Rangers FC

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• Manager:Walter Smith

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Rangers calm Manchester fears

27 Aug 2010 - 09:06:44

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Rangers chief executive Martin Bain has allayed fears that his club's return to Manchester could lead to a repeat of the ugly scenes which marred the 2008 UEFA Cup Final in the city.

The Ibrox club have been paired with Manchester United in Group C of the Champions League.

That has sparked fears of a repeat of two years ago when tens of thousands of Rangers fans descended on Manchester for the UEFA Cup Final against Zenit St Petersburg and troubled flared in the city.

However, Bain is confident that no such problems will arise this time.

"I would say the circumstances were totally different," he said.

"When we went to Manchester for the UEFA Cup Final it was one of the biggest movements of people in Europe, 150,000 people descending on the city.

"Going down in those vast numbers was obviously a lot for any club and any city to deal with. It was a final.

"I still believe to this day it was a small minority who spoiled it for the majority, but this is a different tie.

"The true Rangers supporters did not like those scenes and I am absolutely convinced that they will go down to Manchester to prove a point that they are a great set of supporters.

"We have the right administration and the right security people to make sure that things go accordingly.

"We've played United in the Champions League before, and as far as I remember there was no great calamity."