Dundee United fans trying to reserve coaches for Sunday’s semi-final trip to Hampden have come up against an unexpected hurdle a booking clash with the Grand National.
Several of the companies that usually ferry fans to away games are operating trips to Aintree, leaving Tangerine travellers without transport.
However, with over 7000 tickets already sold and the club expecting up to 10,000 at the game, it is a near certainty die-hard Arabs will find a way there.
The chairman of the Federation of Dundee United Supporters’ Clubs, Shug Falconer, said buses had been booked from as far away as Aberdeen to support the “unprecedented demand” for the fixture against Raith Rovers.
He added, “It is hard for me to give an exact figure on how many will be going through to the game, because there will be so many unofficial groups.
“There have been so many bookings for the Grand National that a lot of supporters’ clubs are struggling to get coaches.
“Then of course when they try companies in Fife all the buses have been snapped up by Raith fans.”
Mr Falconer added, “I don’t think anybody thought there would be so many going down to the Grand National, but I’m sure everybody will get there by hook or by crook.
“The train and the public bus to Glasgow will be doing a roaring trade by the looks of it.”
United official Derek Robertson said, “We have already sold more than 7000 tickets and we actually ran out of them on Friday last week.
“Hampden now operates an all-ticket policy which means there will be empty seats within the ground, but obviously that is not our decision.High demand”There has been a high demand for tickets since they went on sale and some more of the SFA allocation arrived over the weekend.”
He added, “We are still waiting to hear back from the police about the travel plans and parking arrangements for buses.
“Certainly there will be a lot of buses leaving from Dundee and I would expect we will have somewhere between 9000 to 10,000 fans.”
Jim Pirrie of Nevis Coaches in Dundee said the majority of his fleet is booked to take parties to the Grand National.
He said, “I have just one 33-seater coach going at the weekend because the rest are going down to the races at Aintree.”
River Tay Coach Travel said it had also taken bookings for both the races and the semi-final.
The SFA has agreed to a request from Dundee United to make more areas of Hampden available to the club.
Parts of the West Stand have been designated family sections, with further areas also made available to United fans.
Tickets are on sale from the club shop.