Lazio The Ultras idea
Lazio The Ultras idea
Our adventure starts in the 1973. An unforgettable season played by the biancocelesti players, matched by the fantastic passion of their supporters. During that season, both the team and the Lazio fans understand that they are great; and that they can be magnificent.
Although there is not any defined supporters group yet, during that season many people start following the squad away, and Olimpico is always filled with waving flags; the vocal support is still spontaneous, but yet incredibly compact. The support is great, and we can indeed say that part of that scudetto belongs also to these devoted fans, who every Sunday filled the stands, in every Italian stadium.
On the enthusiasm for the victory of the Lazio first scudetto, the fans, especially the youngest, decide to do something more in order to show their love towards the biancocelesti colours: the first groups of organised supporters are formed, the so-called "Ultras"; they have nothing to do with the Lazio clubs, the local associations of "ordinary" fans, spread through the Roma territory.
"Ultras" is indeed a new way to intend the support and the supporters: beyond the classic schemes, beyond the "normal" way to support the team, breaking the model in use in that period. No more a group of friends leaving from their homes each on his own, with flag and scarf, but a group of organised supporters; their aim is to bring a wave of vigour and novelty within a way to support that is outdated, like an old fashion.
The first Lazio Ultras
The first Lazio Ultras groups are the COMMANDOS MONTEVERDE and the ULTRAS. They are about 200 youngsters with a strong passion for Lazio, and the intention to make the support become great. The very first nucleous of COMMANDOS MONTEVERDE LAZIO is formed in 1971, when the idea of a supporters' group was incredibly far from today's. They can hence be considered the precursors of the Lazio Ultras phenomenon. They stand in Curva Sud, near the "muretto", on the side close to tribuna Monte Mario. The C.M.L. attract a good number of youngsters who before were instead scattered around the stands. Although the chants are still spontaneous in their first periods, the C.M.L. great merit is to have introduced the originality of the Ultras approach in supporting the team in Rome. Like almost everything, in fact, also the originality of Lazio fans will be copied by the people from the other side of the city. The asroma supporters, in fact, very soon form the "COMMANDOS LUPI", and three years later, the "COMMANDO ULTRA'": as you can see, their lack of inventive and attitude to copy have very deep roots. Eventually, the C.M.L moves to Curva Nord, where they stand, today like more than 30 years ago, in correspondence of the Gate 49.
When the year 1974 is turning to its end another group is formed: the ULTRAS, the first to make theirs that word, Ultras, which will them characterise and summarise all the young Curva supporters. Standing in Curva Sud, they gathered people from very heterogeneous social conditions, from several Rome zones: Garbatella, Eur, Parioli, Casal Bruciato. They are the first to introduce the t-shirts written ULTRAS, the hats, the scarves. "BEYOND THE VICTORY … ULTRAS" is written on their t-shirts, suggesting to merge the love for Lazio with the values of youths.
Drums, Banners and Smoke-bombs
The "normal" fans show a lot of diffidence towards this natural evolution in the way of supporting the team. The early periods are quite tough for the Ultras youngsters, almost ignored by the rest of the stadium, and what's worse, ignored in particular by the rest of their Curva, which, at that time, was the Sud one.
This new way of supporting the team is characterised by some important debuts in the Curva. The drums replace the bitonal trumpets, while now banners, much bigger than before, and of a better quality. Sadly, with the troubles the team will face on the pitch, many of the wonderful flags who witnessed the early 70s great Lazio and accompanied the Maestrelli team to the victory, will disappear.
On the occasion of a friendly match against the Brazilians of Sao Paolo, for the first time in a football match in Rome some smoke-bombs appear; an innocuous note of colour and joy, which since that day has accompany the supporters until these days.
Tonino Di Vizio and the G.A.B.A
In the years following the first scudetto, the various Ultras groups formed offer a nice support to the team; however, everyone knows that there is a much greater potential, if only these groups were merged to form just one.
