TONY McMahon admits he would hate to play against himself.

The combatant City midfielder is one of the nicest guys around Valley Parade off the pitch.

But on it, he is happy to get in the faces of opponents and annoy the hell out of them for 90 minutes.

McMahon headed the weekend winner on City’s return to home soil and he intends to play a key role in earning FA Cup progress against Bury tonight.

And that could mean a spiky evening for Shakers left back Chris Hussey, who is likely to be marking him.

McMahon said: “It’s probably just my nature. I like to be aggressive on the pitch and work hard.

I don’t go out looking to do that but it’s just in me. I’ll go in hard but fair and I’m well up for a challenge whoever I’m up against.

“They probably hate playing against me because I’m a nuisance. But there’s nothing bad in it.

“I think I play better when I’m switched on and it’s something I’ve grown up doing.

“I wouldn’t say I play on the edge but it’s just the way I am. Off the field, I’m totally different.

“But it’s 90 minutes of me against the left back or the left winger – it’s personal for that time.

“I don’t have any trouble afterwards. It’s just football; it’s my job and we all want a result.”

McMahon, who has started the last 20 games, now has his sights on a potential crack at Hull in the fourth round. He would relish a tussle with the Tigers at Valley Parade.

“It is a good prize,” he added. “It would be a good opportunity to play a team from the league above and I think there would be a big crowd.

“But first we’ve got to get past Bury. We probably had the easier of the chances to nick it at their place but we’ve got them back at home and hopefully we can put it right.”

McMahon hit a post in the first clash and provided a cross-shot which James Hanson somehow put over the bar from close range on an afternoon when the travelling City support outnumbered the home fans.

McMahon said: “I’ve never seen anything like that before. It was just weird.

“Having away fans taking over the ground like that at both ends was something that will probably live with me forever.

“The Hans chance was just one of those which you put across the goal and sometimes they go in the bottom corner or else someone taps it in.

“If he tried that another ten times you’d expect him to put it in the net with every one. Maybe he took his eye off it.

“I don’t know what he did but Lidds (Gary Liddle) also had a good chance and I hit the post from a free-kick.”

City will hope to seize the opportunity this evening and book their place in the last 32 for the second year running. The home crowd can certainly rely on McMahon putting everything into it.

“I’d like to think that if someone had to describe me they’d say I was 100 per cent every week regardless of whether I’m playing well, badly or indifferently.

“Supporters want to see players giving their all and that’s what I try to do.”