Castilla y León hails greatest year for penyes

It was an intense for Barça support in Sòria on occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Peña Barcelonista Soriana, a huge event that brought together all of the clubs from Castilla y León in the same city, where the Federation’s assembly also took place.

Early in the day, the zone’s president, Nicolas Pérez, opened the quarterly meeting. In the presence of FC Barcelona director Pau Vilanova the local clubs debated the present and future of the supporters movement in the territory. Vilanova also gave a speech in which he referenced the Penyes Segle XXI project by saying that "if the Penyes want to be ambassadors for the club then it is essential for both the penyes and the Federations to work together on common thematic areas and for things not to just be down the work of one person. We have to organise things better”.

He also commented on "the need to attract and have more members in the penya community" highlighting the 'De Catalunya al món' project being run through FCBEscola and the supporters movement, which understands on an international level that the two concepts are united and complementary.

Proud to be barcelonista

The former Dream Team player Ricardo Serna spoke emotionally about his time in the first team under Cruyff, a man who “changed the football world.” `He described how lucky he felt to have played for such a footballing great as Cruyff, who had been one of his childhood heroes. But he also has positive words to say about the penya movement: “To be honest, when you’re playing you aren’t aware of everything there is behind them or the enormous effort they put into it” he said. “I am here today because of what you all deserve.”

Hundreds of Barça shirts and scarves then paraded around the city centre at midday, backed by the sound of the Barça anthem. It was both a social and a gastronomic occasion as they visited a number of establishments in Soria where Barça fans are always especially welcome.

Example of values and management

The gala dinner that brought an end to the day was attended by Soria mayor Carlos Martínez, a Barça fan through and through who remembered the time when his father took him to the founding meetings of the local supporters club and how much enthusiasm the few original members put into the project. Now fully consolidated, thus club interprets and fosters such key Barça values as respect and fair play.

The most emotional moment happened when the president of the penya, Fermín Manuel Sanz, gave a speech in honour of the previous president and also his late brother Eduardo Jesús Sanz. The president of the regional Federation, Nicolás Pérez, described the club’s constant quest to keep getting better. "This has been the best year in the history of the Penyes” he claimed. “And yet we can still do even better.”

Director Pau Vilanova ended the series of speeches by commenting that "we should also enjoy not just the results, but also the values associated to Barça that we observe as we bring up our children, that’s something we shall always have.”