One Rangers fan reveals he spent £3,000 for a ticket to the Europa League final from a tout – and three Gers supporters travelled more than 11,000 miles to Seville from Australia… but won’t even be attending match!
- Rangers face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final tomorrow in Seville
- Thousands of fans have traveled to Spain without tickets for the European clash
- UEFA only granted each team 10,000 tickets in the 40,000-capacity stadium
- Gers fans from around the worldwide have been telling MailOnline their stories
Three ardent Rangers fans have travelled more than 11,000 miles to be in Seville for their team’s Europa League final – but will end up watching it on TV!
Russell Wilson and father and son Calum and Alistair McKay flew from Australia and joined their friend Gerald McNair from Newbury, Berkshire.
Mr McNair forked out £3000 to a tout for his ticket and admitted he was desperate to see the match.
He said many thousands of Rangers fans like him had been marginalised by the UEFA ticketing system which granted 10,000 seats to each team for the 40,000-seater stadium.
He added: ‘This could be the biggest night in the history of Rangers and in the lives of many of our fans.
‘Spending that kind of money is a big decision, but I could not miss this.’
Gerald McNair (right) from Newbury, Berkshire, forked out £3000 to a tout for his ticket
Russell Wilson and father and son Calum and Alistair McKay flew from Australia to be in Seville for tomorrow’s Europa League final
Mr Wilson from Sydney said it was tough coming all the way from Australia on a journey which began on Friday.
‘I wish there were more tickets. But being among the Rangers fans on such a special occasion is worth it 100 per cent.’
Mr Calum McKay and his son will also watch the match on a screen, but did not regret the trip. As they spoke, they were approached by a Spanish ticket tout who wanted to buy any tickets they had.
Mr Mackay senior told him: ‘I wish I did have tickets, but I wouldn’t sell them.’
Thousands of Rangers fans crammed into the centre of Seville desperately seeking tickets
Officials have erected two big screens close to the centre of Seville for rival ticketless fans to watch live broadcasts.
Meanwhile, thousands of Rangers fans were crammed into the centre of Seville today desperately seeking tickets. And they were being joined by 50,000 German supporters.
Touts were asking for up to €5,000 for tickets which were obtained for around one per cent of the sum.
Mail Online was offered a ticket in the Rangers part of the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium for €3,000.
Mail Online was offered a ticket in the Rangers part of the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium for €3,000
West Ham fan Dr Brian Davis, 54, a psychologist from London booked his trip before his team lost to tomorrow’s finalists Eintracht Frankfurt
The tickets on sale were from a batch sold to local fans and neutrals. Supporters of both teams received 10,000 each for the 40,000 seater stadium.
Billy Taylor, 34, a tree surgeon, from Glasgow who travelled to Seville via Paris and Madrid said: ‘In the words of Michael Jackson, “Got to be there” or near enough!
‘Aye, I don’t have a ticket. But you cannot beat the magic of these Rangers fans. ‘
West Ham fan Dr Brian Davis, 54, a psychologist from London booked his trip before his team lost to tomorrow’s finalists Eintracht Frankfurt.
He said: ‘It is about being part of the football family, celebrating success together, travelling through cultures and hoping our dreams might one day be fulfilled.’