ETERNAL SHAME – Real Madrid and the Ultras Sur

By Colin Jones
Updated: 25 October, 2011

Probably the most shameful part of the history of the group however, is not their existence or their hooliganism, but the fact that they have always been tolerated by the club.

During the 1980’s when Ramon Mendoza (a man who hated FC Barcelona with a passion) was president, the group were even treated like VIP’s and provided with free tickets and had their travel expenses to away games paid-for.

Many other Real Madrid supporters also welcomed their presence, as the group were often the only ones in the stadium creating an atmosphere. Such was the hostile environment they would create with their flares and incessant chanting, especially in big European games, visiting teams were often clearly intimidated when they visited the Bernabéu.

This helped the club to achieve many great European victories in the 1980’s. Members of the group were also given access to official club functions, where they mixed freely with players.

As the 1990’s came to an end, the group suffered two blows from which they have never fully recovered – many of their leaders were jailed for criminal activity and the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu became an all-seater stadium.

The group which could once count their membership in thousands during the height of their popularity, now could only count on the support of a few hundred.

Despite the fall in numbers however, their violence outside the stadium continued.

They were still tolerated by the club, probably due to the fact that they were often the only vocal section in the stadium.

Even today in 2011, their menacing presence in the stadium is still there, with their chants of intolerance and their flags of hate, the group are a reason why many people could never bring themselves to support the club.

It is to the eternal shame of Real Madrid as an institution and to all the previous presidents and club directors, that there has never been enough will, to remove this group from the stadium and the shame they bring to a legendary club.

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