But who was going to unite all these youngsters, each with his own ideas, and to make the rest of Lazio fans understand the Ultras phenomenon? There was a lot of diffidence towards the new approach to supporting the team, there were many defeatists, many people fighting very hard in order to exclude and marginalize the Ultras. One guy strongly believed in the possibility of uniting and attributing important responsibilities to these young supporters: Tonino Di Vizio.
Thanks to the support of Tonino Di Vizio, several meetings are held between the leaders of the groups, one after each other, to make sure that the dream of uniting the groups could become a reality. A very important meeting takes place in November 1976, at the headquarters of the National Lazio Clubs Association, attended by the leaders of all the minor Ultras groups. There, the proposal to eliminate every distinctive mark among them and to create just one single group is discussed and approved. The Ultras groups in the Curva Nord and Curva Sud finally unite to form just one great group: the Gruppi Associati Biancazzurri (Associated Biancazzurri Groups), G.A.B.A.
Before a Lazio-Bologna, season 1976-1977, in front of Olimpico the G.A.B.A guys distribute to the press and to the other Lazio fans a leaflet written "In order to improve the support for our Lazio, we decided to create a club consisting of all the Ultras standing both in Curva Nord and in Curva Sud. Beyond the sportive target, the club also aims at moralising the football supporters' phenomenon that often degenerates into vandalism and riots, which have nothing to do with sport. You biancazzurri fans, join us to be always stronger and stronger with our motto: Tifo Continuo (incessant support)."
The G.A.B.A also start to sell Ultras merchandising, re-affirm the use of drums to support the team, and also take care about organising the away matches at prices quite affordable.
The Legend begins
The EAGLES' SUPPORTERS form as the natural evolution of the G.A.B.A experience.
They debut on the occasion of an historical Lazio-Juventus in 1977, a match full of goals and emotions. That day, in the Olimpico's Curva Sud appears a 54 meters long banner, a banner that will mark forever the history of the Lazio support, which, back at that time, was the greatest in Italy.
The strength of the newborn group lies in the friendship and in a perfect cooperation, without envies and rivalries, all united for the good of Lazio. The Eagles banner, at first, is put on the Curva Sud muretto, towards the Tribuna Tevere: the reason for that choice is to make the players feel the support from the fans right since they were stepping onto the pitch. In fact, that sector was right above the old way out from the dressing rooms to the pitch.
With the Eagles, the Lazio support starts to change. The Eagles guys had their own scarf, different from all the others, and used to bring into the stadium several drums, many big flags and coloured smoke-bombs that accompanied the players on their way to the pitch, or marked important goals.
In their first year, the Eagles' Supporters are the protagonist of memorable matches away, like Florence, Bologna, Naples, Ascoli, with thousands of Lazio fans travelling to support their team. The following year, the Eagles move to the other side of Curva Sud, in order to encourage the people standing in Tribuna Tevere to support Lazio with them. An historic image of these years is the cover of the most important TV programme about football, 90' minuto, which for ten years showed to the entire Italy the heart of the Lazio support.
A few discussions and some disagreements let a bunch of guys to leave the Eagles to form the VIKING, whose very first nucleus consist of around 50 people. The history of the Viking, whose members were inspired by the legendary Northern- European populations, is very peculiar within the Lazio Ultras scenario. Founded to be the antagonist of the Eagles Supporters, the Viking will remain in the Curva Sud for a long time after the Eagles move to the Curva Nord, in 1979; they will finally move there only in 1982.
After many meetings and discussions, the Eagles' Supporters' leaders take a decision that was largely expected: to move the group to Curva Nord. This decision, contrasted by many, was taken because the Lazio fans, like every other Ultras in Italy, wanted it's own Curva where he could identify himself
9 December 1979. It is a cold and rainy day when the Eagles' Supporters make their debut in a new era, filling the Curva Nord, which, since that day, will become the fulcrum of the Lazio support. Right in that horrible season, the earth of Curva Nord will endlessly encourage what remained of Lazio, deprived of their best players, banned after the betting scandal. Wounded by the treachery of some of their idols, Curva Nord sided next to biancocelesti who avoided the relegation on the pitch. But it was only an illusion. Very soon, in fact, a decision of the C.A.F judges condemned Lazio to Serie B as a consequence of the scandal.
