Avellino: Wolfpack. A survivor's mentality in the South of Italy

Words: Dave Harry

Images: Dave Harry

On 23 November 1980, Unione Sportiva Avellino beat Ascoli by four goals to two at their home ground, the ‘Partenio-Adriano Lombardi Stadium’ (the Partenio).

In their third season in Serie A, the Biancoverdi had been deducted five points for being one of seven teams implicated in the 1980 Italian football betting scandal and they were in a fight to stay-up.

The score was significant but within hours of the game finishing, the Irpinia earthquake struck.

It was a tragedy of unimaginable proportions in which 1,600 people in the Avellino county were killed including 82 in Avellino city itself.

As part of the response to the tragedy, the ‘Paternio’ served as a makeshift home for a number of those made homeless.

©Dave Harry/ Terrace Edition. US Avellino 1912.

Avellino resumed playing home matches on December 21, securing a 1-0 win over Catanzaro in the most trying of circumstances.

‘I Lupi’ (The Wolves) as they are nicknamed, provided a rallying point for the city and they avoided relegation on the last day of the season. They stayed up for a further seven seasons in what was the club’s most successful period.

In the 20 years that followed relegation from Serie A, Avellino moved between Serie B and C, with their most famous promotion in that period, being in 2004 when they defeated Napoli – themselves in Serie C – 2-1 in the play-offs, the second leg being played at the Partenio.

A trawl through youtube digs up some amazing footage of the win so famous I can remember reading about it in the UK.

However, in 2009, the Italian Football Federation would not grant I Lupi a licence due to a failed guarantee, and they were forced to play in Serie D, adding ‘1912’ to the club name in recognition of the year they were originally founded.

It hasn’t been that straightforward since, but the club enjoyed some years in Serie B again before being relegated to Serie C.

And Il Lupi remain in Serie C when I visit but despite its fading glamour, the stadium as well as the biancoverdi noisy support, has the feel of a club deserving of a place higher up the Italian pyramid.

The fans are the very best of Italian football - welcoming, passionate, proud of their club and keen to find out about your team.

When they learned that mine (Plymouth Argyle), wear green and are based in the South of the country, well connections are made and I was given a club scarf.

I was warned to be careful wear I wore the scarf though, I Lupi have a number of rivalries including with Bari where I was staying.

But like many Italian sides, they also have good relations with a number of other clubs fans including those of Juventus and the Partenio has a memorial to the Heysel disaster near its main stand.

Throughout my whole visit, and indeed since, I sense ‘I Lupi’ is a really fitting nickname.

Helping their community recover from the awful events of November 1980 is the ultimate example of survival. Indeed, in footballing terms how they have recovered from their wounds and found ways to thrive are qualities of wolves.

There is, undoubtedly, a pack mentality and strong bonds exist, not just among the fans, who still live in and around Avellino, but further afield as well, it isn’t a place that leaves you.

I’ve come across I Lupi in the far North of Italy, in Belgium and more locally to me in Bath, where a delicatessen is named after the city and a club scarf is part of its window display.

And it’s a club and support that leaves a positive mark on those who have no connection to it as well; once visited you leave as a fan.

The scarf I was given has been since been worn at Home Park and its one of my most treasured football souvenirs.

I can still hear the wolf howling and I will wear it at Partenio again one day.

US Avellino 1912 currently sit top of Serie C in the Southern region.