Fans of Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers rampaged through the English city of Manchester last night after their team lost 2-0 to St Petersburg in the UEFA Cup Final.
At round 150,000 Scottish football fans - if not many more - turned up in the city to watch the game that was being played at the City of Manchester Stadium - which has a capacity of only arouf 45,000. It may have been the largest gathering of football fans in history.
Thousands who couldn't get into the stadium crowded around giant screens that were erected throughout the city to watch the game.
The Scottish hooligans first caused trouble when one of the giant screens broke down just before the match - the yobs even attacked the workmen who came out to repair the screen.
After the match, many more Scottish football hooligans then went on the rampage around Manchester, hurling missiles at riot police, cars and windows.
Because of this, England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup may be in jeopardy - even though it was SCOTTISH football hooligans who caused the trouble.
Rampaging Rangers fans 'may have jeopardised England's bid to stage 2018 World Cup'
15th May 2008
Daily Mail
Rampaging Glasgow Rangers fans are a "disgrace" who could have jeopardised England's bid to host the 2018 football World Cup, Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned today.
The Prime Minister hit out at the Scottish supporters involved in violent clashes with police in Manchester last night - and said public drinking laws would also be reviewed.
"What happened last night was a disgrace," Mr Brown told reporters at this regular Downing Street press conference.
"It was a minority but it was completely unacceptable and for that to happen in a public place where the Manchester authorities had made available the facilities for people to enjoy the match.
"They have good reason, both the police and the authorities, to be very angry about what happened."
The FA is making a £15 million bid to bring the World Cup back to England for the first time since 1966 - a move sparked by the Prime Minister himself.
He said: "I want to do everything to avoid us being put in a position where we might be at risk of an application for the 2018 World Cup not being acceptable because of this.
"We've got to make sure we deal with problems and deal with them whenever they happen so we are looking at this as a matter of urgency."
"We do have laws that enable us to control drinking in public places where there is a risk of disorder. We will have to look at these laws for the future.
"Whatever the carnival atmosphere was at the beginning, the fact that it degenerated as a result of the minority being engaged in violence will lead us to have to look at this.
"The Home Secretary will be speaking to the Chief Constable about what happened," he said, praising the response of the Greater Manchester force.
One fan was stabbed and police made 42 arrests in hours of violence during and after Glasgow Rangers' defeat to Russian opponents Zenit St Petersburg.
Fan fury: The moment a Greater Manchester police dog bites one of the rioting Scottish fans on the leg
Stand-off: Riot police with dogs pen a group of drunken Rangers fans in a doorway
Fifteen police officers, as well as a police dog, were left nursing a catalogue of injuries as hundreds of riot police and supporters fought running battles.
A lone police officer was tripped up and stamped on as he faced up to a baying mob of hundreds of Rangers fans, video footage showed today.
The officer was among seven riot officers seen retreating down a city centre street at about 10.15pm yesterday as they were vastly outnumbered by charging supporters.
CCTV images show the officers attempting in vain to keep the fans at arm's length as missiles of cans, bottles and rubbish are thrown at them.
Six of the officers eventually turn and run but one of the officers confronts the pack. He is punched before one of the mob trips him up and he falls to the ground.
The male officer is then set upon in Newton Street by a gang of about 20 fans who kick and stamp on him on the ground.
Rangers fans clash with police on the streets of Manchester last night
He eventually makes his escape as a stream of fans proceeds onwards, several with their arms aloft in celebration.
Greater Manchester Police said the officer suffered bruising to both arms, sore ribs and a puncture wound to the elbow, but was now recovering from his injuries.
In other footage released by police, a large group of supporters are seen to vandalise a car near a set of traffic lights as they smash the windows of the vehicle.
In a statement, police said the images portrayed the "measured response taken by officers in the face of mindless thuggery".
Another senior officer was hit so hard his electronic earpiece was left embedded in his head and had to be removed by doctors.
A third policeman was bottled over the head and another lost his front teeth after being head-butted by a Rangers hooligan.
Ambulance crews also came under attack in the violence and two paramedics were reportedly also injured.
Aftermath: A man crouches by his wounded friend amid the debris of the riots last night
Five men arrested for wounding with intent on suspicion of stabbing a rival Russian fan have been released - and it appears the knifeman has escaped.
Sixteen men are currently being held for public order offences, four for assault and four for violent disorder and affray. There were further arrests for throwing missiles, possessing an offensive weapon and criminal damage.
Some may appear in court this afternoon, after they have sobered up this morning.
Police chiefs said they were left "sickened and disappointed" with the behaviour of some fans.
Across the city centre this morning streets were strewn with rubbish, cans of beer and broken glass after an estimated 100,000 Rangers fans descended on Manchester for the big game.
An army of council workers will begin moving the mountains of rubbish but the Rangers' fans own reputation - and that of the city's for hosting events - may take longer to clean up.
Assistant Chief Constable Justine Curran of Greater Manchester Police said: "A minority of thugs have overshadowed what should have been a great occasion."
