Supporters
Omonoia is and always has been the most popular team in Cyprus. Regarded as the 'people's team', Omonia is known for the left-leaning, socialist character of its supporters. Omonia is also traditionally regarded as the club of Cyprus's working-class. Most of Omonia's supporters have adopted an outspoken stance against both racism and fascism alike. Many of Omonia's supporters can be seen waving banners bearing Che Guevara's image and unlike many of Cyprus's right-wing teams, proudly wave the flag of Cyprus during matches. The extreme, more hardcore fans can be seen in Gate-9 and are commonly referred to as "Kifines" (or male bees). Thousands of them occupy the North stand at the GSP stadium during home games. Omonia's fans are well known for their loyalty towards their club. Their presence is seen on the fields in Cyprus during Cypriot League matches and throughout Europe. In 2003, Omonia's fans broke their previous record for attendance in home matches with the improved figure of 140,740. The record was broken again the following year with 143,033 tickets sold in 13 home matches. The record now stands at 162,061 tickets sold during the 2009–2010 season.
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Famous quotes containing the word supporters:
“His [O.J. Simpson’s] supporters lined the freeway to cheer him on Friday and commentators talked about his tragedy. Did those people see the photographs of the crime scene and the great blackening pools of blood seeping into the sidewalk? Did battered women watch all this on television and realize more vividly than ever before that their lives were cheap and their pain inconsequential?”
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“No Government can be long secure without a formidable Opposition. It reduces their supporters to that tractable number which can be managed by the joint influences of fruition and hope. It offers vengeance to the discontented, and distinction to the ambitious; and employs the energies of aspiring spirits, who otherwise may prove traitors in a division or assassins in a debate.”
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“The opposition is indispensable. A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, always learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters. For his supporters will push him to disaster unless his opponents show him where the dangers are. So if he is wise he will often pray to be delivered from his friends, because they will ruin him. But though it hurts, he ought also to pray never to be left without opponents; for they keep him on the path of reason and good sense.”
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974)