Town are expecting their highest league attendance of the season so far on Saturday when Crystal Palace visit Portman Road. The club are running a ticket promotion with adult seats at £10.

The Portsmouth game last month, when a similar promotion was run, is currently Town’s top Championship gate of 2010/11, having been watched by 23,345. The Cardiff match earlier in the campaign, also a promotion, saw 22,599 at Portman Road.

John Ford, Town’s ticket office manager, says he expects those totals to be surpassed at the weekend with 22,000 tickets already sold: "It's going to be a good crowd and could well beat the Portsmouth gate."

In addition to the ticket promotion, Saturday also sees the Supporters’ Club running a Day of Supporters Events with Blues fans from around the globe in attendance.

Meanwhile, with the early bird season ticket deadline just over a week away, Ford says he's encouraged by the number of applications already received: “Sales have gathered some pace, so there are plenty coming in.

"It is too early to forecast, but from the atmosphere generated by supporters renewing their tickets there seems to be optimism for the season ahead with Paul Jewell in charge.”

Elsewhere, Melbourne Victory have refused to comment on the likelihood of former Blues boss Roy Keane becoming their manager, a spokesman saying: "We won't be commenting on speculation regarding the coaching position. Suffice to say, we still have a long way to go in the process of appointing a coach."

Photo: Action Images

HighSeasBlue added 08:49 - Apr 7 Obviously the Naaaarwich Match will be "The Highest" gate of the season COYB!!!
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Back_The_Boss added 08:51 - Apr 7 Good scheme, should beat the 23,000 mark. COYB! Don't let me down as I have Town to win on my accumalator!
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chrice added 08:58 - Apr 7 So lower ticket prices = higher attendances! So why exactly are we charging £28 for regular home games?
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Garv added 09:02 - Apr 7 ^^ risky
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wazza added 09:02 - Apr 7 in the economic climate surely this should give an indication to the club that lower prices = higher attendance - which could mean higher revenue in the long run ?
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Bergholtblue added 09:08 - Apr 7 Chrice - Wazza ..... Yes, it's not rocket science is it? Lower prices = higher attendance = improved atmosphere = improved performance on pitch = success = higher attendance. Speculate to accumulate.
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clive_baker added 09:17 - Apr 7 No point filling the ground at £10 per ticket when you only need <11k at £28 to generate more £££ though is there. I appreciate the point about better attendances but it all comes down to money at the end of the day. I'm sure there is a happy medium though.
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ElginCityBlue added 09:40 - Apr 7 Elgin City have recently done this, the used to charge £13 for Scottish League Division 3 matches. That is lower equivalent than Blue Square North/South. They used to get about 250 gates. They've lowered their prices to £8 and they're getting gates of over 500 now. Surely if Town reduced their prices to £20, that would help get people in.
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cobbold_fanatic added 09:42 - Apr 7 Bring on the wall!
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ITFCFW added 10:09 - Apr 7 clive_baker ''No point filling the ground at £10 per ticket when you only need <11k at £28 to generate more £££ though is there. I appreciate the point about better attendances but it all comes down to money at the end of the day.'' These extra people also buy programmes, food, drink and visit the club shop, and some of them might come back again - although a lot won't until match day prices are reduced.

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TimmyH added 10:49 - Apr 7 Higher attendance = lost game
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50yearsablue added 10:54 - Apr 7 I'm all for initiatives for increasing the crowd and, hopefully, generating some atmosphere at PR but, in revenue terms, it's only about 5,000 extra at £10 per head. It also tends to irritate us season ticket holders who committed ourselves for a season at much higher rates.
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cthulhu added 12:09 - Apr 7 "It also tends to irritate us season ticket holders who committed ourselves for a season at much higher rates." Over the whole season, a ST holder still pays a much more favourable rate than if you bought the individual match tickets, so what do 1 or 2 promotional ticket offers matter?? Seems a rather churlish gripe.
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Lightningboy added 12:45 - Apr 7 Can't understand why clubs don't do this more often,particularly if they've got nowt to play for at the end of the season..better to fill the ground than have it half full.
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Mark added 12:46 - Apr 7 I totally support these promotional matches. As a season ticket holder, I like it when I can get friends and family tickets for £10. Hopefully they will enjoy it and then come back to see more games in future, maybe even getting season tickets. That's what it is all about. With regard prices, as I have written numerous times before the difference between season ticket prices and match day ticket prices is too big. Where I sit, match day tickets are about 60% more than I pay with my season ticket. It puts people off coming. Next season, my Britannia seat works out around £22 a match. Charge 25% more for match tickets I say, so around £27 or £28. Not £35+ !! Also, scrap the silly match banding system to make it simpler.

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BlueinBrum added 12:58 - Apr 7 5 years ago this would have been one of the lowest gates of the season which says something. Mind you it's been so long since we've had anything to cheer about I'm not surprised. Some decent football will get people back - we clearly have the fanbase people just get fed up of paying £30 to watch poor quality football.
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rosseden added 16:56 - Apr 7 anyone got any of these going spare, im tempted to head down but at £100 for fuel there and back some cheaper tickets would be a big help! as it is my season ticket was given up when i moved away so despite 14 years of loyal following i cant get the cheap ones directly!
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jas0999 added 17:12 - Apr 7 One of the reasons I am disappointed with the season ticket increase is it's pretty obvious that the lower the price the more people will sign up. Surely better to have 14,000 season ticket holders at a lower price than 10,000 with a higher price? Anyway, looking forward to the atmosphere on Saturday and with little to play for the perfect opportunity for PJ to play two up front and convince those still sitting on the fence what to expect next season. Great opportunity this for the club to really 'sell' the entertainment aspect.

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sadler added 17:21 - Apr 7 Good! i've got my ticket to go with my Dad! Supposed to be a nice day, with nice football and an even better 3 points! COYB
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kesblue added 17:25 - Apr 7 ross your welcome to get a tenner ticket through my season ticket,but not sure how it works to get one so late do u just need my cus num?pm me
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blue_till_i_die added 20:20 - Apr 7 clive_baker ...sorry having a poor paid job 4 kids and a sick wife who is unable to work has stopped me getting a season ticket (by the way i had one from 1987-2005)...but these promotions are a good idea i take the boys to these games and they have loved the experience!! and even better they stopped supporting man utd and now follow the town i would love to be able to watch my team every week as i have spent £1000s watching them home and away since the dark John Duncan days but due to having to shell out so much for a match this is no longer a option for someone like me

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TractorRoyNo1 added 00:57 - Apr 8 doh, because the club would go bust if they charged everyone a tenner, just think how many people they need just to pay bullards wages chrice added 08:58 - Apr 7 So lower ticket prices = higher attendances! So why exactly are we charging £28 for regular home games?
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