She added: "I've watched them commit damage, assault my officers and I'm really sickened and disappointed."
An injured and bleeding fan, dressed in Union Jack shorts, is treated by paramedics
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council said: "We are having a full inquiry into the failure of the screen in Piccadilly Gardens.
"The vast majority of fans spent a peaceful evening in our city centre in a spirit of friendship and respect. But this has been spoiled by the bad behaviour of a minority. We cannot tolerate missiles and bottles being thrown."
Scores of bleary-eyed fans awoke hungover and shivering in the early morning, heading for the train station to begin the journey home, after sleeping in doorways for the night, using their flags as blankets.
Privately it is known that city officials wanted "anyone but Rangers" to get through to the final.
Publicly the council promised a warm welcome, with a relaxed attitude to fans drinking on the street - normally outlawed - and three fan zones with big screens.
Beer was on tap from off-licences with supporters carrying crates of cheap lager around - Tesco opened at 7am, 18 hours before kick-off.
Thugs: Rangers fans pose beside a car which was smashed up seconds earlier
No excuse: Furious Rangers fans took their frustration out telephone boxes in the city centre
Excitement mounted all day, as did the alcohol levels, with some fans spending hundreds of pounds on travel and hotels just to watch the game in the fan zones.
Throughout the day the atmosphere had been friendly but when a "technical hitch" hit the screen in Piccadilly Gardens, many fans, already heavily drunk, turned nasty.
Violence broke out at around 7.30pm and the trouble continued for around five hours.
The broken big screen was pelted with bottles, as were riot police as they moved in to try to quell the trouble. Police and council officials blamed a "minority" of fans for the violence.
Rangers fans blamed the local council's "shambolic" organisation, but another said the behaviour of his fellow supporters left him "ashamed to be a Scotsman".
Clean-up: The streets of Manchester were left strewn with more than 100 tonnes of rubbish
Costly: The clean-up of is expected to cost Manchester hundreds of thousands of pounds
There were similar dejected scenes in Glasgow, where 25,000 fans had watched the match on giant screens at the club's home ground, Ibrox Stadium.
On their return to Scotland, the Rangers players are expected to take part in a parade of honour on an open-top bus, which will travel through the city.
Paul Johnson, 25, from the Knightswood area of Glasgow, said: "I'm absolutely gutted. We were so close to a historic victory for our club but we just couldn't perform on the night.
"It was just a dream for us and we didn't quite make it."
Rangers lost the match 2-0.
Hair of the dog: Two Glasgow Rangers fans drown their sorrows with a liquid breakfast this morning
dailymail.co.uk
At round 150,000 Scottish football fans - if not many more - turned up in the city to watch the game that was being played at the City of Manchester Stadium - which has a capacity of only arouf 45,000. It may have been the largest gathering of football fans in history.
Thousands who couldn't get into the stadium crowded around giant screens that were erected throughout the city to watch the game.
The Scottish hooligans first caused trouble when one of the giant screens broke down just before the match - the yobs even attacked the workmen who came out to repair the screen.
After the match, many more Scottish football hooligans then went on the rampage around Manchester, hurling missiles at riot police, cars and windows.
Because of this, England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup may be in jeopardy - even though it was SCOTTISH football hooligans who caused the trouble.
Rampaging Rangers fans 'may have jeopardised England's bid to stage 2018 World Cup'
15th May 2008
Daily Mail
Rampaging Glasgow Rangers fans are a "disgrace" who could have jeopardised England's bid to host the 2018 football World Cup, Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned today.
The Prime Minister hit out at the Scottish supporters involved in violent clashes with police in Manchester last night - and said public drinking laws would also be reviewed.
"What happened last night was a disgrace," Mr Brown told reporters at this regular Downing Street press conference.
"It was a minority but it was completely unacceptable and for that to happen in a public place where the Manchester authorities had made available the facilities for people to enjoy the match.
"They have good reason, both the police and the authorities, to be very angry about what happened."
The FA is making a £15 million bid to bring the World Cup back to England for the first time since 1966 - a move sparked by the Prime Minister himself.
He said: "I want to do everything to avoid us being put in a position where we might be at risk of an application for the 2018 World Cup not being acceptable because of this.
"We've got to make sure we deal with problems and deal with them whenever they happen so we are looking at this as a matter of urgency."
"We do have laws that enable us to control drinking in public places where there is a risk of disorder. We will have to look at these laws for the future.
"Whatever the carnival atmosphere was at the beginning, the fact that it degenerated as a result of the minority being engaged in violence will lead us to have to look at this.
"The Home Secretary will be speaking to the Chief Constable about what happened," he said, praising the response of the Greater Manchester force.
One fan was stabbed and police made 42 arrests in hours of violence during and after Glasgow Rangers' defeat to Russian opponents Zenit St Petersburg.
Fan fury: The moment a Greater Manchester police dog bites one of the rioting Scottish fans on the leg
Stand-off: Riot police with dogs pen a group of drunken Rangers fans in a doorway
Fifteen police officers, as well as a police dog, were left nursing a catalogue of injuries as hundreds of riot police and supporters fought running battles.
