Lazio Ultras

**Lim till i die** · 20/03/2006, 1:16 PM

Was watching Gazetta last night and it was said that the crowd at Lazio's home victory over Messina was less than 10000 due to a fans protest organised by the Irridiciubli (Spelling??) aimed at ousting the current Lazio president.

Now if all I've read and seen about Italian football is to be believed these guys are a pretty nasty, dislikeable shower but you have to respect them for still having so much fan power in this day and age.

Just wondering if anyone knew if fan power is as strong at a lot of other clubs on the continent or are Lazio a kind of exception

**Dodge** · 20/03/2006, 1:27 PM

Its fairly widespread. Current president only in charge at Lazio because of ultras. Do a google on it

**Pat O' Banton** · 20/03/2006, 1:48 PM

Remember seeing, on Football Italia, a protest that was organised against the team which involved them refusing to celebrate any goal (they won 5-0 or similar) a few Lazio fans who did dare to celebrate were forceably stopped by the Ultras.

**londonirish17** · 21/03/2006, 8:34 AM

Originally Posted by Lim till i die

Was watching Gazetta last night and it was said that the crowd at Lazio's home victory over Messina was less than 10000 due to a fans protest organised by the Irridiciubli (Spelling??) aimed at ousting the current Lazio president.

Now if all I've read and seen about Italian football is to be believed these guys are a pretty nasty, dislikeable shower but you have to respect them for still having so much fan power in this day and age.

Just wondering if anyone knew if fan power is as strong at a lot of other clubs on the continent or are Lazio a kind of exception

Italy is quite a particular case. Their fans are often very powerful and politically orientated which is in most cases bad for sports in general and football more particulary, since some of these guys don't hesitate to turn their disagreement into violence if they don't get the kind of decision they want. Other Italian hot spots are Livorno, AS Roma, Hellas Verona, Palermo, Lecce, Reggina.
Italian football is ill anyway! Only have to check attendances... It says it all. Seria B and C often attracks bigger crowds.

**Lim till i die** · 21/03/2006, 9:16 AM

Originally Posted by londonirish17

Italy is quite a particular case. Their fans are often very powerful and politically orientated which is in most cases bad for sports in general and football more particulary, since some of these guys don't hesitate to turn their disagreement into violence if they don't get the kind of decision they want. Other Italian hot spots are Livorno, AS Roma, Hellas Verona, Palermo, Lecce, Reggina.
Italian football is ill anyway! Only have to check attendances... It says it all. Seria B and C often attracks bigger crowds.

Am I right in thinking that Livorno and at least parts of the AS Roma ultras are far left in view point with Lazio, Hellas Verona and Inter among the most far right offenders??

Also due to financial mismanagement and such isn't their a lot of big clubs (Napoli, Torino, Genoa) in Serie B and C??

**Risteard** · 21/03/2006, 9:32 AM

Yes, unfortunately Napoli are now languishing in Serie C after being relaunched as Napoli Soccer(Calcio Napoli).
Think they're still bringing in the crowds though and have promotion all but wrapped up.

**londonirish17** · 21/03/2006, 9:54 AM

Yeap you're right Lim. Lazio and Hellas on the right of the political balance whereas ASR and Livorno are more towards the left with Livorno actually being a "communist" club since Livorno is the only and last town in Italy where the Communists form a majority and I think that one of the top civil servants of Livorno is actually also one of the bigger names inside the club...
As you said there are some big clubs in Seria B and C. The average attendance for Torino home games is higher than the average of Juve home games...
A friend of mine who, originally, is from Torino told me that most people living in Torino support Torino Calcio whereas people living on the outskirts support Juve

**Risteard** · 21/03/2006, 10:03 AM

Juve must be the worst supported team in the world, taking into account the quality they have on the pitch. They're Champions League attendances are nothing short of a disgrace.

**Junior** · 21/03/2006, 11:31 AM

If you haven't already, read 'A season with Verona' a brilliant book for any footie fan who can relate to travelling to home and away games, you learn a bit about Italian football along the way as well!!

**Neish** · 21/03/2006, 11:37 AM

There was a program on this a few years back on Channel 4, mainly focusing on the Lazio Ultras. The majority of them are serioulsy right wing is showed the match that Pat O' Banton mentioned wher they refused to celebrate any goals that Lazio scored when a certain sector started cheering after the 3rd or 4th goal they were attacked by the Ultras. It also showed the Rome derby where a few hundred Inter Milan fans came to the match to help the Lazio fans fight the Roma fans, and it showed a few Chelsea fans joining the Lazio Ultras on an away trip in the UEFA cup.

