As for newcomers at these league cup games....Brighton through and through 20 years, just can't afford a season ticket so I'm limited to what matches I can get to. Don't think that makes me any less of a fan though.
Not saying it does. But I've felt at the League Cup games that there have also been more people than usual who've come to have a look even though they support someone else or are not necessarily huge football fans - perhaps because they've thought it's impossible to get in to a league game.