On July 12th (Saturday) at noon, Lee Jae-jun, the mayor of Suwon and owner of Suwon FC, held a meeting with the Suwon FC supporters 'Fortress' in the office of the Suwon city hall. On this day, the meeting was proposed by Mayor Lee Jae-jun to encourage fans who might feel discouraged due to the team's poor performance. The representative of Fortress, Chairman Lee Dae-gil, along with eight other supporter representatives, attended wearing the team uniform and engaged in open conversation.
In his greeting, Mayor Lee said, "I was impressed by the new supporters who changed the name from Real Crew to Fortress this year and are actively engaging while expanding the variable seating," and added, "I sincerely thank you for your consistent support for Suwon FC, whether the team's performance is good or difficult." He continued, "As the owner of Suwon FC, I will strive to maintain unwavering interest and support for the club, regardless of results."
The atmosphere of the meeting was amicable. When Mayor Lee said, "If you have anything you want to say regarding the club's development, please feel free to speak up at any time," one attendee humorously responded, "Then can I contact you directly, Mayor?" to which Mayor Lee replied, "Of course," while handing out his business card to everyone present. Additionally, when the representatives of the various subgroups within Fortress asked, "Please follow not only our supporters' official account but also the account of our subgroup on Instagram," the mayor followed each account on the spot, bringing laughter to the scene.
There were also free-spirited proposals related to the cheering culture. In response to the suggestion of having a signature singer, the mayor said, "That's a good idea. If you provide me with an idea, I will push it forward immediately." At the end, he made a surprise suggestion: "If we remain, let's have a drink of makgeolli at the Gwanggyo barley rice restaurant," which the fans responded to with smiles.
'Fortress,' founded during the Suwon city hall football team's time in 2003, was reorganized as 'Real Crew' following its participation in K League 2 in 2013, and this year has regained its name Fortress. Those who have written the history of Suwon FC together created an opportunity through this meeting to reaffirm the unification of the club, fans, and the community in football culture.
[Photo] Provided by Suwon FC
[OSEN]