CITY are braced for their biggest opening home attendance for 66 years as Mark Marshall admitted: “It’s going to be brilliant.”

A mega crowd is anticipated for the clash with newly-promoted Shrewsbury at Valley Parade.

With around 18,000 season ticket and flexi-card holders on board, the gate figure should top the 18,276 which saw City draw 1-1 with Sheffield Wednesday in the opening Premier League home game in 1999.

That would make it the largest audience since 1949 when 21,338 turned up for the opener against Doncaster.

Winger Marshall has played at Valley Parade three times with Barnet and Port Vale. But he is drooling at the prospect of having that backing behind him.

He said: “Imagine having all that noise supporting you when you do something well. It’s going to be a brilliant atmosphere to play in.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing at this stadium because it’s one of the biggest and best in this league and the one below.

“Whenever you played at somewhere like Bradford or Sheffield United, it used to get you up for it. It’s going to be even better now having that crowd behind you.

“Expectation comes with the job, whether there’s one supporter or 18,000 – they rightly expect something from you and expect players to give their all. But hearing all that noise supporting you will be a massive boost.”

It has been a stuttering start for the Bantams with a 4-1 defeat at Swindon followed by the Capital One Cup exit on penalties to York. On both occasions they blew a half-time lead.

But joint-chairman Julian Rhodes insists those set-backs should not dampen the enthusiasm ahead of the first of back-to-back home games.

Rhodes said: “It’s important we don’t let a couple of bad results take away from what is going to be a great occasion.

“This is what the summer campaign has been all about. We wanted to sell as many tickets as we could to generate a good atmosphere so the players can express themselves.

“People need to come along with their singing voices and encourage the team. We want a similar atmosphere to the Sunderland game last season and let the new players know what that is like.”

Phil Parkinson was delighted to see Marshall come through the full 120 minutes at Bootham Crescent unscathed.

The summer recruit still looked full of running in extra-time as he continues to build up match fitness.

Marshall is also keen to get the ball into the penalty area as often as possible and provide the ammunition for James Hanson.

He added: “Hans is a really good player and he gives you different dimensions.

“Everyone knows he’s very strong in the air but he is also quite athletic and can hold the ball up well.

“It’s good to know you’ve got someone up there who will get on the end of crosses as well as a little through ball. It gives you options.”

Marshall, who has never won a promotion, is confident of mounting a serious challenge this season but has warned City face plenty of rivals in the dash for the top six.

“This season is going to be a lot tighter with the teams that are in it. You look at Bury throwing money at it – a lot are having a go.

“It’s going to be a very interesting year but our aim has to be play-offs or automatic promotion and nothing less."