A Rangers-mad dad has his Lanarkshire home draped in red white and blue ahead of tonight’s Europa League final.
Pumped-up George Douglas had his two kids in shock when they returned home yesterday to find him painting their front grass in the colours of his beloved team.
The 32-year-old from Coalburn hopes his decorative efforts bring good fortune in the Ibrox club's showdown with Eintracht Frankfurt later this evening.
He has covered the exterior of his house with Union Jack flags and bunting, Rangers crests, and a number of messages of support - some of which have been written in blue on his windows.
And in a rallying cry to Giovanni van Bronckhorst's men, the Lanarkshire dad has written "Make us dream" in paint across his slabs.
He's also inscribed "Seville 2022" on his property as he poses dressed in his Union Jack suit and Rangers beach ball.
George told Lanarkshire Live : “I’m a massive Rangers fan. My initial plan was to actually go to Seville but just due to how much the prices rose I’ve just decided I need to watch it here.
“I told my partner that I was going to decorate the garden but she warned me off it to say ‘you better not while I’m at my work’.
“But when she was at work I painted all the grass red white and blue, put my flags up, painted the walls, the windowsills, the windows.
“So it’s been a bit of an effort to do it all yesterday!”
George was in Manchester in 2008 when Rangers last reached the UEFA Cup final, but he says this time “has a different feel” as he goes in with confidence.
Gearing up to the big game, the bluenose was using paint rollers to apply his side's famous colours to his lawn.
But embarrassed by his antics, George's daughters Mirren, 11, and Keavie, eight, didn't quite share their dad's excitement when they returned home from school yesterday.
He added: “I actually had a roller, I was out painting it. That took me about two hours because the roller isn’t designed to paint grass. Then I had to borrow a ladder off somebody to get my flag above my living room window.
“It turned out better than what I was expecting. But the rain’s had a bit of an effect so I’ll have to go out again and touch it up."
“My kids weren’t too best pleased yesterday when they came home and saw me painting the grass", George continued.
"I think they were more shocked. It was a case of ‘aw what are you doing now’, probably a bit of embarrassment.
“I normally put my bunting and flags out but I decided to step it up this time just because of the size of the game."
Some locals nearby have been impressed with George's efforts with many stopping to take photos of his Gers-themed house.
But that's not where the Rangers fan will be tonight as heads to the pub to watch the cup final.
Admittedly nervous for the occasion, George said: “It’s going in with a bit of hope that we’ll win it rather than just being happy to be there.
“I’m going to the pub to watch it, get a bit of atmosphere. It opens at 3pm but I think that’s a bit early for me.
“I don’t know what I’ll do if we end up winning it. I’d need to come up with something different.”
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