Barry's back

The York City defender, named Clubman of the Year for the past two seasons will face Stoke City in tonight's Worthington Cup first round, first leg, tie at Bootham Crescent (7.45pm).

Fans' favourite Jones has not started either of City's two Division Three defeats at Chesterfield or at home to Cheltenham on Saturday.

But he gets his chance to impress tonight because City skipper Peter Swan is out of action for at least three weeks after damaging his troublesome right knee during Saturday's 2-0 defeat by Cheltenham.

The 33-year-old Swan, who underwent a serious cruciate ligament operation on his knee early last year, saw a specialist yesterday amid fears of a recurrence.

However, early indications are that he has just torn a cartilage. "I think he felt it in the first half after going into a tackle, and it puffed up after the match," said City manager Terry Dolan.

"If the tear is confirmed then it's not as bad as we might have feared. He had a problem with his knee 18 months ago, but there's no damage there."

The silver lining for Dolan is that Swan is suspended for three games anyway following his sending off against Chesterfield last week. In that sense the injury has come at a good time.

"He can have his treatment while he's suspended (versus Barnet, at Darlington and for the return Worthington Cup leg at Stoke)," said the City boss.

The other good news for Dolan is that he has an ideal replacement in Jones chomping at the bit to come into the side for tonight's tie with Division Two big-boys Stoke.

Jones, has been on the bench for the opening two games of the campaign, but will get his chance to reclaim his regular place in the starting line-up with a run of games while Swan is out.

"He (Jones) would have come in next week anyway, and the only other addition to the squad is Wayne Hall, who is available again after a thigh strain," Dolan added.

The City boss would not say whether unforced changes to the line-up are likely following the side's poor start to the season. However, he is demanding a much improved display.

"I've stressed the need to compete better. What disappointed me most on Saturday was the fact they won most of the challenges and I can't remember us making many tackles. That's what we've been stressing to the players," he said.

"Cheltenham showed us what you need to do to be a good solid team. No matter what team you're playing against you've got to earn the right to play before thinking about tactics."

Dolan admitted there was a bit of pressure on his side to put on a good show tonight, saying: "We're the underdogs so there's no pressure in that sense. The only bit of pressure is because we've lost our first two games.

"It's not been the start I expected but we've only played two games and if we get something out of tonight's game it will help towards Friday's match (at Carlisle). But we're playing against a team who have started well and are many people's favourites to go up from Division Two. It won't be easy.

"You would expect Stoke to be technically better than the two teams we've played, but that's not been our problem. It's that we haven't been competing with the opposition. I'm expecting more tonight."

Dolan has scotched rumours he was wanting to sign French striker Jerome Vareille, 26, from Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock. "I think agents are just trying to stimulate some interest," he said.

sport@ycp.co.uk

PICTURE: JONES JOY: York City defender Barry Jones, who returns to the thick of the action tonight after missing the Minstermen's opening two games of the season.

Worthington Cup first round, first leg at Bootham Crescent tonight 7.45pm.

York City

Probable: Alan Fettis, Darren Edmondson, Graham Potter, Barry Jones Mark Sertori, Gary Hobson, Christian Fox, Kevin Hulme, Peter Duffield, Barry Conlon, Steve Agnew.

Subs from: Russ Howarth, Lee Bullock, David McNiven, Matt Hocking, Marc Thompson, Colin Alcide, Wayne Hall

Injury news: Craig Skinner (thigh), Chris Fairclough (knee), Peter Swan (knee)

Stoke City

From: Carl Muggleton, Ben Petty, Tony Dorigo, Nicky Mohan, Brynjar Gunnarsson, Wayne Thomas, James O'Connor, Henrik Rison, Stefan Thordarson, Paul Connor, Robert Heath, Steve Taaffe, Matt Bullock, Graham Fenton, Clive Clarke, Gavin Ward.

Injury news: Bjarni Gudjonnson, Peter Thorne (cartilage), Kyle Lightbourne (bruised foot)

Referee: Uriah Rennie (Sheffield)

Match Facts

The Potters have made one previous cup visit to Bootham Crescent and that was in the third round of the FA Cup in 1968-69. At the time Stoke were in the old First Division and City in the Fourth. The match was played on January 4, 1969 when 11,129 saw the visitors win 2-0 thanks to a couple of goals scored by Harry Burrows.

City: Widdowson, Kelly, Richardson, Carr, Topping, Burrows, Taylor, Ross MacDougall, Hodgson, Boyer.

Stoke: Banks, Marsh, Elder, Bernard, Bloor, Steels, Eastham, Dobing, Herd, Conroy, Burrows.

The clubs met in the Second Division in 1998-9 and the game at York on April 17, 1999 ended in a 2-2 draw with Martin Garratt and Scott Jordan the scorers.

Former City manager Denis Smith is a Stoke legend as well as an ex-Minstermen hero. Born and bred in the Potteries, Smith - a fearless centre-half played more than 400 times for his home town club. He was loaned out to City in 1982, then became player-manager and as manager in 1984 led City to the Division Four title.