Albion expect to have sold more than 15,000 season tickets for The Amex by the end of the week.

It puts them well on course for regular crowds of about 20,000 in their first season at the American Express Community Stadium.

More than 14,000 season tickets have already been sold, including 2,600 to corporate 1901 club members. The Seagulls anticipate reaching the ceiling for standard season tickets and 1901 members of 18,400.

Managing director Ken Brown said: “There were mixed views about how many season tickets we would sell but these figures exceed my expectations.

“I thought this was a very optimistic outcome. I am delighted to be proved wrong.”

Just under 1,000 seats will be available on a match-by-match basis, although this figure could rise depending on the opposition.

Albion have to allocate ten per cent of the 22,500 capacity to the away club but there will be scope to seat more home fans in the south end if visitors do not fill their 2,500 seats.

An area has been set aside for staff, guests and charitable requests in the south-east corner, where there could also be extra seats available on a match-by-match basis.

Albion supporters in this section will be reloctaed to the north-west corner for cup games where a visiting club claim their 15 per cent entitlement, in order to minimise the disruption to season ticket holders.