YORK City boss Martin Foyle has admitted the prospect of a trip to his old club Oxford United has given him an added incentive to triumph in tonight’s FA Trophy first round tie at Northwich.

The winners of this evening’s rearranged game will travel to Oxford on Saturday, January 10, which would represent Foyle’s first visit to the Kassam Stadium either as a player or manager.

Foyle scored 44 goals for the then Manor Ground club in 151 games between 1987 and 1991, including two seasons of top-flight football.

He joined the U’s in a £140,000 move from Aldershot and left for Port Vale, who shelled out £375,000 for his services.

About the possibility of a first game in the opposing dugout at the new stadium, Foyle said: “I’ve only been to the Kassam to watch games and the draw’s a big incentive from my point of view.

“Oxford are a good, friendly club and I have fond memories of my time there. We had some good players but lost the likes of John Aldridge and Ray Houghton and the club have been in a bit of a downward spiral since.

“They are non-League now and names mean nothing at this level if things haven’t been right on and off the pitch.

“They’re a bit like ourselves in that they are trying to lay foundations to get back into the league only they are a bit wealthier.”

Foyle would also be in direct opposition to his former Oxford manager Jim Smith, who is back at the helm of the U’s after the sacking of manager Darren Patterson, the one-time City defender, last month.

Injured pair Bruce Dyer and Niall Henderson have been ruled out for tonight’s trip with hamstring injuries while the cup-tied Adam Smith will play at Leeds United instead this evening for the reserves, who will be managed by new youth-team coach Steve Torpey.

Smith’s absence is likely to mean a recall for fit-again winger Simon Russell with Foyle adding: “We will go back to what we were or very similar.

“The two strikers (Richard Brodie and Onome Sodje) give us a bit more mobility and mean we can be more solid in our midfield four selection.”