They earned their nickname sleeping in Moscow's railway stations. Now the Bomzhi - or homeless "Bums" - of Zenit St Petersburg are on their way to Manchester, some without a place to stay.

Nine thousand have tickets and are trying to make their way to their Uefa Cup final clash with Rangers.

Some, wrapped up in the problems of finding flights and getting their visas, have left booking a room till last. Those supporters could well end up emulating their forefathers in the mid-1980s, who would bed down at airports, bus and train stations after away games in the Russian capital.

Fans' groups were last night still more worried about the logistics of getting their members to Manchester.

Alexander Alekhanov, president of Nevsky Front, the biggest and oldest Zenit supporters' club, said: "There just aren't any planes. We have had real trouble getting aircraft to charter for the game.

"Luckily supporters have found low-cost flights from the Baltics, or Helsinki or Moscow, but most will want to fly out from St Petersburg."

Nevsky Front has chartered three aircraft, including a Jumbo jet, to shuttle supporters to Manchester. The first flights are due tomorrow.

The Russian government is now investigating allegations that airlines have tried to profiteer from the situation.

The small state airline Rossiya has agreed to some of its planes being chartered. Mr Alekhanov, however, stressed the 9000 Zenit fans would still make plenty of noise.

"We are a singing support," he said. "Some of our songs were inspired by fans in England and Scotland.

"We have taken ideas from Turkey, too, but Rangers fans will hear some of our own Russian compositions as well."