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Blaverism and València C.F. during the 80s of the XXth century

We have found an outstanding document that shows quite clearly the links between Blaverism and València C.F. It corresponds to an abstract from Vicent Bello's “La Pesta Blava” (The Blue Plague), de Vicent Bello (València. Tres i Quatre. 1988. Pp. 121-9). Even though this abstract deals specially with the 80s of the XXth century, it can offer us valuable data about the connexion between Blaverism and Valencia C.F.:

Anticatalanism in the Valencian football fields

The connection between València C.F. and Blaverist ideology began with president José Ramos Costa (president of València C.F. from 1975 to 1983) and specially since season 1978-79. This connection made football an even more alienating sport. The second shirt of the València C.F. imitated the one of the city of València, which conservative forces tried to impose in front of the historical flag with four red stripes, and which was the historical one of the Kingdom of Valencia and the Crown of Aragon. The aim was to use sport as a tool of political Blaverist propaganda. Moreover, fottball was a tool for Valencian Chauvinism. This appeal to emotional values tried, among other things, to hide a disastrous management, which meant a progressive debt of the club and poor sport results. In the newspaper Las Provincias, 18-12-1987 p. 73, it can be read about Ramos Costa's presidency:

“Alberto Toldrá (intermediari), en el transcurso de la entrevista se mantuvo muy enérgico cuando se hizo referencia a la posibilidad de que, en cierta etapa del Valencia, se forrase junto a Ramos Costa y Pasieguito como consecuencia de los traspasos realizados: «Eso lo decían cuatro payasos impresentables»”.

"Alberto Toldrá (agent broker), during an interview got very angry when he was asked about the possibility of getting a lot of money, together with Ramos Costa and Pasieguito, as a consequence of the transfer of players: «This is what some unreliable fools said»”.

The links between València C.F. amb UCD, which was the political party that run the Blaverist chauvinism were unintentially insinuated by Salvador Gomar, manager of València C.F. during this time:

“El señor Tuzón (presidente entonces del València C.F.) no tiene relaciones con Felipe González, que yo sepa. En cambio Ramos Costa sí las tenía con Suárez. Suárez en aquellos tiempos le dio alguna ayuda al Valencia a fondo perdido...De todos modos soy partidario de aprovecharse de la política siempre que sea en beneficio del Valencia”. (Levante, 9-8-1987. P. 33).

“Mr. Tuzón (president of València C.F. from 1986 until 1993) has no relationship with Felipe González,as far as I know. Nonetheless, Ramos Costa did have relationship with Suárez. During those years Suárez gave some non-refundable funding to València C.F...In any case, I am in favour of taking profit of politics if it is for the benefit of València C.F.”. (Levante, 9-8-1987. P. 33).

What Ramos Costa started was finished off by V. Tormo, and finally the team was relegated to the second division at the end of the 85-86 season, a difficult goal that had only been achieved very few times before. The team in the second division, an accumulated debt of 1,800 million pesetas and a glittering ultra-right-wing supporters' club called Yomus was the balance of almost 10 years of a more than questionable management, which shielded itself under the banner of a so-called Valencian patriotism. The directive of Tuzón [president of València in the year of the writing of this book, 1987] will have to correct, partially, the excesses of his predecessors.

(...) The antecedents of the Yomus are the mobilizations and the disturbances caused by the Blaverist hosts -particularly by the GAV- every time that F.C. Barcelona played in Mestalla. From the 84-85 season onwards, the ultra-right-wing Yomus group appeared as a consolidated phenomenon. Teenagers from the best bourgeois families, guys from the suburbs, ideologized neo-Nazis and boys of popular origin are its members in a range of ages mainly located between 12 and 20 years old. More than ideology we should speak of primary impulses, among which, two stand out in a remarkable way: anti-Catalanism and the discharge of muscular tension in the form of a stone or a club. The blue flag, scarves of the same color, and a black banner with a skull on it are their hallmarks. The swastika and the conversion of the final s of Yomus into ss adorn numerous walls in the area of l'Horta. The ejaculatory prayers Puta Barça, puta Cataluña, recited with symptoms of suprarenal dysfunctionalities, are their rite of group constitution. Also in some occasions they have acclaimed the Blaverist leader González Lizondo (see Levante, 22-11-1987, p. 49).

The Yomus' interlocutor with the club is Antonio Carlos Serrano, known as the Lawyer, 26 years old [at the time of writing this book, 1987], with a degree in law, and a master's degree in legal consultancy. He is also judo teacher

“No me considero fundador de los Yomus ?prosigue Antonio Carlos? aunque sí uno de los fundadores y líderes del grupo”.

