The president of C.F. Getafe, Ángel Torres has launched a scathing attack on his own team’s fans ahead of the new La Liga season. Getafe, who have qualified for this year’s Europa League through their 6th place finish last season, have sold their top scorer, Roberto Soldado, to Valencia for 8 million Euros, and as yet have not replaced him, although a deal for Dani Güiza is being thrashed out with Fenerbahçe.
Torres claimed that the club are losing 1,000 socios every year, despite their best efforts, including a high profile advertising campaign over the past two seasons. He said that “there is no excitement about signings” and that when he goes to watch the reserve team, who achieved promotion to the Segunda División B this year, he was “alone in the ground with a friend”.
That the club is losing members would come as a surprise to many, given their attempts over the past few years to bring greater numbers through the turnstiles. Their 2007 season ticket campaign featured Moses, Abraham and Jesus sacrificing themselves for the team, prompting controversy. They signed high-profile players such as Argentine goalkeeper “Pato” Abbondanzieri, famous managers such as Bernd Schuster and Michael Laudrup, and have had a run to the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup, all in recent years.
Getafe’s association of peñas, or supporters clubs, have since launched a strong defense of themselves and the fans in general, pointing out that the league awarded Getafe the prize of “Best Fans” last season (pictured), and that they feel the president should be doing more to bring in younger fans.
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