Chairman Lee Carter believes AFC Telford United’s big Conference homecoming has been tarnished by the planned EDL demonstration – and is forecasting a “deeply disappointing” crowd of just 2,500.

The Bucks had been hoping for a crowd in excess of 4,000 for their big clash with Luton Town on Saturday, as they return to the top tier of non-League football seven years after the old Telford United went bust.

But the shine had already been taken off the event by the EDL march, which has forced the kick-off to be moved back to 7.45pm.

And with fear of potential disturbances heightened by the spate of riots in cities across the country in recent nights, Carter confirmed that ticket sales had been slow.

“We’ll be lucky if we have 2,500 there because the ticket sales have dropped dramatically in the last week,” said Carter.

“At one point we thought we’d have a crowd of 4,000-plus but that clearly won’t be the case now and it’s deeply disappointing –though 2,500 is still a good crowd at Conference Premier level.

“It’s absolutely soul destroying that we are having to make way for these people to come to our town and express their opinions –it is coming at a huge cost to our business and a huge cost to the town.”

Carter still insists that the New Bucks Head will be the safest place in Wellington this weekend, thanks to a well-planned and extensive security operation.

And he is urging fans to buy tickets for what is an eagerly-anticipated occasion.

“For everyone connected with this club it is a day we have dreamed of for a long time,” he said.

“It’s the day we finally get to pit our wits against the biggest club in non-League football and play on the same stage as the old Telford United.

“I see it as a homecoming because I grew up supporting Telford United and that’s the club I loved.

“It’s going to be very emotional on Saturday evening and I think there will be a few tears inside the stadium.”

* Telford were finalising their preparations tonight with a behind-closed-doors friendly against a Port Vale XI.

Goalkeeper Lee Evans is likely to be involved, with the paperwork to make him a Telford player being filed today.