At a glance
Brigadas Charras in 30 seconds
Brigadas Charras (BBCC) was the most historic ultra group of Unión Deportiva Salamanca, according to La Soga. It was born in 1993 behind the goal in the south end of the Helmántico and had its best years in the 1990s. In May 2013 it celebrated its twentieth anniversary and declared that it would not support any refoundation of the club, which disappeared on 18 June 2013. Its blog stopped publishing in July 2013 and no source consulted documents its later activity.
- Club
- UD Salamanca
- City
- Salamanca
- Stadium
- Helmántico
- Stand
- Fondo Sur of the Helmántico: behind the goal (from 1993), left curve and, from August 2012, upper central section
- Founded
- 1993
- Trajectory
- No documented activity since July 2013, after the disappearance of UD Salamanca (18 June 2013)
Documented history
Brigadas Charras: UD Salamanca's ultras between 1993 and 2013
Brigadas Charras, known by the initials BBCC, was the ultra group of Unión Deportiva Salamanca. According to its August 2012 statement, it was officially born in 1993 behind the goal in the south end of the Helmántico to cheer on the team. La Soga describes it as the most historic Unionist ultra group.
1993: behind the goal in the south end
In an August 2012 statement, the group recalled that it was officially born in 1993, positioning itself behind the goal in the south end with the intention of cheering on the team. La Soga describes it as the most historic Unionist ultra group, founded in 1993, which enjoyed its best years in the 1990s, and places it in the Fondo Sur of the Helmántico.
See this section's source ↗From the left curve to the upper part of the end
With the arrival of seats, according to the same statement, the group «emigrated» to the left curve of the south end for hard years. In August 2012 it agreed to move to the centre of the south end, in the upper part where other supporters' clubs were already located, and recalled that it had been asking for a youth stand for ten years.
See this section's source ↗Friendships and rivalries according to partisan sources
A personal blog hosted by the University of Salamanca described the group in 2010 as one of the most feared of the 1990s, twinned with Infierno Pacense, of Badajoz, and with Sporting's supporters, and at odds with Ultras Violetas, of Valladolid. In the report on its twentieth anniversary, in May 2013, the group itself thanked friends such as Orgullo Numantino and sections from Madrid, Asturias and Santa Marta for attending. These are references from partisan sources, not from the press.
See this section's source ↗April 2013: twenty years of the group and ninety of the club
The group's blog announced in April 2013 a series of tattoo photographs to celebrate twenty years of Brigadas Charras, and described the atmosphere of the match against Zamora and the celebration of UDS's ninetieth anniversary. According to the May report, a year earlier the group had been tottering strongly towards disappearance.
See this section's source ↗May–July 2013: against the refoundation
On 3 May 2013, the group declared that it would not support a team other than UD Salamanca: «If the Unión dies, Brigadas Charras will die with it». La Soga counts it among the groups most involved in the attempt to save the club. UDS disappeared on 18 June 2013, according to El Español, and on 3 July the blog published «Hasta siempre Unión Deportiva Salamanca»; its last entry is from 10 July 2013. No source consulted documents the group's activity after that date.
See this section's source ↗Key dates
Timeline of Brigadas Charras
1993 · Birth of the group
Behind the goal in the south end of the Helmántico, according to its 2012 statement.
2012 · Move within the south end
In August it agrees to take up position in the upper central section alongside other supporters' clubs.
2013 · Twenty years and refusal of a refoundation
In May it celebrates its anniversary and declares that it will not support a replacement club for UDS.
2013 · Disappearance of UDS
The club disappears on 18 June; the blog's last entry is from 10 July.
Ideology and identity · Brigadas Charras
No source has been found that attributes a political ideology to Brigadas Charras, nor a political self-definition by the group. La Soga's 2017 retrospective and its blog entries between 2012 and 2013 focus on the club and on animation, and the 2014 RTVE and 20minutos reports on Spanish ultra groups do not mention it.
Source of this description ↗Frequently asked questions
Getting to know Brigadas Charras
What were UD Salamanca's ultras called?
Brigadas Charras (BBCC), founded in 1993. La Soga describes them as the most historic Unionist ultra group and places them in the Fondo Sur of the Helmántico.
When was Brigadas Charras founded?
In 1993, according to its August 2012 statement and La Soga. In May 2013 it celebrated its twentieth anniversary.
Where did the Brigadas Charras stand at the Helmántico?
In the south end: first behind the goal, then in the left curve and, from August 2012, in the upper central section alongside other supporters' clubs.
What ideology did the Brigadas Charras have?
No source consulted attributes a political ideology to them, and the group did not define itself politically in the texts found.
Do the Brigadas Charras still exist?
There is no documented activity after July 2013, when UD Salamanca disappeared. In May of that year the group had declared: «If the Unión dies, Brigadas Charras will die with it».
What happened to UD Salamanca?
It disappeared on 18 June 2013, after years of ruinous management, according to El Español; the city was left divided between two successor clubs. The group had rejected any refoundation.
Who were the Brigadas Charras twinned with?
A 2010 blog cites Infierno Pacense, of Badajoz, and Sporting's supporters; in 2013, the group thanked Orgullo Numantino for attending. These are partisan sources.
Which team do the Brigadas Charras support?
UD Salamanca. They cheered at the Helmántico stadium, in Salamanca.
Sources
The documents behind this history
Each source keeps its date and scope. Titles appear in their original language. An insider account, an announcement and an official decision document different facts.
- Comunicado (cambio de ubicación en el Helmántico) ↗
Brigadas Charras · group's blog · 23 August 2012
Origin in 1993 and successive locations in the south end.
- Archivo de abril de 2013 ↗
Brigadas Charras · group's blog · 2013-04
Twenty years of the supporters' club and celebration of UD Salamanca's ninetieth.
- Comunicado sobre el futuro del club ↗
Brigadas Charras · group's blog · 3 May 2013
Position expressed on a possible disappearance or refoundation.
- Especial XX aniversario BB.CC. ↗
Brigadas Charras · group's blog · 11 May 2013
Celebration of the twentieth anniversary and friendly groups present.
- Hasta siempre Unión Deportiva Salamanca ↗
Brigadas Charras · group's blog · 3 July 2013
Farewell after the club's disappearance.
- Brigadas Charras ↗
Diarium (University of Salamanca) · personal blog · 18 November 2010
Twinnings and enmities described in 2010 (non-journalistic secondary source).
- UD Salamanca ↗
La Soga · Pentayus · 23 September 2017
Retrospective on the club, historic location and Brigadas Charras's involvement.
- Unión Deportiva Salamanca (UDS): un pasado glorioso, una gestión ruinosa y una ciudad partida en dos ↗
El Español · Luis Falcón · 4 July 2024
Date of UDS's disappearance.
Documentary review: 18 October 2026. English edition: 21 October 2026. Editorial team: Mundo Ultras.
Keep reading