Going to see Cadiz play Albacete in the Segunda in April. Cadiz are a club with strong left wing support and with a St Pauliesque record of achievement!

Forza Cadistas! Forza Los Amarillos!

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

Dont know much about Spanish football, except that Barca are Catalonian and Real Madrid are Castillian and was Francos club.

Enjoyed the video. Would love to know what they were saying but it looked like it should be funny?

How do you know Cadiz are a left-wing club?

Isnt strange that there are no left-leaning clubs in the UK?

Mickie

I meant their supporters groups are left wing rather than the club itself. If you get into the city and talk to the supporters, drink with them and look at the banners, flags and listen to the chants at the game. Look at the club's history and the area it's in. Also their supporters have an 'inclusive' attitude that I have rarely come across in other clubs (other than St Pauli) which I find endearing! They are also self deprecating to the point of hilarity at times! And quite a multi cultural bunch. The city is a port, of course, & has piracy links, sound familiar?
If you want to find out more about Spanish football (although not Cadiz unfortunately) can I recommend 'Morbo' by Phil Ball to you? An excellent read.
Off to SJP now....

Check out this link/thread from a while back, the article makes from amusing reading!

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

To be honest I'd forgotten about that thread but I'm not surprised. As I read new postings asking for information or raising points I find myself thinking 'we've been here before' (cue X files theme music ). This site is a good read and it's worth digging through our 'back catalogue' if you've got the time.
Except for the inane ramblings I've posted of course!

I struggle sometimes with where in Spain the demarcation lines are politically. As Spain, as we know it today, is historically several 'countries' with their own language, culural identity and (particularly in the case of the Basques and Galicians) ethnicity, there are grey areas where 'nationalism' can be a bit 'dodgy' when taken to extremes.
In the case of Athletico Bilbao for example, whilst I have a soft spot for them, I'm a little uncomfortable with their policy of not signing 'non-Basque players.
Is Basque/Catalan/Gallego/Andalucian nationalism really any more acceptable than Spanish nationalism?
I don't have the answer by the way and would welcome enlightenment.

i was reading today how Lewis Hamilton was subjected to some appalling racism over the weekend in the Barcelona area,

I think this can happen anywhere in Spain (perhaps anywhere in Europe) even in the so called more elightened left leaning areas.

Spain is a very fractured country, not dissimilar from the UK in that respect, only the language differences are greater and more institutionalized.

In the UK there are nations and regions which differ massively from the 'Home Counties'. We in the North-East have little in common with Southern England and little to gain from being part of England it often seems.

As for racism in Spain, I often think the UK and Scandinavia lead the world in terms of battling racism and it is shocking how close to the surace racism is in many parts of mainland Europe, as well as in the US.

For example, would Barack Obama's race even be an issue in the UK?

Shakers wrote:

I struggle sometimes with where in Spain the demarcation lines are politically. As Spain, as we know it today, is historically several 'countries' with their own language, culural identity and (particularly in the case of the Basques and Galicians) ethnicity, there are grey areas where 'nationalism' can be a bit 'dodgy' when taken to extremes. In the case of Athletico Bilbao for example, whilst I have a soft spot for them, I'm a little uncomfortable with their policy of not signing 'non-Basque players. Is Basque/Catalan/Gallego/Andalucian nationalism really any more acceptable than Spanish nationalism? I don't have the answer by the way and would welcome enlightenment.

Some of Spain's regional politics are confusing to say the least... right wing Galician nationalists and left wing Galician nationalists and the same in the Basque country. Incidentally ETA wouldn't thank you for putting the 'o' on Athletic Bilbao's name
Phil Ball covers some of this (without clearing it up) and also looks at the politics involved in cities where there's more than one team - something that we often discuss on this board.

GeordieLes wrote:

[ Incidentally ETA wouldn't thank you for putting the 'o' on Athletic Bilbao's name

You're right Les, an oversight on my part. By the same token though, one wonders why they are called 'Bilbao' rather the Basque 'Bilbo.'

Some interesting history according to their Wikipedia entry (which are, admittedly, not to always to be taken as 'gospel') regarding links with (the cities/towns of) Portsmouth, Southanmpton and Sunderland etc and possible explanations for their vertical red and white striped kit.

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

Phil Ball has an interesting explanation about the number of red and white striped shirts in Spanish football - it was the cheapest stuff available for making them. Something to do with material for making mattresses if I remember correctly. In fact I think Athletico Madrid's nickname is mattress makers or something similar. The myth about the Bilbao links to Southampton and sunderland have recently been debunked also I remember reading somewhere. Like you Stuart, I don't believe all that I read on Wikipedia!

Thanks Les. In fairness to Wiki, it does also mention the 'mattress' explanation as a possibility.

Cheers for the introduction to another club to follow Les

I was there in April. They haven't had a good season and hence tickets are easy to get. It's a bugger to get to but worth it.

Just to encumber you further, check out NAC Breda in Holland. Links with St Pauli and NUFC, left wing support (the famous Breda Rats), so a nailed on cert for me. I've just had an email invite from their English speaking fans to contribute a piece for a fan mag.