Michael Welsh and his three mates are among the hardy souls who have travelled from Essex to south Wales tonight and has tweeted this picture using #getcarriedaway. Will they be rewarded by their side causing the first shock of the third round?

A tiny crowd is expected at the Cardiff City Stadium, with our colleagues on the BBC News Channel reporting that as few as 4,000 could turn up.

If you're not going to the game then remember you can watch all the action by clicking the 'Live Coverage' tab on this page.

The teamsheets have been hastily scribbled out at the Cardiff City Stadium - here's what they say...

Cardiff: Moore, Brayford, Turner, Connolly, John, Whittingham, Adeyemi, Ralls, Harris, Noone, Macheda. Subs: Wilson, Fabio, Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Kim, Le Fondre, Jones.

Colchester: Walker, Clohessy, Gorkss, Eastman, Kpekawa, Fox, Moncur, Szmodics, Hewitt, Sears, Massey. Subs: Lewington, Eastmond, Watt, Bonne, Lapslie, Sembie-Ferris, Young.

Derby County boss Steve McClaren is set to give some of his fringe players an outing against Conference side Southport.

Keeper Kelle Roos, midfielder Ivan Calero, defender Lee Naylor and forward Kwame Thomas are set to feature.

Southport, in the third round for the first time since 1999, could be without winger Micah Evans and defender Joe Connor (both hamstring) but midfielder Scott Kay is back after serving a suspension.

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle defender Steven Taylor confirms he will miss the rest of the Premier League season after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the 3-3 draw against Burnley on New Year's Day.

On social networking site Sport Lobster,, external the centre-back says he will have an operation on Wednesday and adds he has not ruptured the same Achilles tendon he injured in December 2011.

As part of the third-round weekend, there are a couple of special FA Cup-themed editions of your favourite BBC quizzes over the next two days.

Tonight at 19:30 GMT on BBC One, Sue Barker hosts a special edition of A Question of Sport.

Regular team captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell are joined by four Match of the Day pundits, including Alan Shearer and Phil Neville, as they play FA Cup-themed versions of the usual rounds.

On Saturday at 18:05 GMT, also on BBC One, Pointless Celebrities features the likes of Robbie Savage, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan.

Entertainment and education rolled into one.

If you can't get carried away by the prospect of an FA Cup third round shock, then what can you get carried away by? Many of you are using the hashtag on Twitter to share your excitement. Keep them coming.

Image source, David Redden

David Redden:, external Blyth Spartans checking the lights ahead of the game tomorrow while I keep checking my tickets!

Mark Carruthers:, external Can't wait to experience a sold out Croft Park. Be great to hear the atmosphere on a great day for Blyth Spartans.

Cardiff boss Russell Slade is set to make a number of changes to his starting XI for the FA Cup third-round tie against League One visitors Colchester.

One of the changes could be a return for midfielder Anthony Pilkington, who is fit again after a hamstring injury.

Colchester will be without striker Rhys Healey, who is ineligible by the terms of his loan deal from the Bluebirds.

Defender Ben Gordon is a doubt for the visitors after picking up a knock during Sunday's 0-0 draw at Crawley.

MK Dons manager Karl Robinson has taken the unusual step of naming his XI for the all-League One FA Cup second round replay with Chesterfield ahead of time.

George Baldock, Mark Randall, Danny Green, Daniel Powell and Benik Afobe replace Antony Kay, Dele Alli, Carl Baker, Samir Carruthers and Will Grigg.

Chesterfield defender Drew Talbot could play for the first time since May after injury.

The prize for the winners? A trip to Scunthorpe United in the third round.

The FA Cup third round kicks off tonight as Cardiff host Colchester in the Welsh capital. But there is still one spot in the draw left to be decided.

And that will be taken by one of the two teams meeting in the other tie taking place tonight. League One play-off chasers MK Dons and Chesterfield meet again in Buckinghamshire after the match was ordered to be replayed because the visitors, who won the first game 1-0, fielded an ineligible player.

Right, so here is what fun we have in store - including updates from two FA Cup matches that are taking place tonight.

19:00: 5 live Sport - weekend preview show

19:45: MK Dons v Chesterfield

19:45: Cardiff v Colchester

21:00: 5 live Sport - Top 10 third round shocks (including vote result)

Evening all! Christmas might already seem like a distant memory to some, but we're still feeling generous. So here's our belated present to you - a special extended Sportsday focusing on the FA Cup third round. Tis the season of goodwill after all.

Over the next few hours, we will be previewing all of tomorrow's big games, bringing you some early team news, peppering you with some stats and hearing the thoughts of BBC commentator John Motson and former England defender Phil Neville on 5 live Sport. Oh, and expect to read the words 'Steven' and 'Gerrard' on a fair few occasions. Then, a little later, we will reveal which third-round upset you have voted as the greatest.

As we continue to build up to the weekend's FA Cup action, it's time for a change of personnel on Sportsday Live and it's the turn of Jonathan Jurejko to bring you all of the best of the evening's action and previews.

Image source, Twitter/Paul Doolan

We've been asking you to share your FA Cup third round excitement using #getcarriedaway, external

Paul Doolan has tweeted this picture, external before West Brom's game against Gateshead: Ready to go to the Hawthorns tomorrow - super heed army

Defender Oguchi Onyewu is a doubt with a hamstring strain for Charlton.

Goalkeeper Stephen Henderson (shoulder), left-back Rhoys Wiggins (foot) and winger Franck Moussa (knee) remain sidelined while midfielder Callum Harriott is suspended.

Blackburn boss Gary Bowyer is set to give defender Tommy Spurr his first outing of the season while midfielder John O'Sullivan may feature.

Tranmere Rovers goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams has revealed his hidden artistic talent as he prepares to face Swansea City in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

The League Two team were rewarded with a home tie against Premier League side Swansea after beating Oxford United 2-1 in a second round replay.

Wolves could be without Tommy Rowe for three months following the broken toe he sustained on Boxing Day.

The 26-year-old utility man has had surgery after breaking his fifth metatarsal in the 1-0 win at Watford.

"It's an amazing situation. With all the training he's done, he struck a ball up the line within two minutes of coming on and the injury happened," said head coach Kenny Jackett.