Aston Villa-supporting Real Oviedo Shareholders Now Facing Play-off Drama
Towards the end of last year, MOMS posted an article simply to inform readers of one rare heart-warming football story that was happening in the north of Spain, when football supporters from around the world answered Segunda División B team Real Oviedo’s SOS in a fan share issue. Three of us were already Real Oviedo shareholders, but soon a small Villan army would grow.
Amazingly, despite there only being a day to go to the share issue deadline, suddenly there was comments on the MOMS facebook page comments section of the post, by Villa supporters, saying, they’d just become Real Oviedo shareholders too. As a result, we set up of the ‘Holte Enders in the Sun’ group to form a loose consortium of Villa-supporting Real Oviedo shareholders. In the space of about a day, after a quick head count, we discovered between us, we had over 100 shares, meaning we had joined the ranks of the ‘Más de 100 acciones’. With shares costing 11.50€ each, we had raised over 1000€ for the club in roughly 24 hours.
If only we had done it for a full 85 days, we could have raised the equivalent of the 85,000€ ex-Oviedo player Stan Collymore was declared to still owe the club, at the last Real Oviedo annual general meeting. Collymore – another reason to bond with our Oviedo brother and sisters, for the player had been a let down for both our clubs.
Since then, we’ve followed the fortunes of the team as they reached the play-offs at the end of the season. Some of us Villans have even made the trip to Oviedo to see the team play and enjoyed some top-notch hospitality, making new friends along the way, with one Villa fan even having the honour of leading the Oviedo ultras in a chant during a game. Remember, we’re Villans, we don’t do things in half measures!
Having won the first leg of the play-off match with Albacete 1-0, this weekend’s away leg, will hopefully see Real Oviedo progress to the final round.
The appeal of helping Oviedo was simple, as football supporters we understand each other’s plight. The Oviedo fans were potentially at risk of losing their way of life. It was a shining example of how football supporters aren’t powerless in the face of the various financially- driven forces that erode away at the beautiful game in the modern era.
We are honoured now to be accepted alongside Real Oviedo’s life-long supporters and ultras for the play-off battle ahead. The long-term goal is to see the club back in the top division of La Liga, where they were just over a decade ago.
It’s the unshakeable dream of all Oviedo supporters, both new and old.
Hala Oviedo! UTV
If you want to see an insight into the world of Real Oviedo check out this great short film, starring Swansea’s Michu, a former Oviedo player…and a few Villan Real Oviedo shareholders with cameos too!
Follow MOMS on twitter at @oldmansaid
Follow Real Oviedo World Fan Club of shareholders on twitter at @RealOviedoWFC
