beat Arsenal in 2001, play second division Burnley at Turf Moor.

The fixture between the two old rivals was made famous when they met in the 1914 FA Cup final, the first one attended by a reigning monarch, King George V.

Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion were also drawn together for the first time since they met in the 1954 Cup final, which West Brom won 3-2.

They also met in the 1888 final when Preston asked to be photographed with the FA Cup before the match so sure were they of winning. But they lost, West Brom coming out on top 2-1.

Unusually none of the 20 Premier League teams were drawn against each other, although Crystal Palace were handed a hard task away to second division high-flyers Sunderland.

Bolton Wanderers were drawn to play at Ipswich Town, second in the second division and Norwich City were given another stiff away test at West Ham United, also chasing promotion to the Premier League.

Southampton, struggling in the Premier League, make a return journey to Northampton Town were they won 3-0 in the League Cup in September.

The matches will be played on the weekend of January 8-9.

- REUTERS