CHRIS LAKEY Norwich City fans are set to receive an FA Cup tickets boost - even though many more fans will still be disappointed. Tamworth are offering City 800 tickets for the third round showdown at The Lamb on January 6 - around 200 more than they are entitled to.

CHRIS LAKEY

Norwich City fans are set to receive an FA Cup tickets boost - even though many more fans will still be disappointed.

Tamworth are offering City 800 tickets for the third round showdown at The Lamb on January 6 - around 200 more than they are entitled to.

FA rules say host clubs have to provide 15pc of available tickets to their visitors - and in the case of Tamworth, whose ground holds just over 4,000, that's only 600.

However, the Conference side have been able to up City's quota.

“There will be more than 800 available,” said Tamworth club secretary and general manager Russell Moore. “It's really just because of the way the ground is laid out that the area for visiting fans will be larger.”

Prices for the match - which will be televised live on BBC - have been set at £20, £12 for over 65s and under-18s.

City are preparing for a ballot system should the allocation be over-subscribed - and that could well be the case, with City sending an average of 1,596 fans to away matches in the Championship this season. The three Carling Cup ties, all away from home, attracted an average of 674 City followers.

The first tickets will be offered to the 240 away season ticket holders, with season ticket holders with 10 away match stubs from the last 12 months next in line. Then come other season ticket holders and members with stubs from the last 12 months. All applications can be made in writing to the club as from this morning.

Tamworth are bracing themselves for a full house but should have enough recent experience to cope - at the same stage of the competition last season they took Stoke to a replay at The Lamb where 3,812 fans saw the non-league side go out on penalties.