TOWN are on course for a five-figure attendance 'hat-trick' with another 10,000 crowd expected at the County Ground on Saturday.

Three thousand Pilgrims from Plymouth are expected to help provide Town with a second successive bumper home gate.

With Brighton and Hove Albion then due to visit on December 28, it could well be a case of three happy pay days in a row.

Second-placed Argyle have already snapped up 2,200 tickets and a further 1,300 will be available on the day.

Stuart Pike, Town's ticket office co-ordinator, said: "At this stage I think we are looking good to just top the Queens Park Rangers attendance.

"We could see 3,000 Plymouth fans making the trip and there has been a lot of interest from Town fans as well.

"Both teams and both sets of fans have been deprived of a proper match for a fortnight and I think there's an awful lot of supporters desperate for a football fix.

"I think the fans who came to the QPR game were happy with the entertainment on show and have decided to come back for some more.

"The fact that Plymouth are second in the league makes it an even more attractive fixture.

"Looking ahead, I've already spoken to Brighton and sent them an initial allocation of 1,200 tickets. I'm sure that will rise."

It all makes for a happy working environment for Stuart and his staff.

He said: "When I first arrived at the club I thought I'd started work in a complaints department.

"You certainly get to hear what the fans think in this job.

"Fifteen months on and there is a much happier buzz about the place.

"There are a lot more smiles now and positive mail coming in with one letter even hailing Mark Devlin as the new Jesus."

The club is making a plea for fans to get their tickets in advance and Stuart believes the message is starting to get through.

He said: "Town End tickets are selling well and when fans do buy in advance it helps the club's cash flow and avoids the discomfort and grumbles that accompany queueing for tickets on the day of the match."

While more fans at home games is great news for the club, there is also a healthy level of interest in away days.

Stuart said: "Tickets for the match at Rushden and Diamonds are going well with more than 400 of the initial 694 allocation having already gone. There will be 1,400 tickets in total."

Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock might have an army of fans to cheer on his side but just who makes up his starting 11 could be determined by a potential mumps outbreak at Home Park.

Defender Matt Villis has been diagnosed with the condition and with several other members of the squad not having had mumps, Sturrock is contemplating injections for his squad.