Introduction: The Red Star Ultras, a Unique Identity
In the French football landscape, the uniqueness of Red Star FC and its supporters is undeniable. Anchored in Saint-Ouen, this century-old club is defined by a cultural and social identity unique in French football. The Red Star ultras see themselves as the guardians of a popular football tradition resisting the excesses of the sports business.
The Stade Bauer, inaugurated in 1909, is the cradle of this fervor. Here, the atmosphere goes beyond 90 minutes: it is a place of life and protest.
Key Points to Remember
- The Red Star FC ultras display a clearly left-wing political identity, driven by antifascist and anti-racist values, and advocate for popular football.
- The Rino Della Negra stand, named after a former player and communist resistance fighter, symbolizes the militant memory and commitment of the supporters.
- The ultras are strongly opposed to multi-ownership, investment funds, and midweek match scheduling, in order to preserve the spirit of popular football and the club.
- The Red Star Fans maintain lasting friendships with certain groups, such as the Red Kaos of Grenoble.
Table of contents
The Rino Della Negra Stand: The Beating Heart of Red Star FC Ultras
The Rino Della Negra stand is the lung of the club’s atmosphere. It is here that the Collectif Red Star Bauer animates matches with unwavering passion.
To understand the identity of Red Star supporters, one must look at Rino Della Negra, after whom the Bauer Stadium stand occupied by the ultras is named. Of Italian origin, Rino, born in 1923, later became a Red Star player and a communist resistance fighter in the Manouchian group (FTP-MOI). His story shapes the identity of the stand:
- The Player: a talented forward who wore the club’s colors in the early 1940s.
- The Resistance Fighter: engaged in armed struggle and sabotage against the Nazi occupier.
- The Martyr: executed at Mont-Valérien on 21 February 1944 at the age of 20.
In his last letter before his execution, he wrote to his younger brother:
His memory lives on. Every February, the Collectif Red Star Bauer — the Red Star ultras — commemorates Rino’s death by laying flowers and giving speeches in tribute to the executed player.
@loopsider Qui était Rino Della Negra, joueur star du Red Star, figure de la résistance fusillé à 20 ans, honoré aujourd’hui à l’occasion de la Pantheonisation du couple de résistants communistes Missak et Mélinée Manouchian.
♬ Spooky, quiet, scary atmosphere piano songs - Skittlegirl Sound
Through chants and tifos, supporters uphold this antifascist duty of memory. Rino Della Negra symbolizes sacrifice and commitment, values reflected in their unconditional support for the team.
The Political Orientation of the Red Star Fans
The stand’s political identity is clearly left-wing and reflects the history of the city.
Indeed, Saint-Ouen has been part of what is called the red belt (or red suburbs) since the 1920s, a period also corresponding to Red Star’s golden age, winning four Coupe de France titles between 1921 and 1928. This expression refers to the towns around Paris, especially in the north, whose municipalities were communist. Populated by workers, these communes had numerous factories before the gradual deindustrialization of their territories.
Red Star supporters have preserved this deeply left-wing heritage.
The Red Star FC ultras are strongly opposed to the far-right and make antifascism a central element of their identity, displayed through flags, banners, and chants in the stadium. Their engagement also includes support for Palestinians and refugees.
Concrete actions are often undertaken, such as in 2019, when members of the Collectif Red Star Bauer organized a collection to help migrants threatened with exclusion in Seine-Saint-Denis.
The Struggles of the Rino Della Negra Stand
The activity of the ultras goes beyond matchday animation. The Rino Della Negra stand serves as a counter-power: their action revolves around concrete struggles to preserve their vision of football.
Red Star Is at Bauer
When Patrice Haddad took over the club in 2008, a project to build a new stadium at the Docks of Saint-Ouen emerged. It quickly met strong opposition from Red Star supporters, for whom leaving Bauer would represent an unacceptable break with the club’s history and identity. As a century-old stadium, Bauer is more than just a sports venue: it is a place of memory deeply rooted in Saint-Ouen culture.
