Sport24.az
What distinguishes "Neftchi" from other clubs? Probably, everyone has their own answer to this question. Someone will highlight its history and say that it is the oldest club in the country, someone will mention the name of Anatoli Banishevski, the legend of Azerbaijani football. Some will emphasize that it is financed by the state. Someone will also note that the paths of each of the country's distinguished and well-known football players have crossed with this club at some point.
Undoubtedly, there is a grain of truth in each of these answers. No matter how unsuccessfully "Neftchi" has performed in recent years, there is love and respect for the "white-blacks" in this country. Regardless of which region of the country our oldest football club visits, that day a football holiday is celebrated in that city or region, and we witness a victory. As they say, even Dovlet Bey's dead body is beautiful...
It seems I digressed a bit. Our main goal was to find the reason that distinguishes "Neftchi" from other clubs. In my opinion, there is no need to rack your brains too much around this question. I will give my subjective opinion, and perhaps the fans of "Qarabag", "Khazar Lankaran", "Kapaz", "Sumgayit", which have already passed into history, and other clubs will be offended by me. But I will give my subjective opinion: what distinguishes the 88-year-old elder of Azerbaijani football from others is its fans. Yes, its fans...
For many years, "Neftchi" has been upsetting its fans with its unsuccessful performances and disappointing its fans with its results. But their love for the team does not end, their love does not run out.
Yesterday I watched on social networks the march of "Neftchi" fans to the club's training base, their meeting with football players. How emotional and enthusiastic they looked... It was as if a 19-year-old young man was opening his heart to his beloved girl, expressing his love... I watched and witnessed once again that generations, football players, even uniforms change. The only thing that doesn't change is "Neftchi" fans. They respected the "Elder" in 1937, and now the situation is the same.
Everyone who wears the "Neftchi" uniform, anyone who works at the club must reciprocate this love and delight the fans with victories. The fan is "Neftchi's" greatest asset, the apple of their eye... Will they do it? They have to!
