What are the odds would you have gotten on Southend United being paired with Cheltenham Town in the Carling Cup opening round for a third successive season?

According to Blues betting partner BetterBet, who operate at Roots Hall on a matchday, you would have been offered odds of 500-1 for the two teams to be drawn against each other for three successive seasons.

"It's just incredible the way it's worked out," said Blues boss Steve Tilson on learning the news.

"To be drawn against the same team at the same stage of the same competition three years running is very odd. Maybe we are the only two teams in the draw."

The bookmakers odds were also the same for Burnley winning next season's Premier League title and for Esther Rantzen to be the next leader of the Labour party!

But there is at least a slight difference to the encounter this term as the match will take place at Whaddon Road, during the week of August 10.

The previous two encounters in the first round of the Carling Cup had both been played at Roots Hall.

Blues triumphed 4-1 in 2007 but were beaten 1-0 at the same stage last season and Tilson hopes to avoid another defeat.

"It would obviously be nice to have a good run in the competition," he said.

"We've played against some big teams in the past in the later rounds and it would be great to do that again so we could bring in some money to the club.

"Ideally we would have liked to be at home but I'm sure it will be a decent game.

"It will also be good to see their manager Martin Allen again.

"When they played at Roots Hall on the last day of last season they got the ball down and played so I'm sure they will do that again."