Butarque shows 22 years of life and a few invasions in its stands. Today, against Eibar, another one will live. Between 700 and 1,000 fans of the gunsmith team will populate its stands adding those that meet in the visiting sector of the south end and those that will be scattered throughout the rest of a stadium depopulated by cucumber trees.
The bad final stretch of the League has caused a certain disbandment of Blue and White fans, disappointed with their own. In fact, the last duels against Malaga and Huesca have represented some of the worst innings of the course. The image will be repeated today until the Avenida de los Once Leones becomes a mini-Ipurúa.
The first time that Butarque changed colors was perhaps the most bizarre of all. In 2001, just three years after its inauguration, the last day of the championship provided two games in which the last place for direct promotion to First Division was decided (then there were three without any playoff). In Getafe, Atlético de Madrid was looking for its return to the elite after a little year in hell. In Leganés, Tenerife tried to achieve the same.
This caused the cucumber area to be (almost) filled with Canarian fans… but also with Atlético de Madrid fans, who wearing red and white jackets encouraged the cucumber growers in pursuit of their goal. It was in vain. Tenerife won that duel (0-1, goal by Hugo Morales) and with the help of Rafa Benítez (and with Martí, former Lega player coach) they rose to the elite.
After that episode, perhaps the best known, there have been others equally striking. A year earlier, the visit of a Villarreal team seeking their first promotion to the elite also caused a strong influx of groguet fans. In 2003 Zaragoza was able to sentence their promotion to First in Butarque, but a Lega victory prevented it despite the massive presence of handy fans in the stands. The day of the relegation to Second B against Córdoba (2004), the Verdiblancos mobilized en masse to save the category against Lega.
Back in professional football, the visit of Betis in 2014 caused the third full house in the history of the venue until then and also a massive visit by Verdiblanco fans who suffered with the 1-0 victory of Leganés. That afternoon an entire background of Butarque was dyed with the colors of the reigning champion of the Copa del Rey.