When I reach the train station Circumvesuviana In Somma the clock shows 2pm. In these parts it is full Sunday lunch time. It is therefore quite obvious that there is practically no one on the streets. An hour has passed since the end of the challenge between Viribus and Ottaviano and, to pass the time, I rush into the only open business: a pastry shop that – close to San Giuseppe – churns out zeppole galore, causing my already low resistance to drooping. The old red and white trains, packed with people and noisy as they travel along the railway that connects them to the capital, always have an irresistible charm and act as a perfect break to this weekend. Which first saw me as the protagonist at the PalaBarbuto of Naples for the match between the local basketball team and Pistoia, and then in the renovated stadium Buttonwhere I was finally able to see the local fans at work, of whom I had blurry memories dating back to the early 2000s.
What attracted my curiosity, in unsuspecting times, in addition to a mere ultras discussion, I admit that there were two elements: the first represented by the name of the club. A clear reference to the battleship of the Imperial and Royal Austro-Hungarian Navy, as well as flagship and flagship of the fleet, sunk in 1918 in Pola by the Royal Italian Navy. The second from the position of the town, located right on the slopes of Mount Somma, which together with Vesuvius represents one of the two peaks of what until the eruption of 79 AD (famous for the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum, so to speak) was a single volcanic cone. A partnership with a troubled football history, which after fourteen years in a row (from 1998 to 2012) in Serie D, has experienced several failures and restarts, struggling in the slums of regional football and failing to revive the glories of the past. Also because the stadium issue was decisive in the sporting debacle and in terms of its aftermath: eleven, interminable, years without a “home” for football. An infinite period of time, from 2012 to 2023, in which the precarious structural, hygienic and health conditions of the Button they added to the classic Italian institutional/bureaucratic slowness, seriously risking making the club disappear. The chorus shouted several times by the local ultras “How beautiful it is to play at home” says a lot about the agony experienced and how much the return to friendly walls was longed for.
With its 33,000 inhabitants Somma Vesuviana is one of the typical, populous towns in the Neapolitan hinterland, inserted – needless to say – in the heart of the Vesuvius National Park, which is the real undisputed “King” here. Ready to constantly watch over the natives. The presence of the volcano has allowed this area to always be flourishing and strategic from an agricultural point of view, so much so that it was initially a disputed area between Rome and Nola and, following the Roman control of Campania Felix, a privileged land for the export of primary goods such as grapes, wine and various crops, as well as for the installation of numerous villas belonging to the Roman aristocracy. The most tangible sign of history is probably today represented by the city walls built by the Aragonese in the mid-15th century and by Borgo Casamale, also famous for hosting the Festival of Lucerne every four years, a celebration of pagan origins in which a man and a woman – also called ‘the mast’ and party – they light the first torches, starting all the others, as well as the opening of the banquets with food and wine. In the meantime, the Madonna della Neve is exhibited in the Collegiate Church and is carried in procession through the streets of the town on 5 August. Without wanting to bore the reader, I believe it is always important to highlight the historical nature of the place you visit and the bond with your team, otherwise for some it might seem like a childish exercise to not follow your colors or distance yourself from the city team, when the same is forced to move outside the municipal boundaries. And unfortunately, as we well know, this is a story that is scientifically repeated in every corner of the Bel Paese.
The arrival of spring is certified by the numerous sellers of roasted artichokes, scattered in numerous street corners as you enter the town. I consider them a true symbol of this area: armed with embers, with their fans “blowing” on the fire and the classic chatter – with beer or wine in tow – exchanged with people passing by. A hymn to spontaneity and, if we want, also to an Italy that in some ways no longer exists. As I slowly walk past them taking a couple of photos, their irritated faces speak volumes about how inconceivable they think anyone would be interested in roasted artichokes. Ergo: this article can be even more detailed – at least on a photographic level – thanks to the risk incurred by the undersigned (sic!).
Around the perimeter of the stadium there is a discreet deployment of law enforcement, confirming that both ultras contingents will be present inside today. We are still talking about Promotion and this is therefore not a given. As a good Campania stadium, almost all of the surrounding walls are covered with writings and murals, an aspect which in my opinion always gives an extra touch of vitality. The group has been around for a few years Sommesi Supporters he rebuilt the following organized around the Viribus, going back to the path traced by the Old Ultras ’93a historic brand (dissolved in 2010) which has followed the fortunes of the rossoblù and the Bronx (group born in 2010 and dissolved in 2017 due to the twenty warnings received after some scuffles in Villa Literno). A path no less complicated than that of the team. Marked in particular by the very serious episodes that occurred in 1981 on the sidelines of the Interregional match against Juve Stabia. On that occasion important incidents broke out between fans, culminating in the killing – by a carabiniere – of the young man supporter said Pasquale Ammirati, hit in the back of the head by a gunshot fired by a soldier who had ordered him to stop. An obviously murky story, in which several of the boy’s friends highlighted how he was not intent on taking part in the riots, but rather he was moving away so as not to take part in them. What remains, however, is yet another absurd death of a fan due to mismanagement of public order which, alas, has maintained a certain coherence over the years. The episode caused great tension and sadness, both within the local community and among the company’s managers, who decided to leave the club. Putting, in fact, the end to his good period. After these events also the Ensamble Ultras Blue Red Skins – who at the time had formed the first organized nucleus following the rossoblù – will put an end to their experience. We had to wait until 1993 to see good entrepreneurs at the helm of Viribus again. A consortium led by Gaetano Molaro (a well-known figure in the city) in which other underground businessmen took part. And with them the ultras will also return to the stands.