In that terrible season, the away matches at Perugia, Pescara, Cagliari, Torino and finally Udine proved Lazio fans were great, but unfortunately did not count anything with respect to the little importance that Lazio had within the "Palazzo". On July 25, the C.A.F condemns Lazio to Serie B. Lazio fans yelled their anger in several sit-ins in front of Lega Calcio and, although that period was in the middle of the summer vacations, none of the true Laziali was missing.
Lazio was about to start from serie B, a blow that would have hurt deeply every supporters group … but not Lazio's. Since the very first match, against Palermo, the earth of Curva Nord was all for the biancocelesti jerseys, ready, once again, to yell their faith in those colours.
Both at home and away, the "voice of Curva Nord" resounded strong. Cesena, Rimini, Vicenza, Milano, Ferrara, Taranto… thousands of miles covered with the strength of their own faith.
But it was not enough. A damn penalty missed by Chiodi forced the Lazio fans to another year spent in the peripheral football grounds, all over Italy.
Maybe, it's all this sufferance, repeated through the years, which forged the character of the Laziale: tough, passionate, never subdued. The pitch was very clear: Lazio was disorientated, only Vincenzo D'Amico was fighting. But the Curva Nord was always there, at Olimpico in Rome as well as thousands of miles away.
Finally, also the very last nostalgic fans who had remained faithful to Curva Sud, understood that time had came to stay together at the side of Lazio and these glorious jerseys; and they moved to Curva Nord. From Varese to Palermo, the all Italy got tinged with biancoceleste, once again.
The 1982/83 season signs the definitive consecration. The moment was finally arrived, and everyone sensed it in his heart. It is only the 5th Serie B round when Bologna is invaded by 7,000 Laziali; afterwards, the same happens in Bari, while on the occasion of the away match with Pistoia, Lazio is followed by 10 thousands fans; and right there, 10,000 Laziali taste how sweat the top of the table is, matched with the wins-in-a-row record.
At Olimpico, the support reaches levels never seen before. Following the English way to support a team, the Curva Nord fans chanted in unison, the scarves opened together to create fantastic displays and effects, torch-lights displays and biancocelesti smoke-bombs were welcoming the players on the pitch. And finally… the fans brought again their flags!
On the occasion of the home match against Milan, the Curva Nord, led by the Eagles, enters in the history with an amazing torch-light display, something never seen before in a football stadium!
Eagles Supporters follow the team to Campobasso, Reggio Emilia, Monza, Cremona, Perugia… Where is Lazio, there is Curva Nord.
At Varese there were only the Eagles, in a stadium deserted by the locals due to the snow and the fog. At Milano, again, always and only them. Finally, also the rest of the Lazio fans, who still could not believe in the results Lazio was achieving, woke up and helped these guys.
At Arezzo, 15 thousands Lazio fans invade as never before the small Tuscan stadium, which was completely filled; many Arezzo fans were sent back home, and had to follow their team on the radio! The Tuscan newspapers gave a very good coverage to that episode, defining it as the biggest "invasion" ever seen in that city!
The last act to achieve the long dreamed promotion was Lazio-Catania, a match that for sure will remain in the memory of all those who lived it forever. That match consecrated the Curva Nord as the greatest in Italy. The Lazio supporters proved to the entire nation to be truly great, despite the normal disappointment associated to asroma winning the scudetto a few weeks earlier. That match was won by the Lazio fans, by their incessant support, by their ten thousands flags, a huge number second only to one counted on the occasion of the first scudetto match Lazio-Foggia!
That day, the Curva Nord took the hand of the team, and walked her to the victory, a success that meant getting promoted. On the following Sunday, only a few could follow Lazio on the narrow stadium at Cava dei Tirreni, but all the Lazio fans were listening to the radio, to be finally able to celebrate! At the final whistle, Laziali explode their celebrations in the streets of Rome, Piazza del Popolo and all the City centre. The celebrations will last the all night.
