Hundreds of Kettering Town fans crowded outside the Newlands Centre shop at 9am yesterday to sign on for the £10 membership scheme. Membership gives fans priority for buying a ticket for the match when they go on sale next week.

Club chairman Imraan Ladak said the response had been phenomenal. The club sold 800 memberships, which also gives fans a free FA Cup shirt, in just eight hours. Remaining shirts are subject to availability. He said: "The response has been fantastic. The tie has really excited the town and we anticipate only having around 1,000 memberships left available today."

Shop manager Arefa Ladak said: "I had mentally prepared for people being outside the shop when we opened. But not anything to this level."

Adrian Clarke, of Alness Close, Kettering, went to get his son registered.

He said: "I got my membership last week and was number 255, but by the looks of it today there will be a lot more sold.

"I am optimistic about the Fulham game and think we will beat them 2-1 with the winning goal in the 90th minute."

Amanda Coulson, of Islip, was one of the first in the queue, signing her father-in-law up for his 71st birthday present. She said: "My husband just rang and asked me to get down here because my father-in-law goes every week and we wanted to make sure he could go to this match."

Fan of 50 years David Earl said: "I am here to get myself and my wife's membership.

"My grandson was in the queue earlier and had to queue for 45 minutes, but it is worth it to get a ticket."

Staff at the shop were even called in on their day off.

Ticket details will not be released until a decision is made as to whether the match will be screened live on TV.

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Tickets will then go on sale to the 400 season ticket holders, followed by membership holders, and then if any are left over they will go to ticket stub holders from the Eastwood match.

ITV and Setanta Sports ,who own the broadcasting rights to the FA Cup, are expected to announce today which matches will be televised.

If the Poppies are selected as a live match they could scoop a £160,000 bonus. If they are not they will still earn £7,500 for the rights to the highlights.

The club is set to be in for a windfall whether they win or lose, taking a third of the ticket sales, and banking a £100,000 payment should they knock Fulham out of the Cup.

The club shop telephone number is 01536 510421.