NOT since 2016 have the “sold out” signs been hung up outside The Halliwell Jones Stadium for a Warrington Wolves matchday.

With Friday’s blockbuster clash with neighbours Wigan Warriors approaching, however, there is growing confidence that will change.

Crowds at The Halliwell Jones Stadium have been on the rise in 2023, no doubt aided by the team’s impressive start to the Super League season.

Three of the club’s four home games have seen attendances of over 10,000, with the highest being the 12,073 that watched the 38-20 victory over Leigh Leopards last month.

With Wigan in good form themselves, optimism about a first sold-out Wire home game since the Good Friday clash with Widnes Vikings is increasing.

Indeed, the club's ticketing system is now showing low availability in all but one block for the Super League Round Nine game between the first and second-placed sides.

“The last genuine sell-out we had here was Widnes in 2016, but I think we could go really close,” chief executive Karl Fitzpatrick said.

“We’ve got a very strong marketing campaign for it and there’s so much rivalry between us and Wigan, who are travelling great at the moment.

“Getting the place sold out would be a massive shot in the arm for us and for the players – they’ve spoken a lot about the difference it makes when this place is bouncing.

“I encourage everyone to get down to this as it’s going to be a blockbuster fixture.”

And it is not only at The Halliwell Jones Stadium where the Wire players have had superb support from their fans.

More than 500 followed them to France for Saturday’s clash with Catalans Dragons while their travelling numbers at Huddersfield Giants and Castleford Tigers were record numbers for regular-season games against those two sides.

Fitzpatrick says witnessing the rebuild in relations between the team and their fans has been one of the more satisfying elements of the year to date.

“We wanted the supporters to fall back in love with the team and I think we’re seeing that,” he said.

“From day one, they came back – the following for the Leeds game and even the Leigh friendly was phenomenal and it’s grown on from there.

“What’s happening on the field is obviously helping that but I think the players being in the community is also a factor.

“The turnstiles have been busy and long may that continue – we’ve got a massive game coming up against Wigan and it would be great to have the “sold out” signs up.”