Supporters are buying into AFC Telford United’s promotion dream – with more than 200 already booking seats to travel to Gateshead for Friday night’s Blue Square North play-off final.

The club are laying on subsidised coaches, charging fans just £5 for the 450-mile round-trip to the Tynesiders’ International Stadium.

That offer was only unveiled yesterday, but the response was immediate with away travel club organiser Rob Palin deluged with calls from supporters eager to make sure they do not miss out on the biggest game in the club’s history.

Palin expects a minimum of seven coaches will now make the journey north, despite the logistical nightmare of the match being on a weekday night.

Chairman Lee Carter has also been thrilled by the response, admitting: “I hope I’m not being sentimental or emotional, but it brings a little tear to my eye.

“Today there will have been people begging and pleading with their boss for time off work to go to the game and it’s absolutely remarkable that the response has been so big.

“There are Football League clubs who wouldn’t take this many people all that distance for a night game.

“It will give the team a massive boost, because we honestly thought we would be travelling up there with a hardy band of around 150 and it looks like it could be several times more than that now.”

The subsidised travel initiative could cost the club a large four-figure sum, but Carter insists it would be money well spent if the team is successful.

The Bucks are bidding to win promotion to the top flight of non-League and seal a return to the level at which the old club used to play before going into liquidation five years ago.

• Coaches will pick up at Madeley at 12.15pm then at the New Bucks Head at 12.30pm.

By CHRIS HUDSON