BURY will kick off their new campaign with a bumper Saturday match at home to Middlesbrough in the Captial One League Cup.

The Shakers landed the plum tie in yesterday’s draw at Football League HQ and Tony Mowbray’s Championship side quickly agreed to bring the game forward from midweek to the Saturday, August 11.

The competition this year acts as a curtain-raiser to the Football League season, which kicks off on the weekend of August 18-19.

All ties were due to be played in the week commencing August 13, but, for the first time, teams were given the option to switch their ties to the preceeding Saturday or Sunday.

“It’s a fantastic draw and the game couldn’t be much better for us,” said Bury manager Richie Barker.

“Of course, progressing in the competition will be difficult as Middlesbrough will be the favourites to go through, but we are at home against a big Championship club, which is all we could ask for.

“Hopefully, fans from both sides will turn out in their numbers to get their first glimpse of their new signings, so it should be a great atmosphere.”

Bury won’t be daunted by the task after beating then Championship side Coventry 3-1 at Gigg Lane in the first round of the League Cup last season, and took the lead against Leicester City in the second round before finally losing 4-2 at Gigg Lane.

Chairman Brian Fenton is eagerly anticipating the prospect of a lucrative start to the season.

“As soon as the draw was made, Saturday was our preferred option,” he said.

“It’s fantastic that our first competitive game of the season is a Saturday cup match at Gigg Lane, which should produce a bumper crowd and a great atmosphere.”

The date is, however, subject to change if the match is chosen as a televised game.

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