Levante Reward Fans Who Stayed Loyal Following Relegation

Posted Thursday, May 04, 2017 by thesportbible.com

"Where were you when you were shit!" a chant heard throughout the footballing world when a once rubbish team makes it into the big leagues and start selling out. Spanish side Levante are going to make sure that clubs who stayed when they were shit are rewarded.

Down at Moor Lane, home of Salford City FC, the club famously owned by Manchester United's Class of 92, their attendance is reportedly up 113.5% this season in comparison to last season.

Whilst being in the Vanarama National League North might not suggest the club are good they are certainly better known thanks to the BBC documentary on the club and the involvement of the Neville brothers, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs.

It's only natural that when a club gets better it attracts more fans and equally if a club gets worse and drops down to a lower league then you'd expect that some fans just won't spend their hard earned cash to go and watch their team.

Valencia based Levante were relegated from La Liga last season and obviously lost some of their fans however the club confirmed promotion back into Spain's top league over the weekend.

And the club announced that they're going to reward those fans who stuck with the club through thick and thin. Those fans who attended 85% or more in the promotion campaign will get their season ticket for free.

Speaking to Spanish radio station Cadena Cope the club's president Quico Catalan said, "All our members that went to watch our team in 18 games (of 21 possible home matches) will get a free season ticket for next season.

"That is the pledge we made at the start of the season when we unveiled our aims and it was on the proviso that the team gained promotion to the top flight.

"The fans had to be, and are, part of this success. It's a beautiful way to reward and generate a sense of fidelity towards this club."

After finishing bottom of La Liga last season their 1-0 win over Real Oviedo on Saturday confirmed that they would return to face the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona at the first time of asking.

If rival fans start that famous chant at the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia next season they'll be a percentage of fans not paying a penny to be their feeling very smug!