Cheltenham Town boss Martin Allen says he will return to previous club Leicester City with his head held high this afternoon.

Allen will lead a side out at the Walkers Stadium for the first time since he lost his job as Foxes manager in August 2007.

His reign at Leicester lasted for only 96 days and four matches, with chairman Milan Mandaric citing differences of opinion on the direction of the club.

"I will be very proud marching in there on Saturday as Cheltenham manager," Allen said.

"I know I can walk into Leicester City with my head held high because the last time I was manager there, we beat the top of the league side (Watford) 4-1 at home in front of 28,000 people, who gave our team a standing ovation.

"It didn't last very long, but we were very successful and I am confident I would have had a good season with them."

In all, Allen made 12 permanent signings for the Foxes, including former Newcastle striker Carl Cort, Iran international Hossein Kaebi and Bulgaria international Radostin Kishishev, while club captain Paddy McCarthy moved to Charlton and the likes of Stephen Hughes, Elvis Hammond and Alan Maybury were placed on the transfer list.

Stephen Clemence was brought in as the new captain and his former Birmingham team-mate DJ Campbell soon followed, but none of his signings are likely to be facing Cheltenham today.

Despite his rapid rise up the managerial ladder coming to an abrupt end at Leicester, Allen is glad he took the job.

"There was a good budget for players and I have no regrets about going there and no regrets about the decisions I made at all," he said.

"It was an eye opener and I will never forget my third day at the training ground when there were three members of staff and 44 players came out onto the pitch - it was like a scene from the film Zulu.

"It was a great experience and one treasured and I had a good time."

Allen insists his relationship with Mandaric is a good one, despite his rapid departure from the Walkers Stadium.

"Milan invited me up there when they played Lincoln earlier this season and it was nice to actually see him again and have a cup of tea with him," he said.

"He was very friendly and amicable and I will definitely make time tomorrow to go up and see him and shake his hand.

"There are no hard feelings because life is too short to harbour any grudges and you have to move on in life.

"Sometimes life upsets you, but you have to deal with it. Management is a job, not life and death."