WELL we've got the trip to Manchester we all wanted sadly we have drawn the tougher club in the city.

I know the chairman would have preferred United rather than City but personally I am not too disappointed with the tie.

It should be a cracking day out for all concerned.

Clearly, a Premiership club would have been the ideal tie but City are top flight in all but status.

A share of a near 30,000 gate should not be sniffed at either.

If we were not going to be drawn against a Premiership side then this is the next best thing.

Manchester City are so unpredictable under Kevin Keegan.

They can score goals by the netful but can be equally leaky at the back.

Roy has described it as a 'tough' game and clearly we are going to need to be at our best.

I suspect the new chairman and his board of directors would not be unhappy with a draw. City fans are not only loyal at home, they also travel in force away from Maine Road.

My only slight concern is the record book in 1929-30 we were narrowly beaten 10-1 at Maine Road, while a year later we battled hard before being edged out 7-0.

More recently, we suffered a 6-0 thrashing but surely our luck has got to change some time.

The pressure is all on City and we just have to hope they approach the game lightly.

But with our two performances against Wolves and West Brom this season, I genuinely believe we have nothing to fear.

Bring 'em on. We're mad for it.

However, our progress into the third round is not entirely good news.

We were due at Oldham on Saturday January 5. That now means a midweek trip to icy Boundary Park oh joy!

A TRIP to Manchester City is not the only mouthwatering cup tie we can look forward to in January.

Having seen off minor opposition in the first three rounds of the FA Youth Cup, Town's youth side have landed a plum tie against Blackburn Rovers.

A trip to Ewood Park should provide a young Town side with a real test, particularly as Rovers reached the final of last year's competition before losing over two legs to Arsenal.

Blackburn youth chiefs have admitted they know 'nothing' about the Town youth set-up. Hopefully, an away win will put that straight.