Colchester United greeted news of their prospective FA Cup trip to 1987 Wembley final winners Coventry City with subdued professionalism.
Easy listening - U's players (from left) Pat Baldwin, Andy Myers, coach Brian Owen, Jamie Cade, Greg Halford and manager Phil Parkinson broke off from a weight-lifting session at the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment's gymnasium at Colchester's Meeanee Barracks to listen to the cup draw. Picture: ROB SAMBROOK
"It's not the glamour tie we were obviously hoping for," said deflated U's boss Phil Parkinson.
"We are disappointed and, with being drawn away again, we've got to do it the hard way once more.
"However, it is a big game for us. But we've still got a very tough replay against Accrington Stanley to get through before we can even think about playing Coventry."
The winners of next Tuesday night's Layer Road replay will travel to Highfield Road for the fourth-round game against Gary McAllister's lowly Nationwide League First Division outfit on Saturday, January 24.
Colchester have never met the Midlanders in the FA Cup before, but they were beaten 3-0 in a Worthington Cup, first-round tie at Highfield Road last season.
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Published Tuesday January 6, 2004
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