Oxford United’s ticket office was inundated on Friday as fans made a last-minute rush to buy season tickets at the earlybird discount rate, which finished at 5pm.

Hundreds of supporters have become new season-ticket holders for the first time, and the total number – now well in excess of 2,000 – is significantly up on the number at the same stage last year.

Many U’s fans have been persuaded to book their seat for the whole of the 2009-2010 campaign by the encouraging end-of-season run under manager Chris Wilder, and by his dozen summer signings and new-deal captures – Ryan Clarke, Mark Creighton, Kevin Sandwith, Shane Killock, Adam Chapman, Dannie Bulman, Marcus Kelly, Alex Rhodes, James Constable and Jack Midson.

Dawn Wyllie, Oxford United’s ticket office supervisor, said: “It was non-stop all day, and with so many personal callers, those making telephone bookings just had to hold on.

“I think everyone’s real-ised that the deadline’s come around quickly now, because it is slightly earlier than last year.

“We’ve had quite a few people renewing who used to be season-ticket holders, but who haven’t been for a while.”

“But we’ve still got the middle discounted price available until July 3, so those fans who haven’t got theirs yet can still do so.

Season ticket holders have priority for all-ticket away matches and home Cup matches.

Many fans are optimistic that, under Wilder, the U’s can go on a good cup run, for the first time in years, as well as having success in the Blue Square Premier.