Battle of the moneybags! 

Town taking on QPR in the Carling Cup first round

 

With Swindon Town's new owners reported to be worth in excess of £500 million pounds and the new proprietors of Queens Park Rangers considerably more than that - it's going to be the battle of the moneybags at the start of next season for STFC.

 

The draw today for the Carling Cup, pitting the Robins' at home to QPR in the first round of the competition Town won all of forty years ago.

 

A battle in the boardroom as well as the pitch when you compare the wealth of each club - both ironically penniless this time last year.

 

Pitched together: STFC, financed by Andrew Fitton and QPR,  bankrolled by Flavio Briatore

 

Town having been taken over by financier Andrew Fitton and his consortium containing multi-millionaires Jeremy Wray and Sir Martyn Arbib back in January - and QPR now under the control of the world's richest man Lakshmi Mattel, Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone and flamboyant F1 team owner Flavio Briatore.

 

Big spenders

 

The west London Championship club, however, clear favourites for the fixture having splashed out nearly £5 million pounds over recent months with a string of high-profile signings. 

 

Town in contrast having spent a tenth of that with aquisitions of Simon Cox and Kevin Amankwaah.

 

But with the silly season of transfer speculation just about to start, Swindon may yet trump their larger rivals with a number of big-money signings of their own.

 

Halfway there: Swindon Town suppoter Ken Downton who bought the three thousandth season ticket sold earlier this week

 

The three thousand or so Town fans who have already snapped up cut price season tickets ahead of the game will certainly be hoping so.   

 

Swindon Town vs QPR is scheduled for the week begining 11 August 2008.