I knew an Italian guy in college who was an Atalanta fan, he often chatted about there hooligan following. Does anyone know if the Atlanta hooligans are left wing or right. As I was weery over a few comments he made on ocassion

**jebus** · 21/03/2006, 1:48 PM

Originally Posted by londonirish17

Italy is quite a particular case. Their fans are often very powerful and politically orientated which is in most cases bad for sports in general and football more particulary, since some of these guys don't hesitate to turn their disagreement into violence if they don't get the kind of decision they want. Other Italian hot spots are Livorno, AS Roma, Hellas Verona, Palermo, Lecce, Reggina.
Italian football is ill anyway! Only have to check attendances... It says it all. Seria B and C often attracks bigger crowds.

Was gonna say that Tim Parks would disagree with you, but Junior already beat me to the 'Season with Verona' reference! All of which begs the question, why did I decide to right this anyway?

**Schumi** · 21/03/2006, 3:06 PM

Originally Posted by jebus

Was gonna say that Tim Parks would disagree with you, but Junior already beat me to the 'Season with Verona' reference!

Perhaps but they still come across as very right-wing in the book.

On the Juve attendances point, they don't seem to be well rooted in Turin and have as many fans in many other cities. Their away attendances are among the highest in Serie A I believe.

**anto eile** · 22/03/2006, 12:01 AM

Originally Posted by londonirish17

Yeap you're right Lim. Lazio and Hellas on the right of the political balance whereas ASR and Livorno are more towards the left with Livorno actually being a "communist" club since Livorno is the only and last town in Italy where the Communists form a majority and I think that one of the top civil servants of Livorno is actually also one of the bigger names inside the club...
As you said there are some big clubs in Seria B and C. The average attendance for Torino home games is higher than the average of Juve home games...
A friend of mine who, originally, is from Torino told me that most people living in Torino support Torino Calcio whereas people living on the outskirts support Juve

roma were traditionally left wing but are right wing at the moment.afaik theres a mini civil war on the curva sud and the fascists are winning

**anto eile** · 22/03/2006, 12:04 AM

napoli in serie c last year averaged 37,000
this year its at around 20,000 ish

juve last year 26000
torino 10000

juve this year 28000
torino 23800
juve are the glory hunters team of italy.
they got 8000 against arsenal a couple of years ago in the champions league and 7000 against ajax a year ago.
theyre going to reduce their stadiums capacity to 42,000.pathetic support
aralanta are left wing,they hate lazio
hellas are fascists.ultras are linked with lazio afaik

**londonirish17** · 22/03/2006, 7:37 AM

Originally Posted by anto eile

roma were traditionally left wing but are right wing at the moment.afaik theres a mini civil war on the curva sud and the fascists are winning

I am afraid, you're right...
How does it come that this marvellous game, that is football, has been KIDNAPPED by political and religious issues ? I can't come up with that...

**londonirish17** · 22/03/2006, 3:25 PM

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0...216176,00.html

Just thought this piece of news would be interesting...

**Lim till i die** · 23/03/2006, 9:46 AM

Originally Posted by Junior

If you haven't already, read 'A season with Verona' a brilliant book for any footie fan who can relate to travelling to home and away games, you learn a bit about Italian football along the way as well!!

Read it, a quality book, despite the Hellas fans ahem, different, political beliefs, I really had respect for the guys and the loyalty to the cause.

Have a soft spot for Livorno personally though

Apparently Lucarelli took a huge pay cut to come play for his home town club because of his political beliefs, a rare thing indeed in modern football.

Ya, had also heard rumours of the demise of Romas more loveable, left wing ultras

**marktis** · 24/03/2006, 9:30 AM

I thought that most sets of clubs in Italy have an Ultra element which is not related to right wing political view but more to do with their extreme support for the team.

AFAIK Rome is controlled by the left wing political parties and Roma are traditionally supported by the left wing, did not know that their is a growing right wing element in there.

Was at the Roma Messina game last Sunday night, the Curva Sud is excellent - the noise and colour. Jumped out of my skin a couple of times with the noise from the bangers. Also spotted 2 irish flags down in front of the curve.

**TheJamaicanP.M.** · 24/03/2006, 10:54 AM

Is it true that AC Milan have a hooloigan element which is called after Luther Blissett? Seriously?

**Ash** · 24/03/2006, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by TheJamaicanP.M.

Is it true that AC Milan have a hooloigan element which is called after Luther Blissett? Seriously?

I think it started off something like a gang of hooligans were stopped by
police on a train on the way to a match and when asked their names they
all answered Luther Blissett

I think theres a punk band somewhere called The Luther Blissetts aswell