Ex-Pars Rooney & McCann Set For Arsenal Glamour Tie

Ex-Pars Rooney & McCann Set For Arsenal Glamour Tie As Fleetwood Town Make History

Fleetwood Town made club history this week and two former Dunfermline Athletic players are at the heart of it.

The Cod Army have reached the Fourth Round of the Carabao Cup for the first time in their history after a 1-0 victory over Championship side Sheffield United at Highbury Stadium, with the winner coming via an own-goal from Rhys Norrington-Davies on 57 minutes.

The reward could not be bigger! In the Draw, conducted on 16th September 2026, League Two Fleetwood were drawn at home to Premier League giants Arsenal - the first ever competitive meeting between the two clubs.

The tie, scheduled for the week commencing 26th October 2026, has already been billed as the "Highbury Reunion". Fleetwood play their home games at Highbury Stadium on the Fylde Coast, setting up a historic and symbolic return to "Highbury" for the Gunners, 20 years after they left their famous former home of the same name in North London.

For Fleetwood, it is the biggest League Cup tie in the club`s history. For Shaun Rooney and Lewis McCann, it is a career-defining opportunity.

Both players started Tuesday night`s historic Third-Round win in Matt Lawlor`s 3-1-4-2 system.

30-year-old Rooney continues to be an ever-present figure for the Cod Army. At 6ft 3in, Rooney has transitioned this season from his traditional right-back role into the right-sided centre-back slot, starting all six League Two games and all three Carabao Cup ties.

This season alone he has logged 810 minutes across 9 starts, with 1 goal - coming in the 1-1 draw with Oldham Athletic - and 2 yellow cards.

A well-travelled and vastly experienced defender, Rooney has now made 134 appearances for Fleetwood, scoring 11 goals. Pars fans will remember his spell at East End Park, where he made 14 appearances with 1 goal and 1 assist under Allan Johnston, as he helped us win the Scottish League 1 title in 2015/16, before going on to success with Inverness (77 apps) and St Johnstone (71 apps, Scottish Cup & League Cup winner in 2020/21).

Primarily a right-back - 201 career appearances there with 19 goals and 18 assists - he has now made 69 appearances as a centre-back, proving his versatility since moving down south.

If Rooney is the experienced head, McCann is the Dunfermline homegrown story. The 25-year-old Northern Irishman, standing at 6ft 4in, made 178 appearances for Dunfermline Athletic, scoring 28 goals and providing 15 assists, before making the move to Fleetwood where he has now played 31 times.

A former Northern Ireland U21 international, his career has been defined by versatility. While listed as a centre-forward - where he has made 79 career appearances with 16 goals - he has played across the front line and midfield, including 26 games at left-midfield and 24 at left-wing.

Like Rooney, he has started every game this season, operating primarily as a left wing-back in Fleetwood`s system in the win over Sheffield United. Like Rooney, McCann was apart of a League 1 winning squad, under the guidance of James McPake. McCann has shown his versatility, also, with the attacker being converted into a left wing back since joining the Cod Army just over 12 months ago.

Fleetwood`s road to Arsenal has been built on home advantage and defensive solidity:

Round 1: Fleetwood Town 1-0 Chesterfield
Round 2: Fleetwood Town 4-0 Shrewsbury Town
Round 3: Fleetwood Town 1-0 Sheffield United

Three clean sheets at home and now a fourth consecutive home tie, but this time, it is against one of the biggest clubs in world football.

Mikel Arteta`s Arsenal arrived in the Fourth Round after a 4-2 victory away at Ipswich Town, with 16-year-old sensation Max Dowman scoring twice, alongside Noni Madueke and Mikel Merino.

The Gunners, despite winning a record 14 FA Cups, have only won the League Cup twice in their history - in 1986/87 (2-1 vs Liverpool) and 1992/93 (2-1 vs Sheffield Wednesday, as part of a domestic cup double).

They have never faced Fleetwood Town before.


For Rooney, McCann and Fleetwood Town, history has already been made. Next month, at a sold-out Highbury, they will have the chance to make it a truly unforgettable, historic, League Cup run for Matt Lawlor`s side.