Carl Muggleton will feel extra prepared for tonight's FA Cup tie at Walsall, having finally trained with his City team-mates.

The on-loan goalkeeper hadn't even met the other players before being rushed into his debut against Crystal Palace last week.

At least he's had a few days since to get to know his colleagues. And following the weekend thaw, yesterday he even got the chance to join them for training.

Muggleton said: "The deal happened very quickly late on the Friday afternoon so there was no time to do anything.

"I just turned up for the game on Saturday and was thrown in to play! But it went quite well for me personally although I was disappointed that we ended up getting beaten."

Muggleton, borrowed from Cheltenham, hopes to put himself back in the shop window with City - his 14th professional club.

He said: "It's all about being in the picture and playing first-team football. When you get to 33, you want to be playing or at a club where you are pushing for a place.

"First and Second Division sides want experienced keepers on the bench as well. So hopefully peole will see that I'm around and something might happen for me.

"With Nicky Law coming in it's a fresh start for everyone here including myself.

"I played against Nicky a couple of times when he was in charge at Chesterfield and I know Ian Banks from when we were both at Leicester.

"But you look round this club and there's a lot of quality. Hopefully with the new manager coming in that will freshen things up again."

The Palace game was Muggleton's first for nearly four months after regular keeper Steve Book came back from injury.

He said: "I can't complain because Steve's been playing well and Cheltenham have had some good results. They have crept up the league and of course on Sunday they got a great result against Oldham in the FA Cup."

Muggleton, who was at Whaddon Road for the game, hopes a bit of that cup success might rub off his way.

With Aidan Davison and Gary Walsh both injured, 11th-hour stand-in Muggleton was registered just in time to play for the Bantams in the cup.

And with the prospect of a fourth-round trip to Charlton, he intends to grab his chance.

He said: "It's a great incentive tonight. I got into the fifth round once at Leicester but nothing else so I'm probably due a decent FA Cup run."