GEORGE Reynolds vowed last night to have his new stadium open to thousands more Darlington fans in time for tomorrow's big kick-off. He said: "Nobody will be turned away."

Darlington council has given the 27,500 seater Reynolds Arena a temporary safety certificate allowing 11,000 people to watch tomorrow's opening match against Kidderminster.

But Mr Reynolds, the club chairman, said: "It is red tape and bureaucracy gone mad."

The main stumbling block is the number of toilets, which he hopes to overcome by installing 12 large urinals by Saturday.

"There's over 6,000 tickets been sold already and I think we will have over 10,000 in," he said. "We are now just cleaning up and washing windows - it's looking wonderful. Everybody is very excited. The new shirts are selling like billy-o. Everything is flying."

Three of the four stands are finished and a council spokesman confirmed that if the required work is completed and inspected on time, tomorrow's capacity could rise to 16,000.

Mr Reynolds said that he hoped that the fourth stand would be ready within weeks. Then he will formally open the ground with a friendly against Sunderland, Newcastle or Middlesbrough.

"We'll have a big team, a firework display and I'll ask permission to put a band on - that's the traditional way of opening a stadium," he said.

He said the club had signed an agreement with the Highways Agency concerning modifications to the A66, and that negotiations with the council would be "progressing" over the parking scheme for homes near the ground.

Both projects are stipulated in the planning permission.

Third Division Darlington's shock victory in the Carling Cup away at First Division Bradford City on Tuesday night has given the build-up an extra buzz.

"We need one or two more (players) to strengthen the team, and we'll be unbeatable then," said Mr Reynolds.

* About 70 people last night attended a muted public meeting called to protest against delays in providing the residents' parking scheme.