Stoke City chairman Peter Coates is pleased with their FA Cup semifinal draw against Bolton Wanderers.
Coates admitted he was hoping for Bolton when the draw was made - leaving a Manchester derby in the other tie - but he knows Owen Coyle's in-form side will provide a stern challenge.
He said: "When I went into the boardroom after the game, I was asked who I wanted in the draw, and my answer was Bolton. But I imagine that if you'd asked them the same question at Bolton, they would have said Stoke City.
"It's only natural that we would prefer to miss the two Manchester clubs, but Bolton have been made the favourites, and the bookmakers know what they are talking about.
"They have been in the Premier League much longer than us and they're higher in the table at the moment, so it's perhaps not surprising."
