Explained: How Cobblers could receive a BYE in first-round of FA Cup

Cobblers will learn their first-round opponents in this year's Emirates FA Cup when the draw takes place next week - that is if they play anyone at all.
The FA Cup trophyThe FA Cup trophy
The FA Cup trophy

The draw is being held next Monday, October 21, at around 7.10pm live on BBC 2.

And this season one club will receive a bye into round two when the first-round draw is made following Bury's removal from the competition.

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The Shakers were expelled from the English Football League n August and therefore can't take part in the FA Cup, which means the 47 remaining League One and League Two clubs will join 32 non-league outfits in the first round in November.

The final club left in the pot during the draw will receive the bye and that club will also be awarded the £36,000 prize money for a first-round winner.

The most recent incident of a professional club not competing in the FA Cup came in 2000 when Manchester United pulled out due to the FIFA Club World Championships. On that occasion a lucky losers system was introduced and no team was handed a bye.

In that year, with an odd number of teams involved in the third-round draw, Darlington were selected at random from the 20 sides who had been knocked out in the second round and lost 2-1 at Aston Villa.