Hammers drawn with Aldershot

West Ham United will host Aldershot Town in the Carling Cup first round following Thursday morning's draw.

The Hammers, who reached the semi-finals of the same competition last season, were seeded and placed in the Southern section of the draw, meaning they avoided the eleven other Championship clubs in the draw.

The first-round tie will be played in the week commencing Monday 8 August 2011. The final will take place at Wembley on Sunday 26 February 2012.

Aldershot, who are managed by former Wimbledon and Bolton Wanderers striker Dean Holdsworth, finished 14th in League Two last season. The Shots have never got past the third-round stage of the League Cup and were beaten 3-0 at home by Watford in last season's first round.

Holdsworth played under new West Ham manager Sam Allardyce for four seasons at the Reebok Stadium before embarking on a successful coaching career with Newport County following his retirement. He has been in charge at the Recreation Ground since January 2011.

West Ham have reached the League Cup final on two previous occasions, finishing as runners-up to West Bromwich Albion in 1966 and Liverpool in 1981.

Outside of wartime football and minor cup competitions, West Ham have met Aldershot just twice previously. The Hammers were held to a goalless FA Cup third-round draw at the Boleyn Ground on 5 January 1991 before completing a 6-1 replay victory at the same venue eleven days later.

Among the players who have represented both clubs are Dale Banton, Bobby Barnes, Alan Dickie, Neil Finn, George Matthews, Reg Wade and Alan Wooler.

Full Carling Cup first-round draw

Rochdale v Chesterfield
Port Vale v Huddersfield Town
Rotherham United v Leicester City
Hull City v Macclesfield Town
Hartlepool United v Sheffield United
Leeds United v Bradford City
Doncaster Rovers v Tranmere Rovers
Walsall v Middlesbrough
Barnsley v Morecambe
Accrington Stanley v Scunthorpe United
Derby County v Shrewsbury Town
Oldham Athletic v Carlisle United
Bury v Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday v Blackpool
Burnley v Burton Albion
Preston North End v Crewe Alexandra
Nottingham Forest v Notts County
Brighton & Hove Albion v Gillingham
AFC Bournemouth v Dagenham & Redbridge
Ipswich Town v Northampton Town
Cheltenham Town v Milton Keynes Dons
Bristol Rovers v Watford
Plymouth Argyle v Millwall
Oxford United v Cardiff City
West Ham United v Aldershot Town
Southampton v Torquay United
Charlton Athletic v Reading
Portsmouth v Barnet
Stevenage v Peterborough United
Southend United v Leyton Orient
Wycombe Wanderers v Colchester United
Hereford United v Brentford
Exeter City v Yeovil Town
Bristol City v Swindon Town
Crystal Palace v Crawley Town/AFC Wimbledon