Town have drawn Sheffield United at home in the third round of the FA Cup. The Blues were first out of the hat during this evening's draw.

The Blades are currently fourth in the Championship and beat the Blues 1-0 at Bramall Lane in October.

Town and the South Yorkshiremen last met in the FA Cup in Sheffield at the fourth round stage in January 2003 when the home side won a classic 4-3.

The sides also faced one another in the fourth round in 1998 when they drew 1-1 at Portman Road and the Blades won the replay 1-0 at Bramall Lane.

Prior to that the teams clashed in their only previous third round tie at Portman Road in January 1974 when the Blues won 3-2.

Ties will be played over the weekend of Saturday 6th January with any replays that are required taking place in the week commencing Monday 15th January.

Blues boss Mick McCarthy is still to win an FA Cup tie since taking over at Town in November 2012 with the Blues’ last victory in the tournament the 2-1 third round victory at Blackpool back in January 2010 during Roy Keane’s time in charge.

Last season Town were embarrassingly beaten 1-0 at the third round stage by then-Vanarama National League side Lincoln City in a replay at Sincil Bank.

FA Cup Third Round Draw

Ipswich Town v Sheffield United
Watford v Bristol City
Birmingham City v Burton Albion
Liverpool v Everton
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Aston Villa v Woking or Peterborough United
Bournemouth v AFC Fylde or Wigan Athletic
Coventry City v Stoke City
Newport County v Leeds United
Bolton Wanderers v Huddersfield Town
Port Vale or Yeovil Town v Bradford City
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Brentford v Notts County
Queens Park Rangers v MK Dons
Manchester United v Derby County
Forest Green Rovers or Exeter City v West Bromwich Albion
Doncaster Rovers v Slough Town or Rochdale
Tottenham Hotspur v Wimbledon
Middlesbrough v Sunderland
Fleetwood Town or Hereford v Leicester City
Blackburn Rovers or Crewe Alexandra v Hull City
Cardiff City v Mansfield Town
Manchester City v Burnley
Shrewsbury Town v West Ham United
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Swansea City
Stevenage v Reading
Newcastle United v Luton Town
Millwall v Barnsley
Fulham v Southampton
Wycombe Wanderers v Preston North End
Norwich City v Chelsea
Gillingham or Carlisle United v Sheffield Wednesday

Photo: Action Images

Superblue95 added 19:17 - Dec 4 Boring and we will lose. Great combo
-4

BlueandTruesince82 added 19:19 - Dec 4 First out of that hat. Crap draw, at least we're at home
4

newbie added 19:22 - Dec 4 Were we not the first ball out last year also?
1

jas0999 added 19:23 - Dec 4 Dull.
1

TimmyH added 19:26 - Dec 4 Not very inspiring...least an opportunity to get through to round 4, I have a feeling Sheff Utd have peaked.
6

Rensham added 19:26 - Dec 4 If MM wants to win some fans back, put out a full 1st team and actually try and have a proper cup run. You never know it might rub off on our promotion challenge. see Lincoln City and their great season last year. Ipswich Town used to have a reputation as a Cup side. Bring that back ASAP. COYB
21

SitfcB added 19:26 - Dec 4 Wasn't a hat. Was a bowl.
7

IpswichT62OldBoy added 19:29 - Dec 4 What a brilliant draw. We should play to win , be entertaining and build a run that generates some excitement. No one will fancy playing us if we keep playing as we have been. They will bring loads of fans, good atmosphere.
11

Warkys_Tash added 19:30 - Dec 4 Home draw, happy with that whoever it was against! Some people want to moan about anything.
11

runaround added 19:32 - Dec 4 Nice to be at home. Would be lovely to have a run in the FA Cup for once. Just hope we take it seriously
18

bluelodgeblue added 19:40 - Dec 4 SBR never put out a weaker side, you don't win anything with second strings!
5

dukey44 added 19:47 - Dec 4 I hope I'm wrong but micks never given a monkey about the cup so what will be different this year? He certainly won't field a strong team?
5

rgp1 added 19:51 - Dec 4 So Towns under 12's will have to rearrange a league game on that date
3

bluebudgie added 19:58 - Dec 4 It wouldn't matter who we drew,Mick will treat the fans and the cup with contempt by fielding a reserve team, be it non league or Man U .I hope proved wrong and he gives it a real go this time
4

davidsc1971 added 20:03 - Dec 4 Congratulations Sheffield United on your bye into round 4
-9

Wickets added 20:15 - Dec 4 Same side as away to Palace!
3

runningout added 20:17 - Dec 4 Easy Peasy :-)
2

gosblue added 20:30 - Dec 4 Looking at the fixtures around that time:- Sat - Derby (h), Tues - Fulham (a), Sat - FA Cup and then Leeds (h) the following Saturday, no doubt there will be some resting of players by MM. That doesn't mean we should throw in the towel. There will be plenty of squad players desperate to make an impression and in need of game time. Gerken, Smith, maybe a new CB, Kenlock, Bishop, Adeyemi, Downes, Nydham, Moore, Sears. With a mixture of some of the above along with some of our more regular first teamers and a strong bench, we should still be able to win this one. Especially as Sheff U may be looking to protect their league position.

3

pragmatic added 20:31 - Dec 4 What a load of boring negative p- - ks on here moan moan moan!!!
-1

Priskin9 added 20:33 - Dec 4 Great opportunity
4

Mark added 20:39 - Dec 4 The season has been enjoyable so far, and a good cup run would be a really good way to stoke up more interest in town and win fans back. I think the weak cup exits have been a factor in our reducing attendances, last season's humiliation at Lincoln on BBC TV being one of the worst feelings during my year's of supporting down - embarrassed on national TV as our supporters watched Leon Best seemingly not trying. This season feels so different, and let's hope it in in the cup as well as the league.

12

amy73 added 20:53 - Dec 4 If we win, we'll be ball number 1in the fourth round draw.
2

Skip73 added 21:04 - Dec 4 There's been nothing to moan about for the last week or so, so the moaners just had to come out tonight. They must be getting withdrawls.
-1

cat added 21:07 - Dec 4 An FA Cup run would be a welcome addition, as you can't beat the ‘magic'of a good cup away day. It's quality that with MM being such a forgiving, humble and unstubborn Yorkshire man, he will give us fans exactly want we want! On another note, I see Rensham's posted a corking post above!!, good work fella, maybe there is hope for us yet!
7

MickMillsTash added 21:13 - Dec 4 We have 5 games in 2 weeks including this so it is unlikely we will be putting our best 11 out- but our squad is better than it has been in recent years and Sheff Utd in the same boat as us. Please no replays - recent trips to Preston, Portsmouth and of course Lincoln have been total sh1te
3

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