Darlington play Leeds United tonight in the first game to be televised live from their relatively new home, but for manager Dave Penney the Sky TV experience is nothing new.

Quakers have not played in front of the Sky cameras since September 2000 - a drab draw at Macclesfield Town - so this evening's game with Leeds in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy represents a rare Darlington appearance on television.

But while boss at Doncaster Rovers, Penney was regularly in the national TV spotlight.

Success in the Nationwide Conference attracted Sky, but Rovers' run in the League Cup two years ago was frequently the focus of the television cameras.

Back-to-back promotions impressed those involved at the lower end of the game, but shock wins over Aston Villa and Manchester City raised Penney's public profile higher.

Had Arsenal not equalised in the last minute of extra-time in the quarter-final in 2005 and then won a penalty shoot-out, Penney, and a Doncaster team featuring current Quakers Steve Foster and Ricky Ravenhill, would have basked in even more exposure.

"I think we had seven games on Sky. Both Conference play-off semi finals, the final and we had a few in the Carling Cup run," recalled Penney, who yesterday signed striker Matt Green on loan from Cardiff City.

"In the games against Man City, Villa and Arsenal we were the underdogs and everyone wanted us to win so that made great TV, especially the penalties when we beat Man City.

"Maybe Sky have looked at it and thought that my teams do well in cup games and they are always looking for an upset.

"It'll be great for the youngsters who are perhaps not used to it, for people like Foster, Ravenhill and Tim Ryan, they've seen it all before. But with it being on TV there is a bit of extra edge to the game."

Penney's pedigree for producing cup shocks no doubt helped sway Sky's decision to head to the Balfour Webnet Darlington Arena for the first time, though tonight's game is clearly the tie of the round.

Having been handed a bye in the first round, like Darlington, the match is Leeds's first game in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, a far cry from their exploits at the beginning of the decade.

Seven years ago this month they hosted Barcelona in the Champions League, drawing 1-1 with Brazilian World Cup winner Rivaldo scoring for Barca.

But tonight Leeds provide the attractive visiting opposition for what is Darlington's biggest ever game in the competition.

Given Darlington's miserable record in the competition, that status is not hard to attain. Quakers have won at this stage just once in the last six seasons.

That was last season at Tranmere Rovers - Penney's first game in charge of Darlington - which was the start of a run which saw them reach the northern section semi-finals, the closest Quakers have come to reaching the final in the last 20 years.

But, for now at least, focus is on the second round and playing host to Dennis Wise's Leeds who have started the season in style, winning nine league games and drawing the other as they aim to return the club to its former status.

Having enjoyed success in the Premiership and Europe before tumbling out of the top-flight, Leeds' current situation is similar to the scenario which faced the club when they suffered a slump in the late 1970s.

That was a period when Penney, born in Castleford which is very much Leeds territory, was a regular at Elland Road.

He still lives in the West Yorkshire town and says he has not had to endure much banter from Leeds fans ahead of tonight's game, though he remembers his Leeds-supporting days well.

He said: "Leeds were my team when I was about 11, 12 or 13 and then it started getting a bit rough and the older I got the more I started playing football myself on Saturdays.

"I wasn't an avid fan but Elland Road was only ten miles from my house so I used to go with my mates and stand on the Kop.

"They were the best team in the country at one stage when I was a youngster, but I didn't really watch them then.

"All that team was disappearing as I started watching them, people like Duncan MacKenzie were playing.

"My neighbours haven't mentioned it. I live on a main road so I never see my neighbours, one of them is 87 and the other one's 60-odd.

"My brother-in-law is coming up for the game and he's a Leeds fan so that should be good. If we win!"

Penney could be tempted to make changes tonight, but his options are restricted because of injuries while competition rules stipulate that he must name a relatively strong side.

David Stockdale, Neil Austin, Pawel Abbott and Sean Reay are sidelined but winger Xavier Barrau is keen to make a better impression after being sent off on his debut while 20-year-old Green will be in contention if he is registered in time.

He joined Cardiff from Newport County in January and has made eight sub appearances but is yet to score a goal.

Scott Wiseman has yet to make his debut but is in the squad while Kevin McBride will hope to be fit having been ruled out of Saturday's trip to Dagenham and Redbridgde with a slight hamstring strain.