Steve Whitton takes his Colchester United squad into the Cardiff City lion's den tonight for another battle of the haves and have-nots.
Back in the frame - Bobby Bowry (left)
In-form Cardiff are one of the number of clubs who appear to have money to burn, while the U's face an annual battle to try and make ends meet.
But once the teams are out in the middle at Ninian Park tonight, finances will take a back seat as Whitton's Layer Road paupers look to outplay Alan Cork's Bluebirds princes.
The U's boss said: "Once we are out there on the pitch it's all about football.
"And we must take great heart from our positive results already this season against Reading and Wigan, two of the other clubs where cash appears to be no object.
"When you look at the huge budgets of teams like Cardiff, Wigan, Reading and Stoke City, and the money they create, we do well to compete on the same level as them.
"But that's our big challenge.
"The boys have already proved they've got what it takes by winning at Wigan a couple of weeks ago and we must go to Cardiff and do the same tonight."
Whitton said the game is yet another massive test for his players against a Welsh club that is littered with quality players.
He added that in former Stoke City duo Peter Thorne and Graham Kavanagh they boast a couple of players worth over £1m and their long throw specialist Andy Legg and tall striker Leo Fortune West are not bad players either.
"We know we have our work cut out, but that's what makes life more exciting for us."
Kemal Izzet, who suffered an Achilles injury against York City on Saturday, will be missing tonight, but fellow midfielder Bobby Bowry is fit again and returns to the squad.
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Published Tuesday November 20, 2001
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