The full-back has been a key figure for City since returning to the club for a third spell after being released by Blue Square Premier side Barrow.

His form has attracted Blue Square North Hyde United but Elderton has told City boss Barrie Stimpson he is staying put.

Stimpson said: "Hyde did come in for him but he has told us he is happy here and is not interested in talking to Hyde.

"He wants to improve himself but he has seen that we have the nucleus of a good squad here and are heading in the right direction.

"I am delighted with that. Ryan has come back to the club from Barrow a very polished player and is on top of his form at the moment."

The news is welcome as City prepare for a trip to Irongate to face a Brig side – including ex-City man Ryan-Zico Black – lying second on goal difference in UniBond Division One North.

And with City fifth, only four points behind, the clash is expected to be hotly-contested.

Stimpson said: "Games like this are why we play football. There is a bit of spice anyway with it being a derby and a few of the lads will know each other and I am sure we will have a few fans there. The fact that we are both at the right end of the table makes it even more tasty.

"We are looking forward to it. It will give us a measure of where we are at. It is not life or death that we win but we can certainly go there feeling confident.

"They are one of the favourites for promotion and rightly so. They were a good side last year and have strengthened since then and have a bit more financial backing too.

"We are still far from the finished article but things are certainly looking better. We are keeping clean sheets and if you take the Skelmersdale result out, our goals against column looks good.

"We will respect them as they have some good players but then so have we," added Stimpson.

Stimpson will check on the fitness of striker Mark Jackson and winger Lenny Reid with both suffering from slight calf strains.

Midfielder Paul Haddow will also have a fitness test after reporting a thigh injury last Saturday which kept him on the bench against Leek.

City go into the Brig clash on the back of their first cup win since January 2007 after beating Leek Town 1-0 on Saturday in the FA Trophy preliminary round.

City won £2,000 and set up a home clash with Rugby in the second round on October 18.

Stimpson said: "We always want to do well in the FA Cup and the Trophy and after the massive disappointment of losing in the FA Cup to Salford, it was nice to win and pick up some prize money.

"Teams that win leagues need to win ugly now and again and on Saturday we showed dogged determination against a Leek side who are decent and were unbeaten.

"The only slight disappointment for us was that we had chances to break and put the game to bed with a second goal but we didn't take them."

City's last knockout success was on Tuesday, January 9, 2007 in the Lancashire United Co-operatives Challenge Cup. The scorers that night were Aaron Helliwell (2), Neil Marshall, Luke Mulholland, and Jimmy Love.

City have another short trip next Tuesday when they face Tony Hesketh's Chorley in the UniBond League President's Cup.

Stimpson is likely to rotate his squad with the clash with Rugby in mind.