REDDITCH United are preparing for their biggest match of the season when they take on arch rivals Bromsgrove on New Year's Day.

The match is set to be a cracker with a bumper gate expected at the top ten clash (ko 1.30pm).

Numerous connections between the two sides have added to the spice as Rovers seek to sustain their Western Division title tilt and United aim to consolidate a top six position.

The most notable of several ex-United personnel in the visiting squad is striker Paul Danks.

The former Valley crowd favourite left in the close season after United boss Rod Brown refused to offer him a contract.

Danks was leading scorer in each of his full seasons with Redditch and has been linked with Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest in the past.

The former Walsall youngster will have a point to prove to his old club on his first return to the Valley.

Matty Southwick, Steve Frost, Neil Cartwright, Mark Benbow and Stewart Brighton are also Rovers players who have figured at the Valley in recent seasons and were all, apart from Benbow, released by Brown.

Southwick was one of Brown's earliest signings after the manager joined from Stourport but left in the close season, along with Brighton, who joined United's pre-season programme but failed to settle.

Joint player-manager Gary Hackett is returning to United after being sacked as Nicky Cross' number two early last season, he linked up with Jon Ford at Rovers after a short playing stint with Causeway United.

And physio Lee O'Neill completes the former Reds, the bucket man also left under a cloud after Brown's arrival.

But the United chief has already faced, and beaten, some ghosts of Christmas past in last week's dramatic 3-2 win at Stourport and will be ready for the Rovers challenge.

Having set his side a target of nine points from four tough festive fixtures, his charges faltered at the first with a 2-0 loss at Cirencester and went down 1-0 at home to Merthyr on Saturday.

And the manager will have an eye on Saturday's trip to lowly Rocester (ko 3pm) as a chance for another three points.