Win or lose, Rangers plan open top bus parade

May 11 2008 By Gordon Waddell

Rangers V Zenit 3 Days To Go

RANGERS will make a historic open top bus parade through Glasgow's streets on Thursday - even if they lose the UEFA Cup Final.

Gers expect an astonishing 100,000-strong support to descend on Manchester for Wednesday night's clash with Zenit St Petersburg.

They also reckon another 25,000 could be inside Ibrox for their beam-back of the big game.

And chairman Sir David Murray and chief executive Martin Bain want to reward their fans for the backing they've given them.

Plans are in place for the team to be whisked from the tarmac at Glasgow Airport to the quay on the south side of the Clyde. From there they will be paraded along Paisley Road West to Ibrox for a final rally.

It's a sight many thought would never be seen in Glasgow because of the Old Firm divide but Gers are determined to give their fan base recognition. And they hope to have a trophy to show off like the 1972 Cup Winners' Cup heroes.

Murray said: "It should be a great day for all Rangers supporters -we hope they go to Manchester, enjoy themselves and get home safely.

"Although a large group are travelling we've had positive meetings with police.

"I've been involved with this club for nearly 20 years and can't remember anything better.

"I don't think we'll realise quite what a remarkable time this is until we look back on it."

Murray reckons 30,000 Gers fans will be in the 47,000-capacity City of Manchester Stadium to witness their crack at history. And he wishes it could have been more.

He said: "It has been impossible to keep everyone happy.

"If it had been Zenit against Fiorentina the stadium would have been fine. I know people who have supported the club for years will be devastated to miss out but we have tried to be as fair as possible.

"I've had personal requests - the guy who didmygates five years ago sent me a card and I even heard from a friend in New Zealand I hadn't spoken to in 17 years!"

The Euro run has been good for the club financially as well with around s20million filling the coffers for their season's work.

And Murray insisted: "By right we shouldn't be here. The team that beat Fiorentina cost s9m.

"A club like Derby County has a wage bill s5m bigger and Carlos Cuellar has played double the number of games he played in Spain last season.

"I had lunch at Murray Park the other day and saw a lot of brave boys around me."

Chief executive Bain added:

"Sandy Jardine, who was in the 1972 team, told me this would be a greater achievement if the boys are successful on Wednesday."

It's hard to argue the point considering yesterday's clash with Dundee United was Gers 63rd game of the season.

And despite insisting it was time to move on Murray couldn't resist a final pop at the SPL for the club's fixture backlog.

He said: "It's an embarrassment when the manager of Scotland, the chief executive of the SFA and the most famous manager in the world (Sir Alex Ferguson) are talking about how wrong it is.

"The problem is we all have vested interests and some are being consulted and some aren't.

"There's definitely a case for an independent body to discuss matters like this."