Manchester

[Phil 1,150]

There was no booze left in the Manchester area we were in, we went to 3 supermarkets for booze n only bottles of wine were left.

We ran out and there wasn't even bottles of wine, I can only remember seeing one of the small 25ml tasters of port left on a shelf in all the supermarkets we went into

Ended up in some industrial estate at a Chinese cash and carry and they had opened the delivery doors and put a tennis net across them selling 24 bottles of honestly the worst beer I've ever drank in m life, tsing Tao or something like that, for £20

[boab54 4]

I was at Ibrox with my mate (Spurs fan - forced him to buy a Rangers scarf) and his sister (her boyfriend was at the game in Manchester). Going to the stadium was the most exciting thing I've felt in all my time supporting Rangers but after the game I was so depressed, the closest I've come to crying after a football game.

We'll be back there some day soon.

[Fastrax 274]

There was no booze left in the Manchester area we were in, we went to 3 supermarkets for booze n only bottles of wine were left.

Thats right and the shops weren't selling us them cause they were glass bottles

[The Godfather 71,900]

We ran out and there wasn't even bottles of wine, I can only remember seeing one of the small 25ml tasters of port left on a shelf in all the supermarkets we went into

Ended up in some industrial estate at a Chinese cash and carry and they had opened the delivery doors and put a tennis net across them selling 24 bottles of honestly the worst beer I've ever drank in m life, tsing Tao or something like that, for £20

We had to break the bottles n pour what was left into subway cups.... was stinking and I HATE wine.

Never seen anything like it in my life, folk were walking about with crates and bottles of spirits, bumped into a group from Holytown and they were forcing aftershock down us...vile!

I'd have drank puddle water that day though, I was melted.

[Clemdog 39,389]

If I ever had to re watch that game, it'd probably be the hardest thing I'd ever had to do.

[The Godfather 71,900]

If I ever had to re watch that game, it'd probably be the hardest thing I'd ever had to do.

Only saw bits of it tbh, will never bring myself to watch it.

I've seen myself walk out rooms and pubs when it was being talked about on TV.

[RoyCropper 574]

was only fourteen when i went down! Rangers will make a another european final in my life i know it

[Gaz92 966]

I've never seen the full game before, didn't even know Zenit had scored a second goal til the next day!

[SectionRedHMS 190]

I apologise in advance as I have a fair drink in me, but I was out with folk from work tonight and one lass (Celtic fan) said her husband proposed to her on the way to Manchester to see Rangers in the Europa league final, and it just reminded me of travelling down with 2 of my best mates and one of my other best mates wee brother torturing our Celtic fan pals with 6am phone calls and voice maisl of

Tell all the scum you know that we're Manchester could and they're no,

We'll be having such fun in the Rovers Return while they're singing Strachan must go!

Good times supporting the most successful team on the planet!

Got ma bald spot toasted.Still had a great time.

[harlands plater 16,986]

Nearest hotel to Manchester I could book was in Preston. Drove down there on the morning of the game, The M74 and M6 were just a big blue conga line. Stopped at Southwaite services, Bears everywhere with the tunes blaring out of parked cars. Left the car in Preston and got a train to Manchester, it came from Blackpool and it was bouncing like the subway to Copland Road.

Spent some time drinking in Piccadilly before deciding Albert Square was a better bet for those of us with no tickets to watch the game on the screens, those of us who did have tickets walked to the ground in a procession of thousands of Bears led by two carrying a massive Red Hand that covered half the width of the road. As we walked through housing schemes the locals were out in their gardens cheering us on. Went for a pish in a portaloo on the way, while I was inside a group of Zenit fans passed by kicking fuck out the toilets, I thought it was going to topple over while I was standing in it. At one point Alan Smith was walking up the road just in front of us, with Alex Rae.

I was in the ground for 6.30 as I wanted to savour every minute of it - I remember watching our players warming up and thinking some of them looked scared shitless. Couldn't believe the number of Bears who were in the ground, although it shouldn't really have been a surprise. As for the game itself, I never at any point thought we looked like winning although it may have been different if Ferguson had put away the chance Darche set up.

Was gutted at the final whistle, after applauding our players we made our way eventually to the buses laid on to get us back into the city, straight into Piccadilly where we were lucky enough to get on the only train to leave for Blackpool, and we finally got back to Preston at 1.30 in the morning. Very subdued couple of beers in the hotel bar, between the result and hearing of the trouble.

[MKGER 138]

Was a good day until the football started. I'm pleased for the op that he remembers it so fondly but for me and my dad who I took as my plus 1 in the Uefa last 16 ballot to the game, it was an absolute disaster of a day, week, season....it's a very fenian trait to look back at defeat so positively

[RFCstuart 317]

Still believe this was the best day of my life to date, even though we got beat!

I'll never forget driving down and being amazed that every vehicke had bears in it with flags or scarfs hanging out! Brilliant, so many amazing memories that will live with me till the day i die.

I'm 18 so heres hoping we could make another final in my lifetime!

[GLASGOWRFC 101]

There was no booze left in the Manchester area we were in, we went to 3 supermarkets for booze n only bottles of wine were left.

Same here!... The booze dried up and the sun was blazing!

Booze was hard to come by!

I remember bears throwing bottles of sun tan lotion about that was "bought" in local chemists!

My best mate and I and a few others got the train down and we had a fantastic time... Sadly my best mate died last year and its been a hard time but I'm privileged to have shared that journey to Manchester with him.

[Ger_onimo 20,488]

One of the best threads I've ever seen on RM.

