CHRIS BISHOP King's Lynn FC hope ground improvements will enable them to up the limit for The Walks and allow another 1500 fans to live the club's big FA Cup dream next week.

CHRIS BISHOP

King's Lynn FC hope ground improvements will enable them to up the limit for The Walks and allow another 1500 fans to live the club's big FA Cup dream next week.

All 2500 tickets for the Linnets' Second Round clash with Oldham Athletic were snapped up within hours of going on sale on Saturday.

Last night officials said ground improvements were being made in the hope of increasing the limit by another 1,500 in time for the game, on Friday, December 1.

John Fincham, the club's commercial manager, said: “We're having ground improvements done and we're hoping to increase the limit which will enable us to sell more tickets.

“We have to be inspected by the authorities first and they will then say how many extras we can have.”

Linnets director Jimmy Suckling, who is overseeing the work, said: “We're having new crash barriers put in on the side of the covered terrace and at the Tennyson Avenue end.”

Increasing the number of fans allowed to attend the ground will depend on an inspection of the exits, to check the stands could be evacuated safely in the event of an emergency.

The club is expecting a decision early next week, when the availability of any extra tickets will also be announced.

The game, which is being broadcast live from The Walks by Sky TV and BBC Radio Five Live is the biggest in the club's recent history.

More than 50 media are expected to attend a game tipped to epitomise the spirit of the cup competition, with Lynn the lowest-ranked team to have qualified for the second round with a 5 - 3 thriller away at Bishop's Stortford.

Lynn are having an uphill battle convincing the bookies they stand any chance. While the odds for next week's game are still being worked out, William Hill was last night offering odds of 5,000 - 1 on the West Norfolk outfit's chances of lifting the FA Cup.