STOKE potters Jamie Cope and Dave Harold make welcome returns to the green baize today as they look to qualify for next month's Glasgow Grand Prix.

Longton's Cope and Trent Vale cueman Harold both need to win one final round qualifying match at the Pontin's Holiday Park in Prestatyn, North Wales, to guarantee their participation in the second ranking event of the new season.

Cope, the world number 18, locks horns with either Wellingborough professional Rory McLeod or promising Irish youngster Dave Morris, the practice partner of former world champion Ken Doherty.

And world number 19 Harold will either play Doherty or Welshman Paul Davies, the latter who fought back from 4-0 down in the last round on Tuesday to triumph 5-4 to keep his qualifying dreams alive.

"I didn't have a very good season last season," admitted Cope.

"But it just shows me how little I've probably got to do break into the top 16.

"I lost too many sloppy matches last season.

"If I can cut out those defeats, then I'll be in much better shape.

"I've been practising really hard over the summer. I'm ready to have a good season."

Earlier this month, Cope overcame illness to beat Joe Perry, the world No 12 and former Crucible semi-finalist, in the first round of the Roewe Shanghai Masters, the first ranking event of the 2009-10 campaign, at the Shanghai Grand Stage.

But a 5-0 whitewash at the hands of current UK champion Shaun Murphy followed, with a quarter-final place within his grasp.

The 24-year-old added: "I didn't feel well at all. I was pleased to beat Joe because I was a bit shaky,

"I felt strange for some reason – I felt weak and not myself.

"I'm feeling better now, so to win a match in Shanghai was a bonus."

Cope, who has reached two ranking finals, is confident he will take his chance at the third time of asking if he can reach another ranking final.

"I'll definitely be ready – the experience of playing in two finals before will help me."

"I've got good memories of the Grand Prix when I reached the final there a few years ago.

"My performances there were what got me noticed for the first time."

Meanwhile, former Asian Open champion Harold failed to qualify for Shanghai after defeat in the final round of qualifying.

So it's little surprise the 42-year-old Stoke City fan is hungry to get his season back on track, and is desperate to complete in the Grand Prix at Glasgow's Kelvin Hall, which takes place between October 3 and 11.