“They need to unite all the supporters”. This is the message that the Ultras wanted to pass on Sunday, by showing up near the Saputo stadium. CF Montreal will play a crucial game there against Orlando City SC. With a victory, he will qualify for the playoffs.
The Ultras have been banned from their section 132 since early September, the club having cited “security issues” at the time.
But news last Tuesday that team president Kevin Gilmore was stepping down broke part of the wall of dissatisfaction from fan groups.
The Ultras had invited the groups 1642 MTL and 127 Montreal to join them in showing their support for their Impact.
“I am for their march which means ‘Gilmore out’, commented Sébastien Ouellet of the group 1642 MTL, who also noted that he only wants to speak for himself, not on behalf of his group. I did not agree with all the decisions that were made. It divided the supporters instead of unifying them. I hope that the next president who is going to be there, his goal will be to bring everyone together in one voice. ”
“They will have to find a way to satisfy their most loyal base as much as possible,” adds the Ultra Maxime Turpin.
They were gathered in the parking lot of the Pierre-Charbonneau center. A few minutes before the start of the match, they chanted the well-known songs of the regulars at the Saputo stadium.
“A lot of things have been said about us that are far from true,” says Maxime Turpin. When you see people here, they’re not bad people. ”
He points to his associates, gathered around a barbecue, beers in hand and scarves around his neck.
We’re not the best at communicating, but I think we really tried to do it with the club in the six months following the rebrand. There was no feedback from them.
Maxime Turpin, member of the Ultras
Sébastien Ouellet, from the 1642 MTL group, nuance.
“Are they as white as snow?” I do not think so. As much as the management will have to recognize certain things, as much the Ultras will have to look at themselves in the mirror. ”
“I would like them to come back, the Ultras.” In 132, there are individuals who are not Ultras. They, I find it boring that they are no longer there. And there are the Ultras as such. […] I would like them to be able to say “we will come back, we will respect the rules that are written”. And I would like the Impact – or the future name, if that stays – to say: “this is what they are committed to”. And say it publicly. ”
In the meantime, CF Montreal is playing its season at 3:30 p.m. against Orlando City SC. He will have, at least for today, the support of all his groups of supporters, whether inside or outside.