Stoke City, who are currently enjoying their first ever season in the Premiership, picked up an opening victory in that competition at the weekend, by defeating Aston Villa 3-2 at the Britannia Stadium.

Former Swansea City and Gillingham player Mamady Sidibe claimed an injury-time winner when he was credited with the touch-on following Rory Delap's long throw-in.

Ironically Sidibe is one of a handful of players within the Stoke City squad who has previously played against the Robins. The Malian forward featured for Swansea City during a 2-2 draw at The Vetch, back in August 2001.

On Saturday Stoke put Villa under siege for the first 20 minutes of the match. By adopting such a direct style of attacking play it effectively unsettled Martin O'Neill's men.

It was certainly a case of 'tin-hat' time for the Villa at the Britannia Stadium as City pumped in a high percentage of long balls towards the Villa keeper Brad Friedel. The Villa stopper was kept on his toes all afternoon by the Stoke tactics and with Delap also menacingly hurling long throws at him throughout the game, Martin O'Neill's defence experienced an uncomfortable afternoon all round.

In fact it was Delap, with the ball at his feet this time, who was instrumental in Stoke's opening goal. He was fouled by Martin Laursen to allow Liam Lawrence to fire City ahead from the penalty spot.

Lawrence is yet another of the Stoke players to have featured previously against Cheltenham. He kicked off his professional career with Mansfield Town and came up against us on more than one occasion for the north Nottinghamshire club.

In March 2003 he scored for The Stags whilst playing for them at Whaddon Road and later that year grabbed two goals for Mansfield in a rout of the Robins at Field Mill.

Following a £175,000 move to Sunderland he then featured against Cheltenham at the Stadium of Light during September 2005. Lawrence eventually moved to Stoke City in January 2007, for £500,000.

In preparation for their first assault on the Premiership the Stoke manager, Tony Pulis, has spent the summer months attempting to compete with some of Europe's richest teams in the transfer market.

However, whilst City's summer signings might seem impressive in relation to their past efforts of wheeling and dealing, the amounts spent out this summer indicates the massive gulf between the established Premiership clubs and those moving up from the Coca Cola Championship.

Nevertheless, followers of Cheltenham Town can only read on with envy at the figures being splashed out by the current Stoke City boss.

In July he completed the clubs most expensive acquisition to date when he bagged Reading's Dave Kitson for a massive £5.5million.

28 year-old Kitson, who has now penned a three-year deal for the Potters, enjoyed an impressive strike rate with The Royals, where he grabbed 54 goals from just 111 league appearances.

Cheltenham supporters might also recall that the 6'3" tall striker previously made his name at Cambridge United, before moving to the Madjeski Stadium and he is Stoke player No.3 to have previously featured against Cheltenham Town. Whilst with Cambridge United, he scored twice for the 'U's in their League Two win at Whaddon Road, during September 2003.

Player No.4 to have lined up against Cheltenham in the past is, former Forest Green Rovers loanee, defender Leon Cort. In recent campaigns the player appeared for Southend United on more than one occasion against the Robins.

On Saturday, Cort played the whole 90 minutes against the Villa, Kitson was replaced up front by Sidibe, after 76 minutes of the Premiership encounter.

Yet to feature for Stoke in the Premiership this season, but to have also previously faced Cheltenham Town is the giant frontman, Jon Parkin.

Affectionately known by City fans as 'The Beast', Parkin played and scored for both York City and Macclesfield Town against the Robins.

After first endearing himself to his current home supporters during a successful loan period at the Britannia Stadium, Parkin eventually completed a £275,000 move to the club, from Hull City, in June 2007.

During his time at City he has generally been utilised as an 'impact player', often joining the game from the substitutes bench.

The sixth player in the Stoke squad to have played against us is, defender Andrew Wilkinson. An unused substitute on Saturday in the Villa fixture, Wilkinson was once on loan at Shrewsbury, whom he played for, at Whaddon Road, during April 2005.

Stoke City summer signings;
Dave Kitson (£5.5million) from Reading
Seyi Olofinjani (£3million) from Wolves
Thomas Sorensen (Free) from Aston Villa
Abdoulaye Faye (£2.25million) from Newcastle
Amdy Faye (undisclosed) from Charlton
Andrew Davies (undisclosed) from Southampton

If you are yet to purchase a ticket for Tuesday evening's R2 Carling Cup tie(7.45PM), they will be available on the day of the game from the Ticket Office, between 10am and 2pm and then again at the turnstiles from 6.30pm.