Rangers Fan's Barcelona Bungle

Nov 4 2007 By Norman Silvester

Football's An El Of A Funny Old Game Fan Books Jet To City 700 Miles From Match

A RANGERS fan booked flights to see his team play Barcelona - to an airport almost 700 miles from the match.

Bungling Paul McDowall - nicknamed Glum by pals - booked £125 return flights to Malaga thinking he could taxi it fromthere to Barcelona.

But he will land in the Costa del Sol - 12 hours from Nou Camp stadium, where the Champions League game will take place.

Now Paul, of Maybole, Ayrshire, faces a 690-mile each-way race against time on trains and buses.

He is due to arrive in Malaga at noon on Tuesday with the game set to kick off the next day - 33 hours later. His main problem will be getting back in time for his return flight to Prestwick at 12:40pm on Thursday - only 14 hours after the game ends.

Paul, a golf caddy and labourer, said: "Direct flights to Barcelona were all booked or too expensive. I thought Malaga was the nearest airport.

"To make matters worse, I haven't got a ticket to the game or found a hotel yet - but I'm determined to go."

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