YORK City's former Stoke player, Graham Potter, is relishing tonight's match against his old club, believing a bout of underdog status could help kick-start the Minstermen's season, writes Peter Martini.

City go into the Worthington Cup first round first leg clash propping up the Football League, but the 25-year-old left wing-back reckons the pressure will be off.

"With the way we've started the season, it would be nice to keep things tight and hopefully get a good result to take back to the Britannia Stadium (on September 6)," he said.

"I don't think there's any pressure on us; if anything, it's a welcome break from the League. It gives us a chance to get a decent result and build confidence, and take that into the league programme.

"Stoke are favourites to go up from Division Two, and the pressure's on them. But we're looking to put on a good performance and be competitive, and a game like this one is the best place to start doing that."

Potter added that a good league campaign was the club's priority. "We would sacrifice a good result tonight to climb the table and be a top six side. The league is the most important thing, but we can use this game as a springboard for better league performances. And we still want to win."

Potter made his name at Stoke during the 1995-96 season before signing for Southampton for £300,000. He made a £250,000 switch to West Brom in February 1997 and moved to Bootham Crescent on a free this summer.

"It will be nice to play against my old club but times have changed in the four years since I left. They've moved to a new ground, there are new owners, a new manager and new players," he said.

"It's the same club but I'm not going to be facing my old manager or former team-mates."

Indeed, of the Stoke side set to visit Bootham Crescent, only goalkeeper Carl Muggleton is a former team-mate of City's new left wing-back. Although not first choice for Stoke's opening 0-0 draw with Wycombe, Muggleton entered the fray after Gavin Ward was injured and kept his place for Saturday's 2-1 victory over Bristol City.

Potter, meanwhile, is unsure of the reception he will get from the travelling Stoke fans.

"Knowing the Stoke supporters, they will probably give me a bit of stick, but when you face old clubs you always get some friendly banter, so to speak."

Stoke, meanwhile, have a number of injury worries prior to tonight's clash.

Last season's leading Division Two scorer, Peter Thorne, is still out following a cartilage operation, and fellow hotshot Kyle Lightbourne is out with a bruised foot. Bjarni Gudjonsson, son of manager Gudjon Thordarson, is also injured, while former Middlesbrough midfielder Graham Kavanagh is completing a three-match suspension.

However, Stoke have strength in depth, with former Blackburn and Leicester striker Graham Fenton now in the ranks and former Denmark international Henrik Rison and ex-England left-back Tony Dorigo set to start.

PICTURE: OLD BOY: Graham Potter