Richard Edghill is happy to spend his birthday 200 miles from home.

The experienced City defender turns 32 tomorrow but there will be no family party.

That's because Edghill will be on first-team duty for the club's first-ever trip to Cheltenham.

"It may not sound the ideal birthday present," he laughed. "It's a long way to go and by the time I get back it will be too late to see anyone or go out and celebrate.

"But I just want to be playing again and if the gaffer does give me the chance then I won't be complaining."

Edghill and youngster Ben Parker are competing for the vacant left back role after Alan Rogers pulled his hamstring.

And the former Manchester City stalwart is hoping to get the nod for his first start since the third game of the season.

Having worked through the summer to come back from a broken leg, Todd felt that Edghill needed a breather and left him out at Crewe last month - and the form of his replacement Nathan Doyle has made him impossible to budge.

Edghill can appreciate the manager's thinking, up to a point.

"I had a chat with him and he reckoned all the effort I'd put in with the injury had caught up with me a little bit," he added. "I've been at it virtually non-stop for five months and only had one week off before pre-season.

"I can understand what the manager was saying and it has been good to have a rest, although it's always disappointing to be left out. I've felt frustrated not to be playing but I think there would be something wrong with me if that wasn't the case. Nathan has come in and done very well, so you can't hold that against him."

Edghill can play on either side of the back four and will willingly switch to the left if opportunity knocks against the League One new boys.

Cheltenham will be new ground, not only for City but also Edghill. He has played at most places during a 15-year career but tomorrow would be a first.

"I've been to a few different ones in the last year and Swansea's new stadium was really nice. Somewhere like Whaddon Road obviously won't compare because it is more old fashioned and traditional.

"You do notice going to somewhere else, although you put that to the back of your mind when the game starts.

"The important thing is that we come back with something. That's what the manager will be drumming into us because we've lost the last two away games.

"We're nine games in and there is a long way to go. But it's all about consistency and trying to take our very good home form into away games."