WALES are facing the prospect of playing their most crucial international game in years in a half-empty Millennium Stadium.

Less than 30, 000 tickets have been sold for the game which Wales must win if they are keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup. Wales manager Mark Hughes has issued a desperate plea for fans to get behind his side.

"The Welsh public must realise what a big game it is for us," said Hughes. "I would like to think that they would come out in numbers."

Traditionally Wales have sold a large number of tickets in the last few days before a game, and Hughes is hoping that happens this time.

"We usually get a late rush on tickets and I would hope in the next couple of days that's what happens," he said.

Even so, Hughes is happy to have 30,000 tickets sold, "To be fair if there are 30-35,000 people there it's still a magnificent crowd," he said.

But by international standards Wales have attracted some disappointing crowds recently, 45,000 turning up to see their crucial clash with the Ukraine in March.

And with just two days left until the Poland game the likelihood of the attendance breaking the 40,000 mark seems increasingly remote. "At the moment we're looking at a crowd of around 30,000," admitted an FAW spokesman.

"Obviously we'd like more. For the last couple of matches we've had around 45,000, but we're conscious there has been a lot of sport at the stadium recently."