Ticket sales head towards 25k for Walsall Wembley date

Tickets will now be available from 9am tomorrow, rather than the original date of Friday, as the Saddlers react to unprecedented demand ahead of their first-ever appearance at the home of English football in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final.

Gamble admits he was surprised when the initial allocation of 20,000 tickets for the March 22 showpiece sold out in a fortnight.

And he claims the final number of supporters who will travel to roar Dean Smith's team on against Bristol City is now impossible to predict.

"We will see how it goes," he said. "We have requested the next 5,000 tickets which means Wembley will open up the top tier for us.

"We are approximately 2,000 into that, so there are another 3,000 to go. It is difficult to know where it is going to end up.

"I think we may be asking for a few more. How many more I don't know.

"It fills you with a lot of confidence, a lot of heart, a lot of pride and joy that everyone has got behind this.

"I have been chief executive for five years and this is certainly the most exciting time I can remember.

"The atmosphere is great, everyone is on a high. Going to Wembley has really captured the imagination."

The Saddlers ticket office, usually staffed by just one person during the week, has seen up to 15 working every day for the past few weeks.

Gamble added: "It has been all hands to the pump. A lot of the part-time staff have come in and done full-time for us. We have drafted in people from different departments."

Remaining tickets are in the £20 (limited numbers), £28 and £36 category. There are odd tickets available in Levels One and Two, while all £60 tickets have sold out.

The Banks's Stadium ticket office is open from 9am, Monday to Saturday. Tickets can also be purchased by telephone on 01922-651 414/416 or online via eticketing.co.uk/walsallfc/default.aspx.