Exam warning to young Gers fans

About 100,000 Rangers fans are expected in Manchester

Young Rangers fans have been warned not to miss their school exams so they can travel to Manchester for the Uefa Cup Final clash with Zenit St Petersburg.

More than 28,000 pupils are due to sit their Higher English exam on Thursday morning.

Thousands more are also due to sit exams on Wednesday.

The Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) said going to Wednesday night's match would not be treated as a valid reason for missing the exams.

SQA spokesman Mike Haggerty said: "Exams and qualifications are very important for future life. We would therefore ask candidates and parents to carefully consider potential non-attendance.

"If pupils do not sit their exam, they will not receive any credit whatsoever for their work over the year.

"Without a proper explanation, Rangers not being one, there will simply be no result on exam certificates."

Rangers recently announced that it plans to beam back the Uefa final to Ibrox and the match will also be shown live on television Scottish Government spokeswoman

The Scottish Government also urged young supporters not to sacrifice their future for the sake of the match.

A spokeswoman said: "We hope that parents take a responsible attitude and realise that while this football game is an important one for fans, this exam is one of the most important dates in their children's lives.

"There is no need for young people to travel to Manchester as Rangers recently announced that it plans to beam back the Uefa final to Ibrox and the match will also be shown live on television."

However, online Rangers fans were split on the issue, with one fan on the Follow Follow website saying exams should definitely take priority.

He wrote: "There's a lot more Rangers games to come after this one. You cannae go to them if you aint got a decent job to pay for it."

However, another fan urged supporters to go to the game, stating: "It might be a long time before you can watch the Gers in a European final. Sit the exam next year."

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