A Bradford pub licensee who laid out £7,000 on a trip for regulars to Bradford City’s Capital One Cup Final has admitted they could be forced to watch the match at a London pub if tickets do not go on general sale.

Maggie Johnstone, of the South West Pub in Cemetery Road, Lidget Green, started taking payments for travel and hotel stays in the capital as soon as the Bantams secured their spot in the hotly-anticipated showdown against Swansea.

But last night she spoke of her frustration after discovering Wembley tickets would only be available to season ticket holders when they go on sale today.

The pub manager said she had been prepared to queue for tickets for the 55 people who have handed over cash, but would now have to wait to see if there were any tickets left once season ticket holders and flexicard members had bought their quota – with each able to claim three tickets.

She also said she had considered trying to buy tickets from Swansea and Wembley directly.

“The regulars have all said they don’t want me to lose money so they’ll get the coaches and hotels to watch the match at a pub,” she said. “What else can we do?

“We’ve got fans here who had season tickets until recently but had to make cut backs and around 40 from here have been following the cup run from the Wigan game.

“Just because people aren’t season ticket holders doesn’t mean they’re not fans.”

Bantams’ director of operations David Baldwin told the Telegraph & Argus yesterday that if the take-up for tickets was the same as for the Arsenal quarter final and Villa semi final games, there could be about 5,000 to 6,000 tickets left for general sale.

But he urged fans, including those abroad, to be careful about making travel arrangements before they had secured tickets.

Season ticket holders were able to buy their tickets from 9am today. Visit bradfordcityfc.co.uk for more information.