Frying Pan of Spain , livre ebook

Pitch Publishing Ltd - Colin Millar

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238 pages

English

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Seville is the capital of Spain's Andalusian region and is the life and soul of the nation. Enchanted with effortlessly stylish bars and colourful buildings, this is a charismatic metropolis doused in the endless sun of southern Spain. The city is also home to two historic institutions of Spanish football - Real Betis and Sevilla - and when they go head-to-head to contest El Gran Derbi, the rest of Spain can only watch in awe. This is a pulsating and arresting experience which encapsulates the beautiful game in all its raw, spellbinding brilliance. Spanish football is more than Barcelona and Real Madrid. Much more. The city contrasts uptown Sevilla with downtown Betis. Los Rojiblancos pitted against Los Verdiblancos. Sevillistas and Beticos. Nothing can compare to this beautiful city and the crazy passion for football that it produces, either in Spain or Europe. Colin Millar - who made the city his home - charts the illustrious histories of football in the city and explores how both clubs represent a way of life for Sevillanos.

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Spain

Spain (groupe)

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Publié par	Pitch Publishing Ltd
Date de parution	12 août 2019
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781785315800
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	1 Mo

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First published by Pitch Publishing, 2019
Pitch Publishing
A2 Yeoman Gate
Yeoman Way
Durrington
BN13 3QZ
www.pitchpublishing.co.uk
Colin Millar, 2019
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the Publisher.
A CIP catalogue record is available for this book from the British Library
Print ISBN 978-1-78531-524-4 eBook ISBN 978-1-78531-580-0
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Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Spain
2. Spanish Football
3. Seville City
4. The Birth of Football in Seville
5. Football Spreading Roots
6. Triana
7. And Then There Were Two
8. Conflicting Accounts
9. Unification of Real Betis Balompi
10. Tensions Boil Over
11. Jostling for Power
12. Breaking the Elite
13. Kings of Spain
14. Civil War Aftermath
15. A Tale of Two Cities
16. The Rivalry Returns
17. Betis Bounce Back
18. Sevilla Sales Signal Stagnation
19. Sevilla Stabilise, EuroBetis
20. Consistency Without Titles
21. Betis Flounder as Sevilla Challenge
22. The Uncontrollable Diego Maradona
23. Betis Surge as Sevilla Engulfed in Chaos
24. Near Misses and Heartbreak
25. Presidents Go to War
26. Monchi - Sevilla s Genius
27. Local Heroes Lead Cup Triumphs
28. Antonio Puerta Heals a City
29. Corruption, Regression and Charges
30. Betis, the Club of Art
31. Sevilla, the Club of Europe
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
THE only fitting way to begin this book is by thanking those people who have made it possible. Firstly, I would like to thank Paul and Jane Camillin at Pitch Publishing for giving me the opportunity to write it, and Duncan Olner, who captured the true spirit of Seville and its passion for football in his eye-catching front cover design.
My family have been instrumental throughout the project. My parents David and Deirdre have offered their unwavering support, my brother Peter kindly volunteered to proofread the text and my brother Christopher compiled an inspirational promotional video.
Further thanks goes to those who have shared their first-hand experiences of reporting on the rivalry, the significance of supporting either club, documenting their histories or who have offered general insights with the project, in alphabetical order: Phil Ball, Andy Brassell, Alfonso Del Castillo, Chris Clements, Dermot Corrigan, Alejandro Delm s, Sara Espeja, Jos Luis Garrido Pe a, Mateo Gonz lez, Javier Guerra Lamos, Ben Hardman, Sid Lowe, Sarah Martin, Euan McTear, Andy Mitten, Victor Perea, Carlos P rez Zorrilla, Paul Reidy, Carlos Romero, Javier Terenti, Guillermo Tinoco, Carlos Urbano, Kyle Williams - and many more whom I have spoken to over the course of my research.
Finally, a big thank you to Real Betis Balompi and Sevilla F tbol Club, who have both kindly lent their support to this project and who have created such a compelling rivalry. To all Sevillanos who have helped me establish their wonderful city as my spiritual home, this is for you.
Introduction
SEVILLE is a truly special city, capable not only of taking your breath away at first glance but of continuing to enchant and bedazzle with each passing day. The capital of Spain s Andalusia region is both charming and vibrant but remains fiercely loyal to centuries-old traditions. Few cities are so passionate about religion and none can rival its Moorish architecture, displayed so often under cloudless blue skies. Yet most prominently of all, Sevillanos have mastered the art of partying and this is evident on every lively plaza and in each swarming tapas bar.
The Frying Pan of Spain is primarily a football book, but one which also explains the historical, social and cultural relevance which is at the heart of the sport in Seville and within Spain. It is impossible to show what makes its footballing rivalry so revered without first explaining how the clubs and their fans reflect the purity, pride and passion of their city.
