Thanks for replying to my questions on the Avellaneda Classico!

How do you feel about Independiente (and Boca) using the Cilindro whilst it’s own ground is being re-built, and more so, the Rojo Diablo’s fans using the same end of the ground as the Racing fanatics? Here in Scotland, supporters would be up in arms if their local rivals were allowed to share their ground, more so if they stood in the most historic area of it. Why don’t the Independiente fans use the same end of the Presidente Peron, as they would if playing Racing?

Is the current predicament mostly due to the financial problems at the club? I saw some great footage on Youtube when you won the Clausura in 2001, with thousands of fans on the pitch in the Cilindro, but although that might be repeated shortly, celebrating escaping the drop, isn’t the same as a championship.

The great thing about the advent of the internet, is that it opens up an entirely new opportunity to keep in daily contact with football all over the world. Some people are only interested in the club they support (and of course, their biggest rivals!), but I’m one of those who tries to keep abreast with everything going on across the football world.

Here in the UK, apart from the Scottish football (mainly Rangers, or Celtic) and the English Premiership, you can regularly watch live games from the Spanish, Italian, German and French leagues, with highlights of the U.S. MLS, Dutch, and until fairly recently, the Argentine championship (which terrestrial Channel 5 has severely curtailed, much to my disappointment). Too much football on tv? NOT ENOUGH!

Good luck against Colon!

Something like what happened in December, 2001 when the lucky ones (like myself!) were able to attend the match at Velez and the rest went to the Cilindro and we were the first set of fans to fill two +45k stadiums at the same time!

Now…I don’t know exactly what’s the distance between Racing and Independiente’s stadiums, but I’m sure both are bigger than the Dundee’s clubs. As we speak, Independiente are rebuilding their stadium and its capacity will be lowered, but it will still hold something like 40k or 45k people. While Racing stadiums has a capacity of 50k or 55k.

A quick fact about Independiente and its grounds. When they built their old stadium (I believe it was 1928 or something like that) it was the first concrete stadium in South America (or so they say! I haven’t checked!). Now that they are building a new one, I think it’ll be the first all-seater in Argentina.

I believe the distance between the two is somewhere between 150 and 250 metres (but perhaps is closer to 150!).

It is REALLY close. I think Google Earth is a great tool to actually see it yourself (without coming to Avellaneda!).

It’s funny how you have a blurred memory of how you picked up the name Independiente! There are things when we are little boys that simply get printed in our brain and years after we wonder how the hell did they get there in the first place.

Regarding the fan base and the support for both Racing and Independiente, it isn’t necessarily local. Being two of the big 5 clubs in Argentina, both of them have fans all over the country (not to the extent of Boca and River, but they do have fans in every province).

Now for a extrange reason, in the province of Mendoza, closer to Chile than it is to Buenos Aires (or Avellaneda for this matter), Independiente can probably argue to have more fans than Boca or River. That extrange reason is that there is a team from Mendoza called Independiente and local supporters, knowing their small club will probably never play in the top division have adopted Independiente de Avellaneda as their favourite club. That had a backlash from other small clubs in Mendoza and now there are a lot of Godoy Cruz or Desamparados’ supporters that follow Racing Club de Avellaneda!

Sam was right with the story about Saint Andrew’s FC and I would add that there was no Scottish involvement at Independiente at all. Just the badge in the shirt. That’s it.

For background on the Clásico de Avellaneda, you can start by reading the wikipedia article on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avellaneda_derby

I know Wikipedia is not the best of sources, but it can help a lot sometimes.

I’m happy to help if you have any other questions.

As for the Independiente club crest, it originally belonged to Saint Andrew’s FC, one of the earliest champions of the amateur league in Argentina, and was adapted by Plate United F.C., who after their dissolution donated their old shirts to the newly-formed Independiente – who added ‘I.F.C.’ to the badge (Independiente Football Club, in English).