A lone police officer was tripped up and stamped on as he faced up to a baying mob of hundreds of Rangers fans, video footage showed today.
The officer was among seven riot officers seen retreating down a city centre street at about 10.15pm yesterday as they were vastly outnumbered by charging supporters.
CCTV images show the officers attempting in vain to keep the fans at arm's length as missiles of cans, bottles and rubbish are thrown at them.
Six of the officers eventually turn and run but one of the officers confronts the pack. He is punched before one of the mob trips him up and he falls to the ground.
The male officer is then set upon in Newton Street by a gang of about 20 fans who kick and stamp on him on the ground.
Rangers fans clash with police on the streets of Manchester last night
He eventually makes his escape as a stream of fans proceeds onwards, several with their arms aloft in celebration.
Greater Manchester Police said the officer suffered bruising to both arms, sore ribs and a puncture wound to the elbow, but was now recovering from his injuries.
In other footage released by police, a large group of supporters are seen to vandalise a car near a set of traffic lights as they smash the windows of the vehicle.
In a statement, police said the images portrayed the "measured response taken by officers in the face of mindless thuggery".
Another senior officer was hit so hard his electronic earpiece was left embedded in his head and had to be removed by doctors.
A third policeman was bottled over the head and another lost his front teeth after being head-butted by a Rangers hooligan.
Ambulance crews also came under attack in the violence and two paramedics were reportedly also injured.
Aftermath: A man crouches by his wounded friend amid the debris of the riots last night
Five men arrested for wounding with intent on suspicion of stabbing a rival Russian fan have been released - and it appears the knifeman has escaped.
Sixteen men are currently being held for public order offences, four for assault and four for violent disorder and affray. There were further arrests for throwing missiles, possessing an offensive weapon and criminal damage.
Some may appear in court this afternoon, after they have sobered up this morning.
Police chiefs said they were left "sickened and disappointed" with the behaviour of some fans.
Across the city centre this morning streets were strewn with rubbish, cans of beer and broken glass after an estimated 100,000 Rangers fans descended on Manchester for the big game.
An army of council workers will begin moving the mountains of rubbish but the Rangers' fans own reputation - and that of the city's for hosting events - may take longer to clean up.
Assistant Chief Constable Justine Curran of Greater Manchester Police said: "A minority of thugs have overshadowed what should have been a great occasion."
She added: "I've watched them commit damage, assault my officers and I'm really sickened and disappointed."
An injured and bleeding fan, dressed in Union Jack shorts, is treated by paramedics
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council said: "We are having a full inquiry into the failure of the screen in Piccadilly Gardens.
"The vast majority of fans spent a peaceful evening in our city centre in a spirit of friendship and respect. But this has been spoiled by the bad behaviour of a minority. We cannot tolerate missiles and bottles being thrown."
Scores of bleary-eyed fans awoke hungover and shivering in the early morning, heading for the train station to begin the journey home, after sleeping in doorways for the night, using their flags as blankets.
Privately it is known that city officials wanted "anyone but Rangers" to get through to the final.
Publicly the council promised a warm welcome, with a relaxed attitude to fans drinking on the street - normally outlawed - and three fan zones with big screens.
Beer was on tap from off-licences with supporters carrying crates of cheap lager around - Tesco opened at 7am, 18 hours before kick-off.
Thugs: Rangers fans pose beside a car which was smashed up seconds earlier
No excuse: Furious Rangers fans took their frustration out telephone boxes in the city centre
Excitement mounted all day, as did the alcohol levels, with some fans spending hundreds of pounds on travel and hotels just to watch the game in the fan zones.
Throughout the day the atmosphere had been friendly but when a "technical hitch" hit the screen in Piccadilly Gardens, many fans, already heavily drunk, turned nasty.
Violence broke out at around 7.30pm and the trouble continued for around five hours.
The broken big screen was pelted with bottles, as were riot police as they moved in to try to quell the trouble. Police and council officials blamed a "minority" of fans for the violence.
Rangers fans blamed the local council's "shambolic" organisation, but another said the behaviour of his fellow supporters left him "ashamed to be a Scotsman".
Clean-up: The streets of Manchester were left strewn with more than 100 tonnes of rubbish
Costly: The clean-up of is expected to cost Manchester hundreds of thousands of pounds
There were similar dejected scenes in Glasgow, where 25,000 fans had watched the match on giant screens at the club's home ground, Ibrox Stadium.
On their return to Scotland, the Rangers players are expected to take part in a parade of honour on an open-top bus, which will travel through the city.
Paul Johnson, 25, from the Knightswood area of Glasgow, said: "I'm absolutely gutted. We were so close to a historic victory for our club but we just couldn't perform on the night.
"It was just a dream for us and we didn't quite make it."
Rangers lost the match 2-0.
Hair of the dog: Two Glasgow Rangers fans drown their sorrows with a liquid breakfast this morning
dailymail.co.uk
