“Local fansand their friendsoutsideOviedoboughtmany
shares too,”hesays. “Childrenemptied theirpiggybanks.
Anoldmanarrivedat theclub’soffice, left€50on the table
andwalkedout.Whenstaff tried togivehimashare
certificate,hesaid, ‘Idon’tneed it. I justwant tohelp.’”
AlanHall from Ireland isoneof the thousandsof foreign
fanswhobought shares.Hehassetupanofficial
peña
(supporters’ club) calledRealOviedo Ireland,whichhas503
shareholders, representing3.25%ownershipof theclub.
“Thechance toownpartofa football clubwas toogood to
turndown,”hesays. “Ibought shares,mentioned iton
Twitterand immediatelygothundredsof thank-you tweets
fromSpain.People inAsturiasstartedsendingstories linking
theclub to Ireland–RealOviedo’s fourthmanagerwas Irish
–and fansmailedmessagessuchas ‘Welcome to this feeling’.”
RealOviedonowrunsanannual fandayeveryApril,
when foreignshareholdersare invited toplayandwatch
football.Gate19at thestadiumcarriesabannerwith the
words ‘ProudofYou’ inEnglish,
inhonourof the foreignshareholders,
whoalsoreceivecomplimentary
match tickets.More than500 foreign
fanshavevisitedsince2012.
“It’sanamazing feelingwhenyou
hear theRealOviedoanthemblaring
out in thestadium,”saysHall, “oryousee the
tifo
[huge
bannerdisplays]ofour
ultras
[dedicated fans], the
symmachiarii
[as theystyle themselves],whosedrums
andchantscheer the teamon.”On trips,Hall alsoenjoys
exploring theplazasandcathedral inOviedo’sCasco
Antiguo (theold town),visiting theholycavesand
waterfallofnearbyCovadonga, andhiking in thePicosde
Europa. “Inoneday,youcanvisit thebeaches to thenorth,
goskiing in themountains to thesouth, then take ina
footballmatch–and there isalwayssomeonewhowants to
chatorshowyouaround. InOviedo,youareneveralone.”
CLOCKWISEFROMTOP
LEFT
CarlosTartiere
Stadiumonamatch
day; youngsupporters;
downtownOviedo; fans
even ridescooters in
theclubcolours
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