November
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There are those who would prefer a poorer team to give us a chance of progression but for once I would really like us to get one of the top Premiership teams.

Its also City's third home game in a week. Two great wins will have the team full of confidence. Confidence is fine, complaceny must not creep into it. We are favourites by a long way, we have already beaten Port Vale away in the league and with one of the best home records in any league over the last 20 months we should be OK. But is is the FA Cup and as they say its a great leveller.

Port Vale come to Ninian Park with Mark Grew their assistant manager. Mark of course was the goalkeeper that saved Keith Curle's penalty at the Grange End in 1994 when 2nd division City shocked Man City. Nathan Blake scoring the winner. Both Blake's goal and Grew's save are available to view in the archive goals section.

Mark Grew is assistant to Brian Horton at Port Vale. Ironically Horton was also at Ninian Park when Grew made his save and entered himself as a City hero, Horton was Man City's manager.

Grew reflects upon his time as a City player with great fondness, he won a Division 3 championship meddle with the Bluebirds in his first season and that great FA Cup giant killing in his second season. Speaking about the Man City game Grew says

"That was a fantastic experience, and to go to Cardiff again and win in the FA Cup would be something special.

I had two great years at Ninian Park. Helping City beat Manchester City to reach the FA Cup fifth round was obviously a memorable experience, as was gaining a championship winning medal with them in my first season and reaching the Welsh Cup final in my second.

People ask me whether saving the Keith Curle penalty was my favourite FA Cup experience, but I'm not sure about that.

I've got many fond memories - at Port Vale we knocked out Spurs and Derby. I reached the FA Cup quarterfinals with Ipswich and played for West Brom in an FA Cup semi-final in 1982 when we lost 1-0 to QPR."

As previously reported Cardiff will be without the injured Peter Thorne for tomorrows game, Dean Gordon will also miss out so he does not "cup tie" himself. In comes Gavin Gordon for Thorne and Andy Legg for Dean Gordon. Josh Low is also back in the squad. Barring any other late changes City are expected to line up

Alexander, Gabbidon, Prior, Young, Legg, Boland, Bonner, Kavanagh, Bowen, Gavin Gordon, Earnshaw. Subs Maxwell, Leo, Brayson, Low, Weston.

With a place in Sundays draw at stake its sure to be an entertaining game. City will be looking for a third consecutive 5 figure crowd, an excellent return especially so close to Christmas.