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RANGERS are set to smash the world attendance record for a fourth-tier league match when they host East Stirling tomorrow.

The Ibrox side are confident of pulling in more than 40,000 punters for their first home Third Division fixture – which would shatter the previous highest for a fourth-tier game set by Crystal Palace in 1961.

A crowd of 37,774 watched their English Fourth Division clash with London rivals Millwall but that is expected to be dwarfed by Gers fans heading to Govan for the historic occasion.

A crowd that could be in the mid-to-high 40,000s is already being anticipated by Rangers.

And the final figure could present an embarrassment for the SPL whose combined attendance for last weekend’s five-game fixture card was 40,383.

The Ibrox club are bracing themselves for a bumper crowd and a spokesman said: “We will comfortably get past the 40,000 mark and the attendance could be in the mid-to-high 40,000s.”

Ally McCoist’s side have already smashed the 30,000 season-ticket barrier and are also threatening to better the world record attendance for a third-tier match.

That feat was achieved in 1979 as 49,655 fans turned up to watch a derby game between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United.

Punters have been queueing at the Ibrox ticket office all week and an afternoon of history against the Shire is on the cards both on and off the park.

SFL chief David Longmuir believes the prospect of Rangers breaking the world record underlines the power of football in Scotland.

He said: “It shows the appetite for the game remains strong and it would be a remarkable achievement. We’re also delighted to see East Stirling share the occasion and play their own part at Ibrox on Saturday.”