Peterborough United manager to return to a happy place on Saturday, but he sees danger at his old club

Cheltenham Town FC is where an impressive Football League career really began for a midfield maestro. Leaving West Ham United after five years at the club turned out to be a great decision.

"It was a wrench to leave West Ham after so long there,” McCann said. “But I had a great time at Cheltenham. It was successful, but it was also enjoyable because of the staff and the fans.

"Bobby Gould signed me. We won promotion from League Two through the play-offs in time and then enjoyed a decent season in League One.

"I loved it down there and I’m sure I’ll see a few familiar and friendly faces when I go back on Saturday.”

Posh are favourites to start their League One season with a win, but McCann is wary of a Cheltenham side who have recruited well and could play in a different style to last season.

Promotion-winning boss Michael Duff left the club for Barnsley in the summer and has been replaced by his coach Wade Elliott.

"From what we’ve seen this summer they’ve twaked the way they play and there could be more of a passing game from them this season,” McCann noted. “They certainly have plenty of energy and quality in midfield with the likes of Liam Sercombe, Ellis Chapman and Elliott Bonds who I had at Hull.

"Alfie May will always be a threat up front, while they have brought in a big strong forward in Dan N'Lundulu from Southampton.”

Cheltenham have former Posh players Lewis Freestone and Kyle Vassell on their books.

Academy graduate Freestone (22) made 8 first-team appearances for Posh as a left-sided defender before moving to the Brighton Under 21 set-up and on to Cheltenham for whom he has played 59 times.

Striker Vassell scored 6 times in 36 appearances for Posh between 2013 and 2016 after stepping into the Football League from Bishop’s Stortford. He scored twice for Cheltenham after joining them early last season.

McCann made just four substitute appearances for West Ham before Cheltenham splashed out a bargain £50k on a then 22 year-old 20 years ago. He’d had two previous loan spells with the Robins.

Gould, who later went on to coach Posh, quit not long after McCann’s arrival and promotion to League One was achieved in the 2005-06 season after a 1-0 play-off final win over Grimsby.

Cheltenham beat Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals.

McCann made 179 appearances for Cheltenham, scoring 41 goals before moving on to Barnsley in January, 2007 for £100k. The Northern Ireland international then spent a successful time at Scunthorpe before forging a reputation as one of the club's greatest midfielders at Posh.

He scored 35 goals in 185 appearances for Posh.