York City were today handed an exciting but tough tie against Stoke City in the first round draw of the Worthington Cup.

The Minstermen will face the Division Two giants over two legs, with the first match at Bootham Crescent in the week commencing August 21.

The return leg at the modern Britannia Stadium will be staged in the week beginning September 4.

Stoke, one of the favourites for the promotion to Division One next season, yesterday beat a strong Liverpool side 1-0 thanks to a stunning Stefan Thordarson strike.

Last year they just missed out on promotion, losing to Gillingham in the play-off semi-finals. However, they did show their cup pedigree by savouring success at Wembley when beating Bristol City 2-1 in the final of the Auto Windscreen Shield.

The Worthington Cup tie will give new York City full-back Graham Potter a chance to renew old acquaintances - it was with Stoke that Potter made his name and earned a move to the Premiership with Southampton.

Ironically, the draw comes with the City squad currently residing in Staffordshire at their pre-season training camp at Keele University.

Stoke's successful campaign last season came despite major off-pitch changes.

In November a consortium of Icelandic businessmen paid £5.5million for a 66 per cent stake in the club.

Manager Gary Megson, who had taken charge just a few months earlier, was one of the first casualties.

He was replaced by Gudjon Thordason, the former national team manager for Iceland, although former Port Vale boss John Rudge was retained in his role of 'football executive', overseeing all aspects of the club.

Thordason has recruited former Leeds and England full-back Tony Dorigo from Derby County and former Danish international midfielder Henrik Risom over the summer.

Included in the Potters ranks are one-time Pickering, Scarborough and Sheffield United full back Chris Short and ex-Boro striker Kyle Lightbourne.

Elsewhere in today's draw, Darlington have been handed a glamour tie against David Platt's Nottingham Forest while Rochdale take on Graeme Souness's Blackburn Rovers and Rotherham have a Yorkshire derby with Barnsley.

The final of the North Riding Senior Cup between York and Scarborough will take place on Wednesday, August 9, at the McCain Stadium, kick-off 7.30pm.

The match will serve as City's final pre-season outing before the Minstermen take on Chesterfield at Saltersgate on Saturday, August 12.

Worthington Cup first round draw

Mansfield v Wrexham, Bolton v Macclesfield, Wigan v Scunthorpe, Oldham v Huddersfield, Tranmere v Halifax, Port Vale v Chesterfield, Stockport v Blackpool, Shrewsbury v Preston, Rochdale v Blackburn, Sheff United v Lincoln, Crewe v Bury, York City v Stoke, Hull v Notts County, Darlington v Nottingham Forest, Burnley v Hartlepool, Grimsby v Carlisle, Rotherham v Barnsley, Watford v Cheltenham, Luton v Peterborough, Gillingham v Torquay, Barnet v Wycombe, Colchester v QPR, Northampton v Fulham, Wolves v Oxford, Crystal Palace v Cardiff, Swansea v West Brom, Brighton v Millwall, Norwich v Bournemouth, Leyton Orient v Reading, Southend v Birmingham, Cambridge v Portsmouth, Bristol City v Brentford, Walsall v Kidderminster, Plymouth v Bristol Rovers, Swindon v Exeter.

First legs to be played week commencing August 21. Second legs week commencing September 4.