Friday, August 27, 2010

British clubs reject safety fears

Rangers chief executive Martin Bain
Martin Bain is looking forward to Rangers taking on Manchester United

Rangers and Manchester United have played down fears over security after the British giants were grouped together in the Champions League.

There was crowd trouble when Rangers fans travelled to Manchester for the 2008 Uefa Cup final.

Gers chief executive Martin Bain said: "I am convinced they will go down to Manchester to prove a point that they are a great set of supporters."

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is also confident trouble will be avoided.

"There were circumstances that day," recalled Ferguson of Rangers' last visit to Manchester.

"I don't think it was well organised because fans were invited down without tickets.

"It is like every club. Rangers have fantastic supporters but they have some bad elements.

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

Rangers chief executive
Martin Bain

"The unfortunate incidents that day maybe could have been avoided.

"Too many travelled without tickets. It won't happen again because we will be giving Rangers their proper allocation and they will control where the tickets are going.

"I don't expect Rangers fans to travel without a ticket."

Bain has insisted that the violence witnessed in 2008 was caused by a "minority" of Rangers fans.

"I would say the circumstances in 2008 were totally different," he added.

"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.

"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."

Greater Manchester Police has said say it will be liaising with both clubs to avoid ensure safety and Manchester City Council intend to organise the evening of the 14 September match differently to 2008, with no large screens being erected for fans to watch the game.

MY SPORT

"This is an early group stage match so the circumstances are different to the Uefa Cup final but we will be working closely with the police to make sure that there is not a repeat of what happened in 2008," stated Councillor Mike Amesbury.

"We will not be showing the game on big screens, as would be the case for any group stage match.

"Manchester regularly hosts major sporting events and week in week out we work with Premiership clubs to ensure fans both home and away enjoy their sport in our city.

"We will welcome genuine football fans as usual and will work with our partners to deliver a safe event."

Meanwhile, Bain has spoken of his delight that the Ibrox side have landed such a "commercially lucrative" draw in Group C, with Valencia and Bursaspor the other teams making up the Scottish champions' section.

"The fact we've drawn Manchester United is great," he reflected. "There will be no easy matches.

"Our aspiration is to be in Europe after Christmas. If it's the Champions League we'll be delighted, if it's the Europa League we'll be pleased.

"Manchester United and Rangers is two great British teams pitting themselves against each other but the fact that Sir Alex Ferguson and Walter Smith are such great friends - and I've been privy to the banter as the seasons have gone on - is one they'll really be looking forward to, it's nice for them.

"Commercially it's lucrative to play Manchester United at this stage - you want to have a tie which captures supporters' imagination.

"Income will be £14m from the Champions League this season, we will really miss it if we don't get it.

"Next season the champions don't qualify automatically. It's two qualifying rounds and a play-off for the champions."

Rangers follow the opening trip to Old Trafford with a home tie against Bursaspor before a double-header against Valencia. United visit Ibrox at the end of November and Rangers end their group campaign in Turkey at the beginning of December.

Potenshöjande medel - köp cialis receptfritt

No comments: