KEVIN KEEGAN will be bringing a strong Manchester City squad to Stainton Park tonight (Friday) for yet another prestige friendly involving Radcliffe Boro.

Kevin Glendon's men have already locked horns with Premiership new boys Bolton Wanderers and local rivals Bury FC.

Now Keegan and his right-hand man, former England hero Stuart Pearce, will be in attendance at the Boro, running the rule over their playing staff.

Keegan will be using the game as useful preparation as he gets to know more about his new charges at Maine Road in readiness for a bid to hoist City back into the Premiership at the first attempt in the coming season.

As for Boro, they are hoping to put on a good show on the pitch, as they did against Bolton, and rake in another load of cash on the gate.

The crowd of just under 1,200 that turned out for the Bolton game on July 14 brought in around £5,000 for the club and chairman Bernard Manning Junior, who along with his father, Bernard senior, the Boro President, have strong City connections, will be hoping for another bumper gate.

Admission prices for the game, which kicks off at 7.45pm, are £5 for adults and £3 for children and senior citizens.

Glendon was pleased to be able to train with a fuller squad during the week after being restricted to the bare bones for the Bolton and Bury games because of holidays and other commitments.

Boro began the Bury game with Danny Hurst in goal, Richard Battersby, Steve Spencer, Simon Kelly, James Price and Tony Whealing across the back, Eamon Elliott, Scot Wilson and Eamon Kelly in midfield and Dave Collins and Lee Kissock up front.

Despite the 3-0 reverse, Glendon said: "I thought we put on another fabulous show against Bury. There were some lovely comments about us from the Bury people and I was really pleased with our first half performance.

"I thought Bury's last goal was a bit cruel because there was a lad down injured and it took a bit of a deflection. I think 2-1 would have been a fairer result.

"We carried through to the Bury game the way we had played against Bolton when we did well, certainly for the first hour, but Bury were able to use a lot of substitutes, as Bolton had done, and we were down to the bare bones again.

"The squad is looking a lot healthier now though. I had a good turn out the other night, with only David Bean, Gus Wilson and Mark Dempsey missing.

"Beany is on holiday, Mark is doing his coaching badge and Gus is coaching in America, but they will all be back and available for us before the start of the season."

Glendon is hoping to give former Bury and Stockport left back Paul Williams a run out against City and he may give new goalkeeping trialist Phil Priestley a taste of the action, depending on how the game goes.

Priestley is 24 and has just been released by Rochdale and with no immediate cover for Hurst at the moment, has a big chance to impress, though keeping two goalkeepers happy when you only run one team is a problem Glendon also has to contend with.

That's something that runs right through the squad though, for as Glendon says: "If a player is not getting in the team and not being paid, he is almost certainly going to go somewhere else.

"I want to have enough players in the squad to put pressure on for places throughout the team and at the moment we are looking like we might be able to do that with a squad of just over 20 at our disposal when everyone's available."

Centre back Steve Spencer is expected to sign on Friday after impressing in the friendlies. "Steve has really caught my eye," said Glendon, of the former Sheffield United youth team captain. "We are just waiting to finalise things with him."

Target man Richard Landon has also signed up with the Boro. The former Plymouth and Macclesfield striker missed the game against Bury with a back injury after making an impressive start against Bolton, but is expected to feature against City.

Midfielder Eamon Elliott has also signed on and Glendon is also waiting to see if former Burnley utility man Chris Scott will be coming down to Stainton Park for a trial.

The 20-year-old son of former Burnley defender Derek Scott is currently having a look at Conference club Leigh RMI, but Glendon is hoping he will come down to Stainton Park if nothing works out at Hilton Park.

Radcliffe's next friendly after the Manchester City game is away at Mossley next Tuesday night and supporters are reminded of the local "derby" at Ramsbottom United on August 13.