Fans who managed to get tickets are facing a difficult journey

Virgin Cross Country services from Birmingham to Bristol Parkway, where most passengers will need to change trains to get to Cardiff, are already heavily oversubscribed.

Only one direct Virgin Trains service runs from the West Midlands to Cardiff in time for the Bank Holiday Monday match against Sheffield United, which kicks off at 1500 BST.

And although two extra direct services are being put on by other operators, supporters are being warned that demand for trains to the Welsh capital is likely to exceed supply.

We are being up-front with supporters to avoid their disappointment at missing the match Paula Durrans, Virgin Trains

Virgin said its return, connecting, and Cross Country services are all likely to be full.

Any fans who have not made reservations will be directed to other scheduled train services that will not guarantee them to arrive time in Cardiff for the kick-off.

The special services being put on are a Wales and Borders train leaving Wolverhampton at 1033 BST, calling at Telford at 1052 BST and arriving at Cardiff Central at 1326 BST.

A Central Trains special service will leave Wolverhampton at 1105 BST to arrive at Cardiff Central at 1317 BST.

Both train operators will also run return services from Cardiff after the match at 1755 BST and 1817 BST.

Tickets for these services can only be bought from the ticket offices at Wolverhampton and Telford.

Paula Durrans, Customer Services Security Manager at Virgin Trains, said: "Our resources are overstretched on this busy Bank Holiday and we are being up-front with supporters to avoid their disappointment at missing the match.