CHRIS LAKEY Peter Grant has warned against the danger of treating League One side Blackpool lightly tomorrow when City attempt to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup for only the second time in the last decade.

CHRIS LAKEY

Peter Grant has warned against the danger of treating League One side Blackpool lightly tomorrow when City attempt to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup for only the second time in the last decade.

The Tangerines are sitting comfortably in the play-off zone, while Norwich are struggling to keep away from the Championship relegation spots.

Grant missed an opportunity to see Blackpool in action last weekend after the postponement of the game at Burnley led to a quick fixture check - which showed Simon Grayson's team playing at Leyton Orient.

In the meantime, scouting reports and DVDs have had to suffice - and Grant sees plenty of dangers lurking at Bloomfield Road.

"We know they have done very well," said Grant. "They are playing with a confidence because they are winning games of football.

"They have four strikers who are all capable of scoring goals, which is important.

"They have Forbesy (Adrian Forbes) who we know from here, and they have young (Wes) Hoolahan who plays on the left hand side who is getting good reports, they're talking about him as Andy Reid type player.

"They have good experience and they have boys like (Ian) Evatt at the back who has played in the Championship, (Michael) Jackson who played with Preston during their successful period, Rhys Evans, who was brought up at Chelsea and played with Swindon, so they have a good mixture of experience and they are playing with confidence."

Grant may have missed out on a spying mission of his own, but says the reports from Brisbane Road suggested just why Blackpool are such a danger, as they came away with a 1-0 win.

"By all accounts Orient had a hell of a lot of the game but Blackpool won it, and that tells you a lot about some teams because they feel as if they are always capable of winning games as long as they are in it," he said.

"And they have goal scorers. I remember playing against Andy Morrell when he was at Wrexham and him doing ever so well when he got his big move to Coventry, always capable of scoring goals. They've got Keigan Parker and Scott Vernon, all these guys are all capable of scoring goals at that level and have proved it time and time again."

Grant is clearly impressed by Blackpool's progress this season, but had a special word of praise for Forbes, with whom he played during his Carrow Road stint in the late 90s.

"Everybody knows what Forbesy is like," he said. "He is capable of being a match winner. There are certain things he can do in a game.

"And great credit to him. He went to four corners of Britain to play, Swansea, Blackpool and he was at Luton and did ever so well and it takes a lot for a player to do that. Great credit to him - and it's a big chance to be on this stage again and get one over his old club.

"He was a smashing bloke and got his just rewards - but hopefully he's disappointed after the game on Saturday."

One thing Grant will want to know well in advance is the state of the Bloomfield Road pitch.

"I am hoping the weather will be kind," he said. "It's supposed to be getting a bit milder. We go there and we have to be as professional as we were in the last round and forget about the pitch. Both teams have got to play on it, don't make it an excuse and make sure we do the job properly. We just hope the game will be on, that's the most important thing.

"We can't dictate that - mild in Blackpool and mild in Norwich could be completely different."