Rangers fans conquer Manchest-Ger

Huge influx
It is 350km from Glasgow to Manchester, and as their side chase their second European title, and first since 1972, Rangers fans have travelled en masse. Enough have decamped to the north-west of England to fill the City of Manchester Stadium more than two times over, and while local businesses rub their hands in expectation of a €40m windfall, the sound of the fans clapping theirs courses through the streets. Many are singing, dancing and cheering at Albert Square, one of three Fan Zones in the city, where a Ska band plays UB40 wearing Hawaiian shirts.

Zenit outnumbered
The sunshine and unseasonably high temperatures certainly justify their choice of attire, but a sea of light blue is the norm, with specks of FC Zenit St. Petersburg's white kit breaking up the uniformity. There are 14,000 over from Russia for the game, with the country's president Dmitri Medvedev reportedly hoping to be among them. Zenit are based at the central Piccadilly Gardens, their chants occasionally heard before being drowned out by a thick smog of Glaswegian. As a Russian camera crew attempted to interview one Zenit fan his portly frame quickly became immersed by Rangers supporters and it is to his credit that he still made himself heard.

Regional impact
More Zenit fans will follow though. Many spent the morning in nearby Chester, but fears among locals that they had missed the 'Man' off the name and were set for a major disappointment when they arrived at the tiny Deva Stadium, home of Chester City FC, has proved unfounded. Indeed, such has been the influx from Glasgow that Manchester's 45,000 hotel beds have long been taken so people are looking further afield to Chester, Leeds, Blackpool and also the Burnage Rugby Club where a temporary campsite has emerged overnight. The party is certainly all Rangers' at the moment but Zenit may still gatecrash it.