YORK City manager Steve Watson believes the tricky FA Cup home tie against Stockport County "gives us and the fans a really good tie to look forward to".

Yesterday's cup draw has pitted the Minstermen against the Hatters in the fourth qualifying round over the weekend of Saturday, October 19.

After wins at Irlam and Buxton, this is both York’s first Cup tie at Bootham Crescent this season, and their first against opposition not from a lower level - but that might not be a bad thing, says Watson.

National League outfit Stockport won promotion from the National League North last season, and currently sit 17th at Step 1. They went one better than City in last season’s Cup, progressing to the second round, where they were eliminated in a 1-0 defeat at Barnet.

"It's a tough draw," Watson said.

"I'm obviously pleased to be at home but it's certainly a tough one. They're the current champions of our league, and quite rightly so, promoted along with Chorley last season.

"They were the first two teams I faced as York manager - we lost 3-1 and 4-1 - but we've changed a lot since then, in personnel, system and mentality.

"I'm looking forward to it. It's certainly one the lads will have to lift themselves for and I'm certain they will.

"We found the opposition in the last two rounds difficult to overcome and I said to myself and the lads that if we drew a National League team, it might not be the worst thing in the world.

"It gives us and the fans a really good tie to look forward to."

For the 2018/19 National League North season, Stockport and York topped the table for average attendances. Stockport were the division's best travellers, averaging 1,832 away fans per game, while York's average gate of 2,500 made them the second best-supported home side.

And Watson is anticipating a decent turnout.

He said: "If you look at the last league game, the crowds are improving. They're hopefully buying into what we're trying to do.

"Stockport are a big club with a big following. Some games they had 5,000 or 6,000 turn out at home and you'd like to think they'll bring a few away fans.

"I'm expecting one of the biggest gates of the season."

With a prize of £18,750 for the winning side, the tie is just one step away from the first round proper. Watson, however, insists he is not looking beyond this weekend's trip to AFC Telford United.

He said: "It was good to listen to the draw with the lads - we trained a bit later so we could listen together in the canteen - but once the draw's made, you know who you've got and you've done the interviews then you put it on the back-burner and that's what I'm going to do.

"The focus is on getting three points and keeping this run going against Telford."