BRADFORD City bosses are bringing redundant seating back into use in time for the FA Cup quarter final as part of their pledge to make sure all season ticket holders get to see the game.

Engineers will be working in the days leading up to the match on March 7 to remove unused seating from an area of the main west stand and replace them with space for 424 fans.

But even that is not expected to be enough to satisfy the sheer demand from season ticket and flexicard holders who were left without tickets.

Chief operating officer James Mason said the club had been working with specialist firm Arena Seating to find space where more fans could be accommodated and had made a "significant investment" in the work.

The hope is that more space will be found in the days ahead, meaning match against Championship side Reading will outstrip the 24,021 capacity crowd at the Sunderland match.

The new seats will be in an area of the stand not used since Bradford City was in the Premiership during the 1999/2000 season, though some will not be covered.

"We appreciate that we let a lot of fans down with our ticketing policy," said Mr Mason.

"These seats, although from a fantastic vantage point, are not covered so we ask fans to understand that we are trying our best to show this club, although we have made unforeseen errors, is as loyal to our fans as they are to us.

"The board and staff are all Bradford City fans who don't want anyone to miss out."

The club has called in extra staff and used volunteers to help cope with the level of requests from fans still wanting tickets.

They have been asked to either attend in person at the box office or email in with their details and to then wait until the club is able to contact them.

"We would urge fans who have left us details to be patient. Tickets will be allocated as one per season ticket and flexicard ticket until we believe we have fulfilled demand."

No figures are yet available to suggest how many additional seats will be needed to accommodate all those expecting to get tickets, with the club still 'tallying up' what is available and how many requests have been made.

It is possible some more places will become available in the north-west corner, though negotiations were still going on about potential accommodation there.

Mr Mason said the club had been "hurt" by the situation. "Fans are first and foremost to us and we are not a club which would turn a blind eye to this.

"The season ticket holders are the ones who come week in and week out and we never wanted any of them to miss out.

"We realised very quickly there were going to be problems after the first day and we are very sorry that ever happened. All we have done since then is pull together," he said.

The club is also appealing for any skilled workers who can assist with dismantling the old seats from the west stand to contact them, as that area needs to be stripped out and cleaned before the replacements are installed.

One final problem is that the suppliers have been unable to confirm the colour of the seats. "That shouldn't matter because each one should be occupied by a fan," he said.