New Eccleshill United manager Ian Banks is relishing the prospect of facing one of his former clubs when Bradford City visit for a pre-season friendly tonight.

Banks’s debut in the dug-out at Eccleshill’s Smith Butler Stadium will be against the Eagles’ League Two neighbours. The club is expecting a turn-out of a couple of thousand as the Bantams supporters get to see Peter Taylor’s close-season signings for the first time.

Banks said: “This is a massive game for Eccleshill and could set us up for the season in financial terms.

“I’m hoping there will be a crowd of 1,500 at the very least, maybe more but I have seen some of the postings on the fans forums and the pricing may be a problem.

“Our club is charging £10 for adults, which isn’t bad, but a lot of the spectators are saying it’s a bit steep for a game against a non-league club. But we have a lot of extra staffing costs and some of that has to be passed on and it will still be one of the cheapest games for their fans this season.

“This is a big attraction for a club of our size and probably the reason why we had 34 players trying to put a marker down in our first four training sessions. They would all like be involved in this one.”

The pre-season friendly will kick off at 7pm, a start time that has caused controversy elsewhere this week after City’s trip to Guiseley was called off.

Banks said: “I read in the T&A that a friendly has been cancelled because the clubs didn’t agree but it’s not a problem for us. Peter Taylor asked for a 7pm kick-off and when a club like Bradford are involved, to my mind you bend over backwards.

“I understand that Bradford will be bringing their entire squad and playing two teams, different ones in each half. Peter will be having a look at all his players and assessing their fitness and team shape.

“The same as we are really, on a much smaller scale of course. I have to look at a lot of players though, I have seen them training but until you see them in a game situation you don’t get a true picture.”