THE Carling Cup was often regarded as the 'cursed cup' in its early days by fans of Scunthorpe United.

The Iron reached the third round of the competition only three times in the first 29 seasons after its introduction in 1960.

United's record is littered with a succession of first round exits.

There have been many dark moments in the old League Cup – the darkest of which came in August 1995 in a first round clash with Rotherham.

The second leg seemed a formality after United won 4-1 at Glanford Park, only to suffer a nightmare 5-0 defeat in the return at Millmoor.

But there have been plenty of highlights too, topped by a 6-3 triumph on aggregate against Chelsea in their first season after moving from the Old Show Ground.

Manchester United, in three weeks time, will be the biggest cup tie that Scunthorpe have ever faced, against the biggest club in English football.

Yet United have enjoyed games against top class opposition 10 times before in the League Cup.

The first was back in 1963-64, their last of six seasons in the old Second Division.

They were paired together with Stoke City in an epic clash that went to three games.

Alan Smillie and Andy Wilson netted for Scunthorpe in a 2-2 draw at the Old Show Ground.

Barry Horstead, Ian Crawford and Peter Neale were the marksmen in a 3-3 draw that followed at the old Victoria Ground.

The third meeting was played out on neutral ground, at Hillsborough, where Stoke triumphed by the only goal of the game.

Four years later, First Division Nottingham Forest won a second round tie 1-0 at the OSG with a goal from Scunthorpe-born Ian Storey-Moore.

Another glamour tie followed 12 months later, with the mighty Arsenal arriving in North Lincolnshire. They had been beaten finalists at Wembley the previous season, losing 1-0 to Leeds United.

A Scunthorpe side, newly relegated to the Fourth Division, gave only a second home start to a young player called Kevin Keegan.

But they were ripped apart 6-1 by the Gunners, who went all the way to Wembley again – only to suffer a shock 3-1 defeat at the hands of Third Division minnows Swindon Town.

It was another six years before United faced top class opposition again, in September 1974, the season they finished bottom of the Fourth Division for the first time and had to seek re-election to the Football League.

They were drawn away at Manchester City, crashing 6-0 to Malcolm Allison's talented side which saw England midfield man Colin Bell help himself to a hat-trick.

A further 10 years of League Cup anonymity were finally ended in 1984 with a two-legged tie against Aston Villa.

Mike Lester and Alan Whitehead netted in a 3-2 home defeat in the first leg, which was followed by a 3-1 defeat in the return at Villa Park.

Then came United's biggest League Cup moment in the first season at their Glanford Park headquarters.

A Chelsea team, newly relegated from Division One – and on their way to going straight back up as Second Division champions – scored first but were then crushed 4-1 by manager Mick Buxton's men.

There was a ban on away fans for the return leg at Stamford Bridge – a legacy of crowd problems Chelsea has suffered at the end of the previous season.

But a brace of goals from Andy Flounders ensured Scunthorpe came away with a 2-2 draw to book their place in the third round for only the third time, where they went out 1-0 at home to Bradford City.

The early 1990s saw United paired with Howard Wilkinson's Leeds United.

September 1991 saw the Iron hold the Yorkshire giants 0-0 in the first leg at Glanford Park, before losing the second leg 3-0 at Elland Road after holding their own again for almost an hour.

That was the season Leeds were crowned the last ever champions of the old First Division.

Twelve months later, the two clubs clashed again, with Leeds this time winning the first leg 4-1 at Elland Road.

Ian Helliwell struck twice in the return as United finished with heads held high after a 2-2 draw.

September 1997 saw the Sky Television cameras at Glanford Park for a second round first leg against Everton. The Iron played well but went down 1-0 to a first half strike from Gareth Farrelly.

The return leg at Goodison Park saw Tommy Evans make his debut in goal for Scunthorpe and manager Brian Laws pick himself in midfield.

But it was Everton who marched on, 5-0, with a clinical display.

September 2005 saw Steve Bruce bring Premiership Birmingham to Glanford Park in round two, winning 2-0 with a brace of goals from Finnish striker Mikael Forrsell.

Twelve months later it was a team from the same city – Aston Villa – who made the trip to North Lincolnshire with manager Martin O'Neill.

Billy Sharp netted for the Iron but it was too little, too late after Colombian ace Joan Pablo Angel had bagged a brace for the Premier boys.

And finally, to last season, where Nigel Adkins' Scunthorpe reached round four of the competition for the first time in their history.

A money-spinning trip to Manchester City was their reward, with Jonathan Forte netting a consolation goal just before half-time in a 5-1 defeat.

This time it's their arch-rivals, Manchester United, making the trip across the M62.

This is THE one that Iron fans have been waiting for for 60 years, ever since they were elected to the Football League back in 1950.

There may only be one division separating the teams now – but this is a real David and Goliath clash between the smallest team in the Championship and one of the biggest clubs in the world.