Rangers: Outsiders had role in violence

10:15pm Thursday 15th May 2008

Rangers believe the trouble in Manchester city centre which marred the UEFA Cup final involved many people with no known history of following the club.

Rampaging fans were described as a "disgrace" who could have jeopardised England's bid to host the 2018 football World Cup, Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned on Thursday.

Rangers security chief Kenny Scott told Sky Sports News: "We have to identify anybody that was responsible for any of these acts of violence. The club will take the appropriate action. The difficulty is of course that many of these people will have no association with Rangers Football Club and that exacerbates our difficulties in dealing appropriately with the situation."

Brown condemned the supporters involved in violent clashes with police on Wednesday night - and said public drinking laws would also be reviewed.

Hundreds of fans turned violent when a big screen showing the match in the city's Piccadilly Gardens failed to work just before kick-off.

Fifteen officers were injured, as well as a police dog, and 42 arrests were made as hundreds of riot police and supporters fought running battles. One Zenit St Petersburg fan was stabbed but his injuries were not life-threatening.

Rangers chief executive Martin Bain returned to Glasgow on Thursday, and reflected on Wednesday's events.

"Unfortunately a screen went down in the centre of Manchester without maybe a separate feed coming in as back-up, and it has obviously been the catalyst for some incident," Bain said.

"Those scenes obviously are dreadful and I've seen them myself and we have been informed ... that those scenes were caused by supporters that don't normally attach themselves to our support.

"Therefore we're extremely disappointed and we'll do everything we possibly can to help Manchester Police find out who those perpetrators are."

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