Manchester City to use Cheltenham Town bar as changing room for FA Cup fourth-round clash

Cheltenham Town manager Michael Duff has insisted they will make the changing area as comfortable and has also insisted Manchester City will find the playing surface to their liking. "It isn't a League Two pitch so to speak. You aren't going to get a Ronnie Radford scene where it's like a ploughed field."

Manchester City players will be getting changed in the bar at Cheltenham Town's stadium when they visit for an FA Cup clash on Saturday but their fourth-tier hosts aim to make Pep Guardiola's men as comfortable as possible, manager Michael Duff said.

City, whose market value is estimated at over £950 million ($1.3 billion) by specialist website Transfermarkt, play their fourth-round clash at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium where away teams have used the Victory Bar as a changing room during the coronavirus crisis.

Asked what City's expensively assembled side would think of the Whaddon Road facilities, Duff told reporters: "I don't know, probably not a lot with the stadiums they play in every week.

Premier League

Maguire ruled out for three weeks, doubt for FA Cup final

05/05/2024 at 19:56

• Okay, now Liverpool are legitimately bad - The Warm-Up
• Pogba’s Man Utd turnaround may result in new contract - Paper Round

"They'll be getting changed in a lounge, as in, a bar, but we'll make it as hospitable as we can. I don't think there's anything special for them, but all protocols are in place.

"I'd imagine they'll be in the same place as everyone else has, but with a few more staff than League Two teams. Hopefully we can give them everything they need to make it a good day."

Duff said he was confident City would have no complaints about the state of their pitch.

"It isn't a League Two pitch so to speak. You aren't going to get a Ronnie Radford scene where it's like a ploughed field," Duff said, referring to the ex-Hereford United player's FA Cup stunner against Newcastle United on a muddy pitch in 1972.

'Not convinced he can challenge Klopp or Pep' - Is Tuchel really the man for Chelsea?

"They'll be able to play football on it and we won't be training on it for the next three days trying to make it as bad as possible because there's a league campaign after this. We pride ourselves on playing good football.

"We're not going to ruin the pitch for this one occasion."

Premier League

Haaland nets four as Man City thrash Wolves to keep pace in title race

05/05/2024 at 07:48

Premier League

Man City stars Foden and Shaw win FWA Footballer of the Year awards

03/05/2024 at 10:11

Barclays WSL

'Not to be this year' – Hayes concedes WSL title to Man City after Chelsea defeat

02/05/2024 at 10:04