Colchester United will allow Sheffield Wednesday a bumper ticket allocation for this weekend’s clash at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

The U’s are expecting their biggest crowd of the season for the visit of the promotion-chasing Owls, on Saturday.

Colchester are hoping for an attendance of more than 6,000 for the League One fixture, which is their penultimate home fixture of the season.

That would comfortably beat their current biggest home crowd of the season, which was 5,276 against Stevenage on Boxing Day.

Wednesday fans have already snapped up more than 2,000 tickets for the game and snapped up tickets for the whole of the North Stand.

The U’s will also permit their supporters to occupy a section of the East Stand, with up to 3,000 visiting Owls fans expected to make the trip from Sheffield.

Colchester chairman Robbie Cowling said it is an opportunity to capitalise on extra interest in a game at the Community Stadium.

Cowling said: “I’d love to see that and there’s no point having empty seats.

“As always, we want to make sure that it’s a safe environment for everyone.

“But if Sheffield Wednesday want to bring a large number of fans, it’s a no brainer from our point of view.”

Meanwhile, the U's have said their car park spaces are running out for the fixture.

They had fewer than 100 spaces still available, as of Tuesday afternoon.

See Wednesday's Gazette for more on this story and all of the latest Colchester United news.