On the following morning, many Lazio fans go to Fiumicino to welcome "The President", the indomitable warrior: Giorgio Chinaglia.
With Lazio back to the football that counts, the Curva Nord can finally start dreaming: the number of Eagles' Supporters members reaches quota 2000. New Ultras groups are formed, like the FALANGE, the EAGLES' KORPS, the HELL'S EAGLES DESTROYERS, the AMERICAN EAGLES, the GRUPPO SCONVOLTI, and the EROTIK GROUP; some other groups, instead, just reappear, like the COMMANDOS MONTEVERDE.
After a few years of abstinence, the supporters attend Olimpico eager about great football again, and mostly, about victories. Finally, after years filled with dreams and torments, the derby arrives, and it is a triumph of Curva Nord over the hated rivals.
In these years, Lazio Ultras, who follow the English way to support the team, often show American flags, to honour Giorgio Chinaglia. The support in Curva changes into a more spectacular model, with a large use of torch-lights and smoke-bombs every Sunday. The truly new element is however another one. Tired about the usual banners, often quite harsh, attacking the opponents, the Eagles decide to follow another route, the route of irony. An ironic sentence can be much more affective then some harsh verbal attack. Even in this approach, the Eagles were the precursors. And indeed, many Italian Ultras will base their banners on some of the Eagles genial ideas.
Even during that season, there every Italian stadium witnessed the great passion and presence of the Lazio Ultras. Torino, Milano, Genova, Verona, and away to Florence in ten thousands, with the team last-third in the table … A great, fantastic heart devoted to Lazio!
The final act of that season was the away match at Pisa. Another match, another memory that for sure will stay forever in the minds each one of the 18 thousands people who travelled to Pisa! The stadium was incredibly dominated by the away team fans, something that had never happened before in a Serie A match!
There, in front of her 18,000 faithful, Lazio manages to avoid relegation. This result is celebrated in the streets of Pisa, like it was Rome!
Unfortunately the Lazio fan had still much to suffer. The following season starts with Lazio largely incomplete, and the pitch does not wait long to give its disastrous response. Lazio is relegated, again, despite the great effort and support by her fans. In particular, we remember the two fantastic Eagles Supporters displays performed on the occasions of the derbies.
The relegation had not come unexpected. Unfortunately, however, a new Calvary, much worse than initially expected, is waiting for the Lazio fans, and the wonderful Curva. Once again, with the strength of their own faith, the Lazio fans start again from the beginning. The 1985/86 season, unfortunately, will prove their good hopes wrong very soon.
The Curva Nord fans follow the team all over Italy, the love they show to these colours is simply amazing. New sections of the Eagles' Supporters are founded also outside the region: in Umbria, a Salerno, Reggio Emilia, Vicenza, Trapani, Potenza, Cosenza and Padova… clearly the love for Lazio does not have boundaries!
The following year, Lazio has to suffer another incredible blow. The second betting scandal, involves several footballers, among them there is also a Lazio player. The first rumours, spread by the TV news before the official sentence by C.A.F. is released, want Lazio relegated to Serie C for the following season. The official sentence, however, maintains Lazio to Serie B, but with a 9 points penalty.
Several years later, one of the Eagles' Supporters leaders revealed that there were certain sources about the initial C.A.F. decision to relegate Lazio to Serie C that year. In order to avoid that sentence, the leaders, helped by some journalists, made sure that this rumour was immediately spread in such a way to push the C.A.F. judges, which wanted to show that people had not really found out what their decision was, to change it.
Certainly, it was still Serie B, but 9 points were a huge penalty, especially considering that Lazio had struggled to avoid relegation in the two preceding seasons, and also that, back at that time, the victory only gave two points. Once again, many sit-ins were organised. 30,000 Laziali invaded the streets of Rome: 30,000 Laziali wounded to death by factious judges.
Which fans could have resisted to another terrible blow, like this one? Only the Lazio's, this is certain.
