The Gazza-man cometh. Mercurial midfielder Paul Gascoigne is poised to figure at York City tonight for manager Alan Little's benefit game.

Gazza's boss Bryan Robson was being cagey whether the man rejected by national coach Glenn Hoddle for England's World Cup challenge would start the game, which kicks off at 7.30pm.

But strong indications from the Teesside club hinted at Gascoigne featuring in a senior squad at Bootham Crescent for the friendly.

While Gascoigne may not appear for the full 90 minutes - he did so in breezy style against Stockport County two nights ago in his first competitive game since his World Cup agony - he is still expected to take some part.

Another clue was that Middlesbrough have scheduled a team of youth players to tackle tonight's North Riding Senior Cup semi-final tie away to Whitby Town. Coincidentally, the winners meet City in the final on a date to be arranged.

Boro chief Robson is mindful too of the club wanting to be at full-strength for their four-club JD Sports tournament they are hosting at the Riverside Stadium involving Newcastle United, Graeme Souness' Benfica and Empoli of Serie 'A' this weekend.

Besides the allure of Gascoigne's first ever outing on City turf, Boro are also primed to play several of their other big-name stars with the team likely to be a mix of sides that appeared first at Hednesford Town on Saturday and then at Edgeley Park two days later.

So that could mean outings for Boro's so far major summer signing Gary Pallister, bought for £2 million from Manchester United, and £800,000 capture Dean Gordon from Crystal Palace.

Added to that duo are the international brigade of Andy Townsend, Mikkel Beck and Colombia's World Cup man Hamilton Ricard. Expected too to make the trip, though not to play after arriving in the country just hours before kick-off, is Argentinian full-back Gustavo Lombardi, who has joined on a long-term loan.

Robson, closing in on a £5 million deal for Italian World Cup winger Francesco Moriero, may also welcome back £1 million striker Alun Armstrong against City.

Armstrong, who has had surgery on a back injury, was rated as having an outside chance to play tonight.

Boro are expected to bring a minimum of 1,000 fans.

City will start with their strongest line-up for a game in which beneficiary Little insists will largely be 'strictly business'.

He expected both City and Boro to be determined to exact the most out of the match as a full-blooded work-out for the season proper.

Said Little: "It won't be as light-hearted as you would normally get in testimonial games. I don't want it to be laid-back.

"It's the pre-season, it's the build-up to getting fit. It's a great exercise for fitness and for work."

The City boss was looking to Boro's international array to provide a suitably stern test for his Minstermen in the penultimate outing of the pre-season.

"We came out of our game with Huddersfield very well. Now if we can cope with even better players then it should stand us in good stead," he added.

"I want the players to express themselves, but also to compete."

Both former City aces Paul Barnes and Jon McCarthy will again don club colours, but their roles will be restricted to that of 'guests' as a gesture to manager little under whom they enjoyed some of their finest success at the club.

City's starting line-up: Warrington, McMillan, Jones, Tinkler, Thompson, Hall, Garratt, Pouton, Agnew, Woods, Cresswell.

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