It's been a very quiet couple of days here on Planet Betis, so why don't we turn the spotlight on to another fans' chant, this time the weekly homage to Pepe Mel.
For some reason, songs dedicated to individual personalities seem to be rarer and less poetic in Spain than England, with even Lionel Messi having to do with a dismal two-note drone. But the Betis coach gets a version of the tune I've just learned from Wikipedia is part the Stars And Stripes Forever march (see here from 1'30"), accompanied by arms-wide above-the-head handclaps. For a uniquely Spanish twist, the eighth and last time we get to his name it is shouted rather than sung, which creates a rather comical moment of silence immediately afterwards (which you just get a taste of on the clip below).
When the song was first heard in Gol Sur, about halfway through last season, it was seen by the local press as a very important indication that Mel had been truly accepted by the Betis faithful - and by the end of May it had become a weekly standard.
My favourite rendition, though, came during the Albacete home game in February. After five consecutive defeats the papers were full of talk that Mel needed a win to rescue his job, and with just 20 minutes to go the scoreboard was stuck at a very frustrating 0-0. In many stadiums, in many countries around the world, this would have been a time to get on the manager's back, but the Betis fans chose exactly this moment to show their support. The song started in Gol Sur and was soon taken up around the Villamarín: "Pepe Mel, Pepe Mel, Pepe Mel..." Five minutes later, Roversio poked home a headed-on corner and the promotion campaign was back on track.
(For more posts about songs and chants heard at Betis games, have a look at All The Hits And More in the Menú de Desgustación section over in the right-hand panel.)
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