Like a Phoenix, from the ashes of a team buried below nine unfair penalty points, the inimitable, fantastic, moving and touching spirit of the Lazio fan rose. Once again. Once again. Once again, the fans followed their team all over Italy, bearing that heavy and unfair burden on their shoulders.
And yet, step after step, the storm passed, to let people see, far away, the rainbow.
The Curva Nord guys organised the away support, and put impressing and huge efforts to follow the team in the small peripheral Italian stadiums, quite unsafe and difficult to reach.
None will be ever able to say that Lazio fans missed even just one match!
In the meantime, the number of Eagles' Supporters members increased again, reaching the 3,000 units, showing that the relegation in the Serie B with 9 points penalty did not bring resignation in any of them. The Eagles' propaganda material (the only source to finance their activity and the stadium displays) was systematically sold out every Sunday. Even the "normal" fans were now buying that material, as a way to support somehow all these youngsters who every Sunday were ready for their Lazio. The periods of the first Lazio Ultras, when these youngsters were looked with diffidence and disappointment, seem very far.
Finally, Lazio and her fans arrive to the other extreme, bounded within that three final matches.
Lazio-Vicenza. 80 thousand hearts beating in unison only for her, the history, the city, the life… Nobody will ever find the right words to describe what happened that 21 June…
Afterwards, the tie-breaks. Again an irregular goal, the sufferance, the last chance.
On the occasion of the two tie-break matches played at San Paolo, more than 580 coaches, 6 special trains, 5000 cars moved to follow Lazio, in the last and extreme prove of love.
Half of all those who travelled were Curva Nord People. They were there, to see the deed of the Fascetti guys come true.
The same year, in a Coppa Italia Lazio-Juventus, in an Olimpico incredibly full, the Eagles Supporters performed a display that Televisions and Newspapers defined as "the most beautiful display ever seen on a football stadium". Finished that season, it was time to think again to the football that counts, the Lazio fans had been suffering for too many years.
The new Serie A was waiting for Lazio and her fans.
SODALIZIO
In Italy since the last three years all the stadiums are more and more empty, there are many reasons, all the matches are on sky television, old stadiums, some riots inside and outside the stadiums and the people that have less money to spend, thank to the new Euro.
The Stadio Olimpico is still more and more empty when Lazio is playing also because the fans don't like the chairman Lotito, who had sell our best players ( in the last few years he sold good players like Oddo, Behrami, Giannichedda ) and he is continuing to buy so and so players. They are not players that can play in a strong team. Last season we did a terrible Champions League, losing at home the last match with Olympiakos
He also doesn't care about the history and the traditions of our club, he would like to build a new stadium in a little city near Roma, called Valmontone. No respect for the passions of the fans !
For this reason in 2005 a group of "old "Lazio fans decided to create a new group of supporters called Sodalizio. The man that was the main creator of it was Antonio Grinta, who is really and old Lazio fans who follow Lazio every match since 1974.
He was also one of the creators of the first important group of young Lazio fans called Eagles' Supporters.
Sodalizio means unity and we want that all Lazio fans will be more and more close and united. So first of all we think that politic must be out of the terraces, infact we don't take any politic flags inside the stadium. We think that the fans must go to the stadium to support our team instead that stay at home and watch it on television. Times are changing and maybe we can't return to the 80's when many supporters went to the stadium early also to speak with their stadium friends.
We would like that all supporters will go to the stadium like friends, speak about football and drink a good beer.
Sodalizio is a new thing in the Italian supporters movements, we are a mix between a normal club and an ultras group. Like the ultras group we like to follow Lazio everywhere with our flags and our banners, while we are like a normal club because we are against violence.
We did many banners, with the name of the principal neighbours of our city and with the name of the little cities near Roma. This was made to take more and more fans to the stadium again. All the banners are the same, did in the same way, so when we put them inside the terraces it's a very good scene to watch.
We opened a pub, called Vecchi spalti, just few days ago.
We are in Tribuna Tevere and you will always be WELCOME between us.
All the best
Giorgio
