VIEW from the TERRACE  

PROFILE on
WHITE ARMY CHARLEROI
Hung up in a steel metropolis, the town of Charleroi sees quite rapidly football emerging as the most popular sport. For many years, especially since the promotion to the first division in 1985, the public of Sporting Charleroi is recognized as the best one, and also the most fair-play, always following his team in large numbers.
On the contrary of other more popular teams like Anderlecht, Bruges and Standard Liège, followed by fans from all over Belgium, Sporting (nicknamed "Zebras" for their colors) does not arise a national attraction, but only regional.
Approaching the end of the 80's, the group composed by young singing supporters did not have any specific name, while since the end of the 70's some other clubs had within their own fans a hardcore interested in violence (X-Side Antwerp, East-Side FC Bruges, O-Side Anderlecht...). At that time they were happy with the name "Kop", the organisation existed (with some armbands in red, back with a white circle and the mention "Kop").
Since they were attacked by fans from other teams, a branch of these young supporters tried to form a more "violent" group. The names of C-Side (for Charleroi-Side) and Home-Side (???) appeared for a short period. During the pre-season 91/92, some O-siders from Anderlecht tried to give a name to the Charleroi fans, with no success.
At the beginning of that season, after a meeting, the major part of these young boys decided to change their situation in the stadium of Mambour (now recalled "Stade du Pays de Charleroi"), just behind one of the goals.
Half way through that season, in a away game in Lokeren, the first flag with a name on it saw the light: Wallon's Boys were born! This first game already saw some incidents occuring with the cops, with 3 arrests and especially interesting was the astonishment of the local newspapers and our own club! Some weeks after, for an away game in Mechelen, the Wallon's Boys tried to attack the Bulldogs (the local firm) but they ran away because of the lack of experience. During the same season other incidents occured (this time with physical contact) so astonished at Antwerp where the X-siders that they invaded the pitch and entered our terrace where the cops intervened. The olders lads remember that special fight!
The season after, incidents occured more frequently in away games as well as in our home games. Wallon's Boys fought against Hell-Side (their biggest enemy, because they are also walloons) - at half-time some members of the Liège hardcore tried to steal the official WBC flag, after the game, some boys fought against each other; East-Side in cup when the 2 groups threw some missiles ateach other before an attack from CH-hooligans - we must notice that 2 East-siders were wounded by knives but not from members of our group; O-Side, also in the cup - riots between the 2 crews gained big publicity on radio and newspapers... This violence didn't stop the group continuing to support their team. Some little shows were made up, with balloons, torchs...
Season 93/94 was important for the walloon group. For many things. In fact, at the end of the season, everybody agreed that this little crew (from 50 to 200 guys) was just behind the hools from Antwerp, Bruges, Anderlecht and Standard, who have more members. For some reason, the CH-hardcore split in 2 parts: the youngest (some of them are there since the beginning of the WBC) took another name with the aim to make something new: Charleroi Casual Crew was born. Their first flag was made for the away cup-game in Ekeren where about 40 hooligans fought with local police. Some arrests took place but one of the lads escaped from the jail (we don't know how!!!) and crossed the pitch. During the first months of this group, there were some tensions with the WBC but in fact the 2 groups had the same aims, especially during the riots (with some exceptions).
During 2 seasons these boys were more present than the Wallon's Boys but unfortunetely with a bad control of provocation. Despite some great fights the group has been declining since 1996 because of the bad results of the team, the small number of members and the problems with police, who would like to make a "town cleaning" in Charleroi for Euro2000.
The White Army (WBC and CCC united) has now a 40 boys hardcore who are not there at each game (!) but who accept any contact (last example is the game of this season against FC Bruges where only 10-15 hooligans stayed in front of Bruges Casual Firm).
For our friendships, the hardcore has for many years really good contacts with the PSV Eindhoven Oostfront. This friendship is not only for football or hooliganism! Before them, we had contacts with Wolf-siders from La Louvière (belgian 2nd division) who stopped after the death of their leader; with the DVE from Lille (France), stopped because french ultras showed nothing ! Nowadays, some PERSONAL links exist with Paris SG lads (France) and Namur Firm (belgian 3rd division).
Finally, we were extremely grateful to the Oostfront for their presence at the burial of one of our lads. Approaching our 10 years of existence our biggest sadness is to have lost some friends close to the group... in you memories Mike (thanks to FC Bruges lads for their comprehension and respect), Fabian, Claudine...

To be continued...

See also
White Army Charleroi


Article written by Droopy of WAC