A giant exhibition centre, just two miles from Old Trafford, is hosting a ‘Rangers Takeover’ when the Glasgow side take on Manchester United next Thursday.
Bowlers, in nearby Trafford Park, is set to entertain thousands of travelling fans without tickets for the Europa League match, in a move which may well raise eyebrows.
In 2008, ticketless Rangers fans rioted in Manchester when their side reached the UEFA Cup Final, in scenes branded ‘a disgrace’ by then Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Much of the trouble – which saw 11 men jailed – centred around an area in the city in which a big screen had been erected to show the game to those unable to gain entry to the Etihad Stadium, as a figure estimated north of 100,000 made their way south.
A judge later described what unfolded as ‘the worst night of violence and destruction suffered by Manchester city centre since the Blitz’, with 42 arrests made.
The event, which will show the game on a ‘Large Super TV screen’ has been named ‘Rangers FanZone: Manchester Takeover’. It is scheduled to start at 3pm, some five hours before kick-off.
Thousands of ticketless Rangers fans will attend a ‘Fanzone’ near Old Trafford for next week’s match against Man United
There were riots in Manchester when Rangers fans visited the city for the 2008 UEFA Cup final
The riots led to 42 arrests and 11 men being jailed on a night branded ‘the worst since the Blitz’
An advert online claims that more than 2,000 Rangers supporters will attend, and that only 97 tickets remain. It adds that the event includes a live DJ and a ‘loyalist singer’.
Parking has been laid on with more than 300 spaces available for buses. Under 18s are also welcome, with the event deemed ‘family-friendly’ and former defender Marvin Andrews a special guest.
As Mail Sport’s Man United Confidential reported, Rangers were given an allocation of 3,768 tickets for the Europa League tie and had a request for more turned down.
Given the enticing nature of the tie, the level of Rangers’ support and the accessibility of Manchester to the Scottish city, many more are expected to travel.
To add to what may well be a complex police operation, Chelsea are due in Manchester to play City on Saturday. Sections of each club’s fanbase are linked and it is understood some may head to Manchester from London early to take in the atmosphere.
Trafford council, the licensing authority, declined to comment, other than to say that it has been working closely with Greater Manchester Police. GMP and Bowlers have been approached for comment.
The following week, Rangers’ rivals Celtic head to Birmingham to take on Aston Villa in the Champions League. A separate event is being set up in the Second City, which will show that game to fans who have travelled without tickets.
Billed ‘The Fanzone’, it will run from 2pm to 2am and feature a number of Celtic bands at Luna Springs, Digbeth Arena. Celtic have been given an allocation of just 2,100 tickets for the tie.
Superintendent Jack Hadley, match commander from West Midlands Police, said: ‘We’re looking forward to another great Champions League occasion here in Birmingham.
‘We are anticipating a large number of people coming into the city and we want everyone to enjoy what it has to offer.
‘We’ll have additional officers in and around the city centre and as a police force we are used to dealing with large events such as high-profile football matches.
‘We’ll have plans in place to allow fans to savour the occasion, and city, and keep the wider public safe.’
