WREXHAM are aiming to reach the League Cup third round for the first time in 42 years tonight.

Despite some famous FA Cup runs over the decades, the Reds have not enjoyed anywhere near as much success in the League Cup which is now named the Carabao Cup.

Promoted as National League champions last season, Wrexham are back in the competition following a 15-year absence and the reward for beating Wigan Athletic on a penalty shoot-out at the first hurdle is a second round date with League Two rivals Bradford City at The STóK Cae Ras this evening.

If Phil Parkinson's men progress, it means Wrexham will be in the third round for the first time since the 1981-82 campaign!

Then playing in the third tier, Wrexham beat Swindon Town 5-2 on aggregate and then Luton Town 2-1 over two legs to reach the third round.

But the Reds were defeated 2-0 by Tottenham Hotspur in front of 24,084 supporters at White Lane on November 11, 1981.

Wrexham's last appearance in the second round was not a memorable one!

The Reds reached that stage of the competition in the 2007-08 campaign after beating Port Vale on a penalty shoot-out but Brian Carey's side were thrashed 5-0 at home by Premier League outfit Aston Villa.

Wrexham also reached the second round in 2006-07 with a brilliant 4-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday but Denis Smith's outfit lost 4-1 against Birmingham City.

A first round penalty shoot-out victory over Hull City enabled Wrexham to progress to round two in 2004-05 but Sheffield United triumphed 3-2 to end the Reds' interest in the competition.

Wrexham also reached the second round in 2002-3 - the promotion-winning campaign under Denis Smith.

Smith's men overcame Bradford City 2-1 at the first hurdle but then went down 3-0 to Everton in a game that will be remembered for Wayne Rooney scoring his first senior goal for the club.

Wrexham endured a run of round one exits during the late1990's/early millennium, although they beat Doncaster Rovers 5-3 on aggregate in 1994-95 to reach the second round where they lost 5-3 over two legs to Coventry City.

In 1993-94, the Reds beat Crewe Alexandra 4-3 on aggregate before losing 6-4 to Nottingham Forest over two legs in round two.

A 3-0 aggregate success over York City in 1990-91 set up a second round date with Everton but Wrexham were thrashed 5-0 and 6-0 by the Premier League side!

Wrexham's record in the competition during the 1980s was pretty dismal as well although they made round two in 1985-86 and 1986-87.

The furthest Wrexham have gone in the competition was during the title-winning 1977-78 season when Arfon Griffiths' side bowed out 3-1 to Liverpool in the quarter-finals.