Here are some more figures on City's record in FA Cup first round clashes:
* This will be the 35th FA Cup competition in which City have entered in the first round. The Bluebirds have advanced to the second round in 23 of their previous 34 appearances. Their all-time opening-round record shows 23 wins, 13 draws, and 11 losses.
* This will be the 18th consecutive season that City have played in the first round. During this run, which began with the 1985-86 season, the Bluebirds have played 21 first-round matches, winning 11, drawing four and losing six. Since that loss at Enfield, City's first-round record shows seven wins, two draws, and no losses.
* Saturday's match at Tranmere marks only the third time that City had drawn a first-round opponent occupying so lofty a perch as the Second Division. The only other times City have drawn a first-round opponent from this level were in 1991-92 when the Bluebirds lost at Swansea City (then in the Old Third Division) 2-1, and in 2000-01 when City blasted Bristol Rovers 5-1 at Ninian Park.
* City's best ever first-round win came in 1931 when CCFC ripped Enfield 8-0. Only twice has City lost by as many as three -- in 1932 to Bristol Rovers by a 4-1 count, and in 1935 to Dartford by a 3-0 margin. Eight of City's 11 first-round losses have been by a single goal. The club's only other defeat by more than a single goal came in 1914, a 2-0 loss to Bristol City.
Tranmere's first-round history looks a bit different than City's. Here's some info:
* Last year's 4-1 thrashing of Brigg Town at Prenton Park marked the club's first appearance in the first round since recording a 3-0 away win against Runcorn to kick off the 1991-92 competition. Tranmere haven't met a league opponent in the first round since 1989, when they lost to Preston 1-0 at Deepdale.
* Since World War II Tranmere have won 29 first-round matches, drawn 14, and lost 16.
* Their record at home during this span shows 17 wins, nine draws, and five losses. Tranmere have not lost a first-round match at home since falling 4-0 to Peterborough in 1976. Since that loss they show a mark of six wins and five draws in first-round games at Prenton Park. Five of the six wins came against non-league opponents, however.
John Heyda