THOUSANDS of Town supporters face derby disappointment after the Football League sided with Leeds in the big ticket-allocation row.

Just 1,710 will be made available to Galpharm fans for the Saturday, December 8 showdown at Elland Road, the first league meeting between the West Yorkshire rivals in 20 years.

That’s 290 fewer than the minimum recommendation, while both Swansea and Hartlepool received 2,800 for League I games earlier this season.

Town took more than 5,000 fans to the Carling Cup first-round tie at Elland Road in August, 2004, when a total of 30,115 attended.

And they are confident they could have sold at least that number for a match which kicks off at 12.15 and looks sure to attract Leeds’ biggest attendance of the season to date.

The current highest is 30,319 for the 4-2 win over Millwall on October 27.

That fixture was blighted by crowd trouble, and Leeds claim containing Town fans in a specific area of their ground (the South-East corner, next to what was the Lowfields Road stand and at the opposite end to the old kop) will lessen the risk of a repeat.

Leeds, who say they were acting on police advice, went to the League after Town rejected the original ticket offer, which was made before the Millwall match.

The League have told Leeds to take urgent action to avoid a repeat scenario.

A spokesman said: “While we realise it will be of no consolation to Huddersfield Town, the League Board also decided Leeds United should be required to take appropriate steps to address this deficiency for all future games where the security risk might otherwise restrict the visitors’ ticket allocation.

“However this may require structural alterations or alternatively the repositioning and/or management of away fans, and this was unlikely to be achievable in the lead-in time available prior to this game.

“The Board did not take this decision lightly and they will be requiring Leeds to be proactive in finding a solution to this problem in the foreseeable future.”

Town have the ability to make at least 3,700 tickets available to away fans, and chairman Ken Davy said: “It is a very disappointing and frustrating decision for us and all our supporters, but it is one that we have to abide by.

“We have done everything we possibly can as a club on behalf of our loyal supporters.”

Town are yet to confirm when the tickets will go on sale and exactly how they will be allocated.