Sport
Wednesday 14 May, 2008

Rangers fans descend on Manchester

Rangers fans in Manchester

Thousands of high-spirited Rangers fans have arrived in Manchester on the eve of the Uefa Cup Final.

Masses of supporters made the journey by car, coach and train, many of them leaving at first light on Tuesday.

Around 100,000 fans are expected to invade the city in the run up to Wednesday's showdown against Zenit St Petersburg at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has led a flood of messages of support for the Scottish team.

As the fans began descending on Manchester it emerged tickets for the big match were going for up to £1,000.

Rangers have only been given 13,000 tickets - an equal share with their Russian opponents, in the 44,000 capacity stadium. The rest of the tickets, around 18,000, have been swallowed up by Uefa.

As the first blue-shirted Rangers fans began appearing on the streets of Manchester, workmen were busily erecting huge screens at the three Fan Zones in the city centre, at Albert Square, Piccadilly Gardens and Cathedral Gardens.

In blazing sunshine pockets of fans draped in Union flags explored the city's pubs and bars, many congregating outside Manchester Town Hall.

Shug Hollis, 45, and his son Thomas, 21, from Bridgetown, Glasgow, do not have tickets but have made the journey south to be part of the atmosphere.

Shug said: 'It means a lot, I was only nine when we were European Cup Winners Cup winners in 72. This means a lot more.

'I think every team has got to have a bit of luck and I hope we have a wee bit more.'

His son added: 'Getting to the final has been brilliant. I think Rangers are going to win every game they play in.'

Donald Graham, 43, from Argyll, has got a pass into the match.

He said: 'I have been offered four-figure sums.

'Hopefully we will do it. I think we can do it, there's no reason to believe if we have to go to extra time we can't win on penalties.'

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