Seville is equally split between two footballing institutions: Real Betis Balompi and Sevilla F tbol Club, but just how equally is a constant source of debate. In 2015, a survey by the Andalusian survey centre found 42.8 per cent of Seville supported Betis, while 36.2 per cent leant their fandom to Sevilla. A year later, the city s Chamber of Commerce produced different results - Sevilla edging out Betis 39.4 per cent to 36.7 per cent. Such a delicate balance of power is exceptionally rare in any sporting city especially when splintering families, siblings and relationships.
These divisions, rather than detracting from a rivalry, add a coating of unity and respect between two fervent sets of fans. That is of course only evident on the rare occasions when they grow tired of winding each other up.
The average Sevillian will have inherited a very particular sense of humour, Javier Guerra Lamos of the Pe a B tica Escocesa explained to me. This is difficult to explain but essentially is a mix going between the absurdly exaggerated and ironic, and this is often translated into ingenious jokes about each other s teams.
Victor Perea, of the Pe a Sevillista El Origen , echoed similar sentiments when we spoke: People in Sevilla have a very witty sense of humour, we are very passionate in all we do and having friends and family supporting the other team means that you are always taking the piss. For instance, my father and brother support Betis.
And these splits are common? Half of my family are Sevilla supporters and it is absolutely normal that there are huge divisions, added Guerra Lamos, the Betis fan. The majority of my friends in Seville are Sevillistas !
Sevilla fan Guillermo Tinoco told me the city s football rivalry was polarised due to intensity and strength of feeling. The entire family of my sister-in-law and my nephews are B ticos, but of course we still get along. Our guasa [sense of humour] is important because we laugh when the other team fails. This is common across families, in workplaces, schools it s a polarised city and almost nobody names Barcelona or Real Madrid as their team.
This is a city divided in sporting terms but one which is very much united in pride and identity in their home city. Sevillians have a level of narcissism, there is a popular belief that we are from the most beautiful city in the world, Guerra Lamos added. This belief that we are the best implicates football too, it pushes the supporters to be passionate to the point of fanaticism.
The conflicting fandom figures are the basis of a fierce rivalry of claims and counterclaims, which go beyond bickering over which club has the larger fanbase within the city s walls. There is often a total absence of consensus on historical claims, including club foundation dates and which team has benefitted more from authorities over the years. I have attempted to critically analyse all these claims, and others, in this journey through the history of Sevillian football. It is important to recognise that historical information is constantly evolving - most notably in the dating of Sevilla s foundation being moved from 1905 to 1890, which has caused predictable controversy elsewhere - and at times, can be contradictory. My aim is to bring clarity to such claims with a balanced and analytical approach and while occasionally there is no wholly satisfactory answer, this only serves to add an extra layer of contention to set this rivalry apart.
And what a rivalry. Both clubs have won the top division title in Spain, both clubs have won multiple Copa trophies, and both have mass bases of support. The two are firmly established in Spain s leading seven clubs and between them have in excess of 90,000 season ticket holders. Between 2006 and 2016, Sevilla won five major European titles - more than any other club on the continent - and built a sporting project which was the envy of competitors across the world. By contrast, Betis have forged a reputation on romanticism and taking pride in their fans unrivalled loyalty, borne out through their Manque pierda philosophy - supporting the team even when they lose, which has been a lot more frequent than a club of their standing deserve. When describing his devotion to the club, famed flamenco dancer Antonio Canales mused: Supporting Betis is a gift life has given us.
Many fervent football fans will be unaware that Real Betis hail from the city of Seville, and many even ask Real who? Yet within Spain, they are a colossus. They have the nation s fourth-largest attendance figures, behind only Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atl tico de Madrid. The rivalry they share with Sevilla - officially Spain s second-oldest football club and the first club in the nation to devote itself solely to the sport - is widely acknowledged as being the best in Spain.
It s unique, European football writer Andy Brassell, who has covered multiple derby matches across the continent, told me. The fact that it s so big, when both clubs have achieved things during their histories but neither has quite reached the continental elite level, feels like a manifestation of the city s character. It s everything I imagined Spain would be when I was a kid - loud, colourful, outgoing - and that s what the derby is. Noisy. You really feel the claustrophobia of it as well. Having two clubs that can get 50k in their respective stadiums in a city this size is amazing. It s like having Newcastle and Sunderland in the same city.
Both clubs offer true authenticity. Sevillistas and B ticos hold complete and u