Walsall Football Club is aiming to build the biggest advertising hoardings in Europe on the M6 in an “urgent” bid to boost its income and on-field success.

The 23-metre high posters will be clearly visible from the busy motorway and would be higher than most buildings across the borough.

Bosses are aiming to replace an existing poster which they say has suffered because of an increase in tree planting, factory expansions and more posters being given permission by Walsall Council.

Bosses also say the adverts, which will be arranged in a V-shaped formation, are “crucial for the future financial stability and playing success of the club”.

Walsall Council, however, is planning to refuse the application, saying the signs are “far in excess” of what is acceptable.

An application by Walsall FC to the council’s development control committee, which meets on Tuesday, says there is an “urgent financial need” for the posters. Chairman Jeff Bonser said today: “The application is actually a re-siting of a sign that the planning officers recommended for approval in 2003. Permission was then granted and is still current.”

No-one from the council was available for comment.