THE long-term vision for Glasgow Warriors' success will come to life this evening as a sea of people gather in George Square.

Four years ago, when he first joined the club, managing director Nathan Bombrys took charge of an organisation with just 700 season-ticket holders and playing in another team's football stadium.

Tonight he will stand back and watch with pride as thousands of supporters cram into the heart of the city to catch a glimpse of his team parade the Guinness PRO12 trophy in an open-top bus through a blanket of blue flags and cheering fans.

It is a staggering transformation in a relatively short space of time that has seen Warriors emerge as the best-attended sports club in the west of Scotland outwith Rangers and Celtic.

Speaking exclusively to SportTimes, Bombrys acknowledges tonight's celebrations are the culmination of a four-year goal to get Glasgow well-placed on the rugby map.

"We were in our last season at Firhill [home of Partick Thistle] when I joined, so basically we were renting someone else's house," recalls the man from Michigan.

"I got involved in the move to Scotstoun and made sure the team had their own space to prepare for matches. It was a real transition.

"There has also been a massive growth in supporters. I think we had 700 season-ticket holders back then compared to this season where we had 3,500. Our regular crowd this year was 6,400 and I think we may have got that kind of attendance once four years ago. We also finished the season with two 10,000 sell-outs."

While tonight's celebrations mark the end of Glasgow's journey to the top, it is just the beginning of an adventure to keep them there.

Unprecedented success was secured in the form of the PRO12 trophy last month in Belfast, but the aim for all at Glasgow now is building on it to make Warriors a force to be reckoned with in rugby for years to come.

"I think this season could help kick-start something special," said Bombrys. "It's been a really rewarding season for the growth and the progress across the club which has been really good to see.

"It's a good sign that the club is developing and improving its performances on and off the pitch. People in the city enjoy watching the type of rugby we play. I do believe those 10,000-strong crowds could be there consistently if we have the right facility to live with it.

"Part of our plan next season is to have additional temporary stands which will give us over 7,000 seats throughout the season as a minimum.

"The response to those new seats has been phenomenal already, and our plan over the next couple of years will be to work towards consistent 10,000-strong crowds."

From a personal point of view, this evening's festivities will give Bombrys immense satisfaction at what the club has achieved.

The former head of the SRU's commercial department said: "It's a big change, but it's a really good feeling to see it.

"This was the vision a number of us had, this is what we wanted and this is what we believed the club could become.

"It is a little surreal to see it become a reality that we are winning things and playing in front of big crowds.

"It will be a really nice occasion for me personally to take a step back and watch the joy of our supporters and players as they share the trophy and the moment together."

Glasgow Warriors are scheduled to arrive in George Square at 6pm this evening. For more information please visit www.GlasgowWarriors.org