You’ve got to be in it to win it.

The League Cup I mean which for several seasons we weren’t as we weren’t in the league. Last season brought an early exit at the hands of Rotherham but this year brings an intriguing tie. Port Vale.

If it were a league match I‘d be really quite confident but as it happens I’m kind of confident but can’t wait to see what the team is. City aren’t in the position of having that many players in the squad they can afford to field two or even three different sides but are in the healthy state of having players who haven’t featured yet or not featured much, who need a game and are capable of giving a good account of themselves, so it’s a fascinating prospect.

It’s pointless trying to guess who will be in but it wouldn’t surprise me to see a start for Matt Rhead and likewise for Matt Green who ensured he wasn’t going to be the forgotten man with a sparkling performance last time out during which he managed a goal and an assist.

Will Joan Luque get a run out, who will get the night off? Will we see what Grant Smith is made of? It’s a prospect I’m awaiting with some excitement which is more than you can say for most of the encounters I’ve seen with the Valiants over the years.

There again, these are very special times to be interested in the Imps.