"I do not consider myself a founder of the Yomus - continues Antonio Carlos - although I am one of the founders and leaders of the group.”. (Las Provincias, 4-3-1987, p. 59)

Let's see how this fascist leader expresses his totalitarian attitutde regarding some agressions of the Yomus against the fans of Castelló C.F.:

“Desconozco qué es lo que pasó. No creo que fuese gente nuestra. Lo que ocurre es que en Castellón nos recibieron muy mal y, además, me han contado que se presentaron en Mestalla con cuatribarradas. Eso no se puede tolerar. No quiero justificar la violencia pero hay que reconocer que venirse a Valencia con cuatribarradas es provocar y calentar la sangre”. (Las Provincias, 4-3-87, p. 59).

"I don't know what happened. I don't think it was our people. What happened is that in Castellón they received us very badly and, in addition, I have been told that they showed up at Mestalla with flags with four red stripes (ancient flag of the Kingdom of Valencia, which the Blaverists despise as "cuatribarrada"). That cannot be tolerated. I don't want to justify the violence, but we have to recognize that coming to Valencia with "cuadribarradas" is provocative and bloodthirsty". (Las Provincias, 4-3-87, p. 59).

An aspect that denotes the character of the Blaverist and fascist fans of the València C.F. ultras is that their violence has been directed almost exclusively against the teams of the Catalan linguistic area: Elx, Hèrcules, Castelló, Figueres, Barcelona, Espanyol, etc. Let's see some information:

“Una hora después del encuentro Valencia-Elche se produjeron desagradables incidentes callejeros no sólo junto al recinto deportivo sino a considerable distancia, donde hubo grupos que esperaron el autocar del Elche, al que apedrearon, como habían hecho con el coche del colegiado. La policía que apenas intervino en las refriegas fue insultada con gritos de «¡asesinos!»”. (Las Provincias, 27-1-1987, portada)

“An hour after the Valencia-Elche match, unpleasant street incidents took place not only next to the stadium but also at a considerable distance, where groups waited for the Elche coach, which they stoned, as they had done previously with the referee's car. The police, who barely intervened in the scuffles, were insulted with shouts of "murderers!"». (Las Provincias, 27-1-1987, cover)

“Una bola de hierro lanzada desde la grada golpeó al árbitro”. (Levante, 27-2-1987, p. IV)

“An iron ball thrown from the bleachers hit the referee”. (Levante, 27-2-1987, p. IV)

“En la primera vuelta, el autobús del filial barcelonista fue brutalmente apedreado en la salida de Valencia cuando la expedición [...]”. (Levante, 14-2-87, p. 33)

"In the first round of the season, the F.C. Barcelona second team's bus was brutally stoned at the exit of Valencia when the convoy [...]”. (Levante, 14-2-87, p. 33)

“Dos autocares con matrícula de Castellón que transportaban hinchas del equipo albinegro fueron apedreados al final del partido a la salida de Valencia. [...] Desde la avenida de Aragón hasta la avenida de Cataluña, todo aquel autobús o turismo que llevara matrícula de Castellón era sistemáticamente apedreado. [...] Con el rostro tapado por bufandas, pañuelos o pasamontañas, calzando zapatillas la mayoría y enarbolando enormes banderas cuyas astas eran de hierro afilado en sus extremos, jóvenes que no sobrepasaban los 15 años se amparaban en los Yomus como primera línea de combate para ir cargando el ambiente. Un autobús de Castellón fue atacado y retenido en el parking de la avenida de Aragón hasta que apareció una bandera robada. Pero no fue suficiente. Minutos después, apenas un kilómetro después, amparándose en la oscuridad, llegaban las piedras”. (Levante, 24-2-87, p. V)

Two buses with Castellón license plates carrying fans of the Castelló C.F. were stoned at the end of the match on the way out of Valencia. [...] From Aragón Avenue to Cataluña Avenue, any bus or car with Castellón license plates was systematically stoned. [...] With their faces covered by scarves, handkerchiefs or balaclavas, wearing sneakers most of them, and flying huge flags whose flagpoles were made of sharpened iron at the ends, young people no older than 15 years old used the Yomus as the first line of combat to charge the atmosphere. A bus from Castellón was attacked and held in the parking lot of Aragón Avenue until a stolen flag appeared. But it was not enough. Minutes later, barely a kilometer later, under cover of darkness, the stones arrived. (Levante, 24-2-87, p. V)

(Las Provincias, 24-3-87, p. 31)

(Las Provincias, 24-3-87, p. 31)

“Por otro lado, fuentes del club blanco han anunciado que los tres jóvenes detenidos cuando apedrearon el autobús de la U.E. Figueres en las afueras de Valencia, tras jugar en el Luis Casanova, el pasado 21 de octubre, no son socios del club ni tampoco pertenecen a la conocida peña Yomus”. (Levante, 11-4-87, p. 31)

"On the other hand, sources of the València C.F. have announced that the three young people arrested when they stoned the bus of the U.E. Figueres on the outskirts of Valencia, after playing in the Luis Casanova, last October 21, are not members of the club nor do they belong to the well-known Yomus club". (Levante, 11-4-87, p. 31)