The smell of regional football is always the right one, the one that at 11 in the morning sends your mind back to sweet adolescent memories and which, above all, completely distances you from the show business of the major categories. Here all the figures are in their place: the warehouse worker who gives you the bibs, the manager who welcomes you with a smile and the referee who advises you not to stand between the two benches… which I promptly do. The rugged terrain reflects that charm of the imperfect that we all need a little, although I don’t think the players feel the same way. But in the presence of perfect coats, shaved to the millimeter or – even worse – remade in synthetic, feeling the scent of grass blend with that of the earth is beautiful, genuine and true. Just as the villa with swimming pool located right behind the benches lets you imagine how much its inhabitants enjoy themselves in the summer season. Bathroom with Vesuvius view. A bit like being in Vico Equense, with the advantage of not having to travel.
With the sun beating down harder and harder, the two sets of fans make their way onto the stands concrete of the stadium Happy Nappi (named after the Viribus player of the same name, who tragically died in a road accident), while the teams also leave the changing rooms. The two towns are separated by just five kilometers and share the slopes of Vesuvius, which makes the meeting even more fascinating in geographical terms (it should be underlined that the aegis of a large part of the crater and the highest peak fall under the municipality of Ottaviano high). Among the ranks, it is worth mentioning the presence of the boys from the Terzigno Seismic Block. Another rather consolidated reality in the area which, by a twist of fate, is currently experiencing the same “discomfort” experienced by the rossoblù for years: unusable stadium and club forced to wander around the area. On the other side, the handful of people from Ottaviano present stand out behind their own pieces and begin to support their colors with dry clapping and chants in response. It seems clear – and perhaps even obvious – how the two fans draw a lot from the Neapolitan curves in terms of choirs and style, nevertheless their respective performance singing are certainly excellent and very intense. Perhaps, if I may, the only “slight” difference that I notice is among the guest ranks, where a nice flask of wine proudly stands out, recapturing the true and rustic soul of those who live eternally (and proudly) on the slopes of what on paper is one of the most dangerous places on the Old Continent.
The Somis try on several occasions to sting the people across the street, without, however, finding an answer, while for the rest of the race they give life to beautiful slaps and chants held for a long time, “lighting up the sector” with various torches. Among their ranks are many youngsters, who deserve the credit of having brought ultras discourse back into vogue in the city, which if for a few months has finally been helped by the return within the friendly walls, on the other hand it is not supported who knows how much by the results sportsmen. And here a suitable parenthesis must be opened: at the moment there are two companies with the “claim” of representing Somma Vesuviana, the first (the one followed by the people) is Viribus Unitis 100, refounded in 2017 by President Molaro. The second is Viribus Unitis 1917 (currently in the First Category), so named after having acquired the title of the Summa Rionale (team from the Rione Trieste district, so much so that at the beginning the name of the club was followed by the acronym SRT), failing however to make its way into the hearts of the fans. Who, in fact, loudly support the merger between the two entities. A merger which from a logical point of view would perhaps be the best solution to join forces and put an end to a dispute which in a certainly not metropolitan reality risks only being harmful.
The sporting confrontation turns to the home team’s prerogative, who regulate their opponents in the English style and celebrate the three points under the sector. A markedly different climate for Ottaviano’s boys, busy challenging a team that now has to dangerously look over its shoulder. It is not yet time to leave: it is in fact established that the guests will be the first to leave, thus keeping the two factions inside and giving the submissives the opportunity to perform in other choirs. Only when the Octavian outflow is concluded can the home crowd also return to the exits. I follow by putting away the equipment and returning the bib. The blue gate opens and I am on the road that runs alongside the steps, ready to reach the train station Circumvesuviana. The years pass and with them I gain experiences and travels. Often coming into contact with important realities, both in Italy and abroad. Yet the pleasure and curiosity of “hanging out” in these fields does not pass me by, because basically it is like finding – every now and then – that comfortable corner of home, where you know you are warm and where you are aware of not finding disappointments. The view passes outside the train window and I let go of some waste of tiredness, replacing it with that minimum of strength that still pervades my soul (more than my body). Satisfied once again to be able to tell it!
Text by Simone Meloni
Photo Imma Borrelli and Simone Meloni
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2024-04-17 15:37:18
#Viribus #UnitisOttaviano #corner #house #disappoints
