SAINTS controversial plans to cater for thousands of fans driving to their new stadium can be unveiled today.

The Daily Echo can reveal that the club will need more than 30 car parks to cater for the thousands of cars that descend on Southampton on match days.

The car parks will be scattered across the city as the club tries to cater for up to 9,000 cars which will carry supporters.

Saints will use city centre car parks as well as spaces miles from the new ground using buses to ferry fans to and from the new Dell.

The club is confident that the work on the 32,000 all-seater Friends Provident St Mary's Stadium will be completed by the opening game against Spanish side Espanyol on August 11.

And today they take another giant step towards the completion of the £32 million stadium dream when plans for the parking come before councillors. Proposals for a dozen match day car parks including school grounds and offices will be discussed by planners.

But plans to use the Sholing Junior School are due to be scrapped after pressure from angry residents, including city council leader June Bridle.

Tina Leng, chair of Southampton Federation of Residents Association, said: "Residents are very concerned. There will be more noise and pollution over weekends.

"I've had loads of phone calls from residents across the city and one of the big gripes is plans to use the university car park as Burgess Road is already saturated with traffic. How will poor residents get to the shops or the surgery?''

Where will fans park on match day? For a full list of car parks, see pages 8-9 of today's Daily Echo.