The move is designed to not only help the club manage visitor numbers, but also to integrate ticket and retail sales.

The equipment streamlines the ticketing process at each entrance to the club's new stadium - Langtree Park - and is also connected to an online software platform which enables fans to purchase both their ticket and merchandise from the club website, in addition to printing out their ticket at home.

APT Skidata supplied and installed 18 Vario.Gates, 18 LED concourse lights, the latest version of its Handshake software (v.5) and 12 handheld Motorola MC55 devices to control access at each of the stadium?s 30 entrances.

Richard Adams, Skidata sales manager said: "The APT Skidata Vario.Gate has been designed to make people access control fast and flexible, using a single reader to scan barcoded tickets from one scanning point.

"At the core of the system, the Handshake management software puts administrative control in the hands of the operational staff and can be tailored to their individual requirements.

"It also provides charts, reports and analysis of visitor trends and behaviour, which can be useful for further marketing activities.

"Furthermore, for this particular installation we worked with Loughborough-based software provider Green4 to build from scratch an online retail EPOS and CRM system that could integrate with the APT Skidata access control solution, offering the club?s fans a completely effortless shopping and visitor experience."