Once upon a time Cheltenham, like Yeovil, was the sort of place we went for a pre-season friendly against non-league opposition. Not so these days, when we're far more likely to be looking upwards in the league to see where Cheltenham are, such has been their elevation in recent years (coupled with our own deterioration).

Despite this, Cheltenham Spa still doesn't seem like the type of place that you should be visiting for football. Set in the Cotswolds it claims to be the most complete Regency town in Britain and its genteel nature would suggest rather loftier pursuits - polo perhaps (Gloucestershire is, after all, a County full of Royals)? Indeed, it was Royal patronage over two hundred years ago - by King George III who visited to take the spa waters - which put Cheltenham on the map, and the Pittville Pump Rooms can still be found in Pittville Park.

It is the "Sport of Kings" - horseracing - which remains Cheltenham's major sporting pastime and the town is inevitably invaded by thousands of British and Irish punters every March for the Gold Cup meeting. County Cricket too is played here, in the picturesque grounds of Cheltenham College, during Gloucestershire's hugely popular annual festival.

To get back to football, Cheltenham Town's recent rise through the divisions is a tribute to former manager Steve Cotterill. Cotterill took over at the helm in February 1997 and saw his side promoted from the Southern League to the Conference only a few months later and Cheltenham followed this with a second promotion, to the Football League, in 1999. The Robins' first two seasons in the League ended with finishes just outside the play-offs but in 2001/2 they finished fourth and were promoted again via the play-off season.

Cotterill's success had won him admirers by this time and as Cheltenham prepared for life in Division Two, he left for what would be a fairly short spell at Stoke City. The dream wasn't to continue and Cheltenham returned to Division Three this season, initially under the management of two-time Gas boss Bobby Gould. In November 2002 Gould parted company with the club and another ex-Rovers man, John Ward, took over.

Ward was controversially 'let go' by Rovers in May 1996 after finishing tenth in Division Two and leading the club to a Wembley Play-Off final a year previously. He later managed Bristol City where he gained promotion but lost out to Benny Lennartsson.

These days Ward is assisted by another familiar face to Gasheads, Bob Bloomer, while the Cheltenham Town physio is none other than Ian Weston. Ex-Gas keeper Shane Higgs is a regular in the side while four players who've previously plied their trade south of the river are also on Cheltenham's books: Damian Spencer, Ben Cleverley, Bob Taylor and Kayode Odejayi.

Finally, a little known fact outside of Cheltenham: the Robins' biggest transfer fee received was £60,000 for none other than Christer Warren who left for Southampton in 1995. Christer was last seen at the Mem in October 2002 after two substitute appearances for the Gas.

Train Travel

There are three trains an hour from Bristol Temple Meads or Parkway which take between 45 minutes and an hour. The Station is a fair way from the centre of town and the ground and there aren't always many taxis around so be prepared to walk if needs be!

Recommended Boozers

The centre of Cheltenham is full of the usual standard-issue townie chains - Yates, Hogshead, Bar Med, Slug and Lettuce, Toad etc - as well as local places like Tailors on Cambray Place.

In Montpellier, just south-west of the centre, the upmarket Montpellier Wine Bar and the rather more down to earth Rotunda (3 Montpellier Street) can be found alongside an O'Neill's.

Heading out of town on Portland Street, you'll find The Prince of Wales, which is worth a visit just to see the racecourse jump above the bar!

gasheads.com favourite pub for football though is the marvellous Kemble Brewery Inn, a real ale gem on Fairview Street (not too far from the ground if you follow locals). It's not easy to find and it isn't very big either but it's a top little pub if you make it there.

Upsetting the locals

Anything about playing second fiddle to horseracing ("only work in the stables" perhaps?) is worth a try and with all those ex-City players in the squad there must will be untold opportunities for (good-humoured) abuse. Let's hope that Bob Taylor makes an appearance though so we can bring out that old classic "Offside, Bob Taylor's always offside"…