However, the image of the Yomus made by members of the board of management of València C.F., is globally favorable to the ultras. Let's see some of their opinions. Arturo Tuzón stated:

“Sin embargo los ultras del Valencia hasta el momento no nos han causado ningún problema y eso lo agradece el club, ya que apoyan al equipo en casa y fuera y eso hay que tenerlo en cuenta”. (Levante, 27-11-86, p. 53)

"Nonetheless the radicals of València C.F. have not caused us any trouble, and the club thanks them for that, since they support the team when it plays outside its field, and it must be considered". (Levante, 27-11-86, p. 53)

El secretary of the club, Alberto Miguel, stated:

“[...] de momento la peña Yomus está controlada y su comportamiento no perjudica al club”. (Levante, 27-11-86, p. 53)

“[...] just until this moment, the Yomus are controlled, and its behaviour does not harme the club”. (Levante, 27-11-86, p. 53)

On the other hand, the president of Mestalla (second team of Valencia C.F.) José Moret, said:

“Al único que tenemos localizado es al “Abogado”. [...] Los demás prefieren mantenerse en el anonimato. Las entrevistas que he mantenido con ellos han llegado a ser curiosas, simpáticas y agradables”. (Las Provincias, 4-3-87, p. 59)

"The only one that we have identified is the “Abogado” (the Lawyer). [...] The rest of them prefer to be anonymous. The interviews that I have had with them have been curious, amusing and pleasant". (Las Provincias, 4-3-87, p. 59)

In the same press article, it can be read:

“La semana pasada José Moret andaba buscándolos porque «queríamos que animasen al mestalla en su partico con el Olímpic de Xátiva».

"Last week José Moret was looking for them because «we wanted them to cheer up Mestalla during the match against Olímpic de Xátiva».

The contacts between the Yomus and the board of directors of València C.F. are common:

“En más de siete ocasiones ha mantenido contactos con la directiva del Valencia [se refiere al Abogado], en especial con Arturo Tuzón y Alberto Miguel”. (Las Provincias, 4-3-87, p. 59)

"More than seven meetings between the board of directors of València C.F. and the Yomus have been held, specially with Arturo Tuzón and Alberto Miguel". (Las Provincias, 4-3-87, p. 59)

“El vice-president del Valencia José Domingo y el presidente del Mestalla, José Moret han sido dos de los directivos que con frecuencia se han entrevistado con los Yomus”. (Las Provincias, 4-3-87, p. 59)

"The vice-president of València C.F. José Domingo and the president of Mestalla, José Moret, have been two of the members of the València C.F. board of directors that have had meetings with the Yomus". (Las Provincias, 4-3-87, p. 59)

The València C.F. board of directors gives them economic and logistical support:

“Desde el comienzo de la temporada nos regalaban cinco entradas para los Yomus más necesitados”. (Declaracions de l’Abogado a Las Provincias, 4-3-87, p. 59) "Since the beginning of the season they gave us five entries for the poorest Yomus out". (Statements of el Abogado to Las Provincias, 4-3-87, p. 59)

“From time to time the València C.F. board of directors sets a bus for us, just like the day of Alicante”. (Statements of a Yomus to Levante, 24-2-87, p. V)

“[...] Deseaban que el club les ayudara a financiar una bandera de esas gigantescas, que se despliegan en la grada, por encima de los espectadores. Creo que tiene unas dimensiones de 40 por 20 metros. Les dije que me trajesen el presupuesto y no lo han hecho [...] es casi seguro que les ayudaremos a comprarla”. (Manifestaciones de José Domingo Ibáñez a Las Provincias, 4-3-87, p. 59)

“[...] They wished that the club helped them to fund a gigantic flag, like the ones that are unfolded in the bleachers, over the public. I think that its size is 40 x 20 meters. I told them to bring me the budget and they have not done it yet [...] it is almost sure that we will help them to buy it”. (Statements of José Domingo Ibáñez to Las Provincias, 4-3-87, p. 59)

Twins in the promotion of blaverism, and in the anti-catalanist devotion, symbiotic and complementary in the task of going up to the palaces or down to the barracks, the Yomus and the València C.F. board of directors share something more than a supposed fondness for a certain soccer team: the devotion for the regional Blaverist party and for its leader Lizondo. The same days when they were celebrating the return of the team to the Spanish first division, they expressed it very clearly, each one in its own way and in its own place. First act, Sunday, June 21, 1987, in the afternoon, at the gates of the City Hall of Valencia:

(Levante, 23-6-87, p. 38)

(Levante, 23-6-87, p. 38)

Second act, June 22, 1987, at night, in the Sala Xúquer, where a dinner-tribute to València C.F. was being held:

(Las Provincias, 24-6-87, p. 52)

(Las Provincias, 24-6-87, p. 52)