Salford prepare to take on Man City in FA Cup fourth round
The match takes place at the Etihad tonight
Karl Robinson insists Salford will be much better prepared as they return to the scene of last season's 8-0 defeat by Manchester City.
The League Two side were swept aside by Pep Guardiola's men in an FA Cup third-round tie at the Etihad Stadium.
They make the same five-mile journey in the fourth round of this year's competition on Saturday and the manager expects a different type of game.
"Last year was really emotional," said Robinson. "It wasn't too long ago our owners were leaning on iron bars watching non-league football.
"To then walk out at the Etihad in front of 60,000 with their football club was incredible. That's the journey of all journeys.
"This year we have other things to worry about. We have a different mindset. We've learned from last year. We'll be way more prepared."
Facing City last season underlined the scale of Salford's rise from non-league circles, having been playing in the eighth tier a decade earlier.
Their ascent was famously fuelled by their takeover by a group of former Manchester United stars from the fabled 'Class of 92'.
But now in their seventh successive campaign in League Two, the club want to kick on.
The ownership changed last year as a new consortium fronted by Gary Neville and David Beckham bought out their former team-mates.
Ambitions have been restated and next season the club will revert to playing in orange, as they did before the 'Class of 92' brought in a red and white strip.
There is a feeling of wanting to escape the shadow of their illustrious Manchester neighbours.
Robinson said: "Salford is a proper football club and that's our message going into this game.
"Last year we wore the red kit but we'll wear our away kit this year, just to signify it's a new era. We do sit separate to City and United. We have our own identity.
"We're a completely different football club now."
Whether that manifests itself in a different result this weekend remains to be seen.
City certainly showed no mercy when they hammered League One Exeter 10-1 in the last round.
Yet Robinson retains belief.
"There's always hope, there's always a possibility," he said. "You don't know 100 per cent. You might know the odds are 99.9 per cent against, but there's still that chance.
"Everyone goes to bed the night before with that thought of 'what if?', and that's exciting."