Faced with this project, supporters mobilized massively. The association Collectif Red Star Bauer, created to defend the club’s presence at Stade Bauer, was born. Chants and banners multiplied in the stands, while the slogan “Red Star belongs to Bauer” became the symbol of this struggle.
This sustained mobilization eventually influenced club and local authorities’ decisions. Ultimately, Red Star abandoned the new stadium project and chose to renovate Stade Bauer, a victory claimed by the supporters.
The Fight for Weekend Match Scheduling
An emblematic struggle of Red Star Fans concerns match scheduling. To oppose games imposed on Fridays or Mondays by broadcasters like BeIN Sports or Canal+, they have deployed various actions, sometimes spectacular: tennis balls thrown onto the pitch, lasers pointed at cameras to disrupt broadcasting, in addition to chants and banners.
Their slogan, “Football is for the weekend”, reflects their vision: for these supporters from the working class, playing midweek is a social aberration. Practically, they organize boycotts, “cheering strikes,” and display banners against broadcasters. Their point is clear: football must remain an accessible leisure activity, and fan presence should not be sacrificed for ratings.
Protesting Multi-Ownership and Modern Football
By fighting against the development of football as a business, where clubs are treated as profitable assets by investment funds, the ultras strive to keep football a popular sport.
For Red Star ultras, the takeover by the American fund 777 Partners (replaced by A-CAP after 777’s bankruptcy) symbolizes everything they reject: a club run from across the Atlantic, treated as a mere financial asset, and football turned into a commodity to make money. They denounce multi-ownership, which threatens the popular identity of Red Star and, more broadly, the soul of football. For several years, supporters have been in open conflict with management and demand the departure of Patrice Haddad.
Aujourd’hui est un jour sombre dans l'histoire du Red Star 😔 Plus que jamais #777NotWelcome ! Le combat ne fait que commencer ✊ https://t.co/LlITgphLRM
— Tribune Rino Della Negra (@stadebauer) May 11, 2022
Translation of the tweet below:
“Today is a dark day in Red Star’s history 😔 More than ever #777NotWelcome! The fight is only just beginning ✊”
Rivalries and Friendships: Red Star FC Ultras’ Friendships
Friendships with other supporter groups are built around antifascism. The most well-known friendship of Red Star ultras is with the Red Kaos of Grenoble (GF38). A strong relationship maintained for nearly 18 years, manifested in joint marches before matches, shared stands, and regular attendance at each other’s games. These bonds go beyond the stadium and are based on a shared vision of popular, engaged football, independent of financial logic.
Conversely, Red Star supporters have a rivalry with Paris FC fans, which emerged after clashes in September 2014 around a match held at Stade Charléty, the club’s former stadium before moving to Jean Bouin. Several injuries were reported.
Conclusion: The Popular Soul of Red Star FC
Red Star FC ultras embody more than just sports support; they are the guardians of memory and popular football.
Their existence proves that another kind of football is possible: human and true to its roots. As Stade Bauer undergoes renovation and the club comes under American ownership, the role of the ultras is more crucial than ever. The Rino Della Negra stand is the moral compass of Red Star FC.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Rino Della Negra Stand, the Red Star Fans, and the Collectif Red Star Bauer?
The Rino Della Negra Stand is the main association that brings together active Red Star supporters and federates several groups, including the Collectif Red Star Bauer and the Red Star Fans. Its mission is to animate Stade Bauer, defend the club, promote popular and supportive football, and carry out cultural, commemorative, or solidarity actions.
The Collectif Red Star Bauer is the administrative base of the stand and was created to support Red Star and defend the club’s presence at Bauer.
The Red Star Fans are the ultra group integrated into the stand and handle most of the visual, sound, and away match animations of the club.
Who are the famous supporters of Red Star?
Red Star counts several well-known personalities among its supporters, including François Hollande, former President of the Republic, who has often expressed his attachment to the Saint-Ouen club. Comedian and actor Djamel Debbouze is also a regular supporter of Red Star, which he publicly displays.
What is the biggest rivalry of Red Star FC ultras?
The historic rivalry is with Paris FC. There is also a strong ideological rivalry with the far-right and a sporting animosity toward US Créteil-Lusitanos.
