CITY have been in existence for 117 years, so it is not often that they come up against brand-new opponents.

But they travel down to Kent to take on National League South side Tonbridge Angels for the first time in the FA Cup First Round tomorrow.

The Angels have not played since the fourth qualifying round two weeks ago, but it was the perfect warm-up for this weekend, as they thumped Taunton Town 5-0 at home.

The star of that win was winger Ben Greenhalgh, who netted twice, and the 28-year-old has one of football’s more extraordinary back stories.

He won the reality TV show ‘Football’s Next Star’ back in 2010, with the prize a contract at Italian giants Inter Milan.

He trained alongside the likes of Javier Zanetti and Patrick Vieira, under the watchful eye of then-manager Jose Mourinho.

Greenhalgh travelled with Inter to the 2010 Champions League final, where they beat Bayern Munich to secure a European and domestic treble.

He was even given a Champions League winners’ medal to treasure.

But with his time at Inter not working out, he returned to England. Despite landing a contract with Brighton’s development squad, his desire for first-team action saw him head for non-league, where, apart from a short spell in Scotland with Inverness Caledonian Thistle, he has plied his trade for the last eight years.

Greenhalgh and his teammates have gone on a fine FA Cup run this year, beating Farnborough, Chichester and Taunton.

They have struggled in the league though, beating Billericay 2-0 on the opening day but losing heavily to Hungerford and Oxford City in their other two games so far.

Tonbridge boss Steve McKimm is confident ahead of tomorrow though, saying: “It’s not intimidation but maybe there is a fear factor of playing at a ground they are not used to, probably smaller changing rooms, the crowd is not as big and they are there for an upset.

“In terms of Bradford, everybody is going to be watching if they don’t put their best foot forward.

“I’ve been involved in plenty of games playing and coaching against a higher-league side and you can see a bit of nervousness in them. They don’t want to be known as the team that got beaten by someone lower down.

“I mentioned the Chelsea game but I also remember them beating Arsenal and Villa on route to Wembley. Those never get forgotten.

“You don’t want to be part of that. I’m sure it was like that for Chelsea.

“It is better when the fans are there because you feel they help you out a bit more.

“But it’s no different if we’d been drawn at Bradford and the crowds they can get. That would have put the fear of God into my players.”