[wheresmymonkey 17]

Fucking top class day. Left Larkhall @ 5.30, never got home till 4am the following day.

My old man couldn't make it as he was working over in NI, I phoned him from inside the stadium and said I couldnt honestly think of a time I was more happy to be a Protestant Rangers fan.

A day I'll never forget. Lets look forward to the next one.

[KingKai 439]

It had been 16 years since i had been home. I arrived from Phoenix and went to Piccadilly station to meet some mates.

A train had just arrived,and thousands of bears ( well it seemed like thousands!) started singing Follow Follow.

Never felt so proud!!

What a feeling to be home amongst the world's greates support!

And Im on my way back tomorrow!!

See y'all Tuesday!!

[hugh dallas 29]

Only 17 now so hopefully I'll see it again one day

As for manchester , remember getting told the night before that i was actually going. Didn't sleep a wink.

Travelling down seeing fellow bears, flags, banners etc was phenomenal . Actually getting there and being part of the sea of blue was one of the best experiences of my life. met a few sound zenit fans aswell! Still haven't manages to watch all of this game to date but I didnt see any trouble at all

Drove back to the same night though feeling so down!!!

Still a fantastic day that we can all be proud of

[dougied123 222]

We arrived down on the Tuesday, with every vehicle and bridge decorated with some form of memorabilia. People waving on every bridge on the M74 on the way. The strange thing was on tuesday night in Piccadily square the police were guarding the porta loos and the bins allowing no one to use them, telling bears to piss in the street, yet on the Wed they were critisising our support for doing so. We were in Albert square for the game and there was about 10 porta loos for everyone and I would estimate there were 100,000 there by kick off.

Some fantastic memories, bears eveywhere and a real party atmosphere.

Cant wait till we get a chance to repeat this day!

[EastEnclosureBear 2,919]

I'll never forget that day, what a laugh it was. Never had been so nervous in my life. Tears streaming down my face when Zenit scored the second, being steaming out my box didn't help but it was hard one to take.

[watp1690rfc 32]

Drove down the night before with my whole family and stayed with my uncle who lives in manchester. Watched the game in albert square. What a great day,always remember sining rule britannia and the people in the offices all hanging out the windows filming us on there mobiles! People climbing up statues and lamp post to hang there flags. then they put a shite band on and some boy jumped on the stage and hijacked the mic and got a sash bash on the go. Just a fantastic day to be involved with and its nice reading everybody's experience's. Roll on the next one!! Might have to wait a wee while for it, but by fuck when it comes what a party!

[legalbeagle 3,734]

I remember the thrill of heading towards the stadium, and just the intensity and anticipation of the build-up.

The game itself was so tense, and I didn't really enjoy the match while it was happening (plus spent most of the second half screaming for us to bring on a striker)

From the moment I managed to secure a ticket from some German guy whose team hadn't made it, even until now, it is up there with my top experiences as a Rangers fan. (probably alongside the last 15 minutes of the Marseille game at Ibrox, and Arteta's penalty kick against Dunfermline for 6-1.)

[Swagger 7,991]

Inverness to Preston at 3 in the morning

hundreds of cars and buses. Banners hanging from bridges

Preston train station watching the Glasgow train pull into the Station - like fucking sardines

Breakfast in some posh restuarant in Manchester

Carlsberg 10am in Albert square

Roasting and tens of thousands of Rangers everywhere

In a portaloo blazing phoning every cunt telling them it was the best day of my life

The locals loving us and wishing us all the best

The mancs in the Maine road pub across from the stadium telling us that with a following like we had there was no way that we wouldnt lift the trophy (i know )

The Foo Fighters as the teams came out

The bouncy

absolutely gutted at the final whistle

70 quid in a taxi to get back to Preston

never mind the result that day will live with me forever - magic

[stevotrueblue 382]

Some great memories of that day. Can remember almost getting lifted for cheek in York. As we got off the train in York some copper stepped forward and gave directions on where to go etc. I just asked him in a completely innocent tone how he knew where I was going,, I was decked out in a Union Jack top hat, flag and scarf etc lol,,, he didn't have much of a sense of humor.

Then on the train I remember a few stops short of Manchester these 3 russians got on. Dont know how much english they understood,,, but I'm sure they got the message when a whole carriage started geeing them it big time,, all in fun tho.

Met one of ex RAF pals in the train station at Manchester and can mind stepping out and looking down main street at a sea of blue,red and white.

My mate chris said joking "Ive never seem so many white faces in the town before,,, all these flags,, its like the national front and you have come to liberate our city" Chris had just been accepted into Greater Manchester police at this point as well

Met up with another mate fae killie and the 3 of us had a great day of drinking singing and flirting wae bearettes in the sun,,, bursting into big jock knew was always a good ice-breaker lol

And then the next day having to tell some wee guy on the train who genuinely didnt know the score as he'd got so pissed lol.

Great times.

[CoatbridgeBear 7,113]

Goosebumps!

[CoatbridgeBear 7,113]

Drove down the night before with my whole family and stayed with my uncle who lives in manchester. Watched the game in albert square. What a great day,always remember sining rule britannia and the people in the offices all hanging out the windows filming us on there mobiles! People climbing up statues and lamp post to hang there flags. then they put a shite band on and some boy jumped on the stage and hijacked the mic and got a sash bash on the go. Just a fantastic day to be involved with and its nice reading everybody's experience's. Roll on the next one!! Might have to wait a wee while for it, but by fuck when it comes what a party!

Haha I mind that mate, at the fanzone ? Fucking magic!