BLACKBURN manager Mark Hughes believes the City of Manchester Stadium might have been a better venue than Old Trafford for his side's FA Cup semi-final showdown with Chelsea.

Although Rovers have sold more than 23,000 for tomorrow's game, which is an impressive achievement considering the average attendance at Ewood this season is 21,000, there could still be as many as 14,000 empty seats inside Old Trafford, with neither club selling its full allocation.

Hughes insists he is delighted with the way that ticket sales have gone at Blackburn, and he's determined to repay the fans' for that backing by guiding the club to their first FA Cup final in 47 years.

However, the Rovers boss cannot help feeling the FA maybe made a mistake in opting for the Theatre of Dreams when a smaller venue might have been better.

The Welshman said: "Maybe you have to look at the choice of venue, fantastic as it is.

"If it had been at the City of Manchester Stadium it would probably be full.

"In saying that, we will still have a fantastic following, probably more than our average home gate, and maybe more than Chelsea."

Rovers were originally allocated 30,900 tickets and the FA set the prices, which ranged from £25 to £55, with concessions only available in the lower bracket.

But while Blackburn supporters have been quick to snap up tickets - there will be 5,000 more at Old Trafford than there was at Cardiff for the last semi-final two years ago - Hughes believes a fairer pricing policy might have helped to attract more fans.

The Rovers chief added: "It is an expensive business watching football. The FA set the prices and we have to be led by them.

"By all accounts the £25 tickets went very quickly. The £55 ones haven't gone as quickly - so that tells the story."

Mike Graham, of the Blackburn Independent Supporters Association, has also echoed Hughes' thoughts, saying: "This is a low-wage area. Forking out £25 a ticket is a lot, never mind £55."

In the other semi-final, Watford, who face Manchester United at Villa Park today, were allocated 17,000 for their game but they still had tickets left yesterday.

That has sparked worries there could be banks of empty seats when the semi-finals revert back Wembley - with its capacity of 90,000 - next year.