You felt it long before you saw it. Gavino Musiu had a voice with a built-in megaphone followed by a hearty laugh that put a good mood not only in the "Vanni Sanna" stadium but also in the other Sardinian stadiums and even in the peninsula. He had been ill for several months and his voice faded away last night.
Two years ago, as a ninety-year-old, the then rossoblù president Salvatore Sechi had appointed him honorary president of Torres with this motivation: "For having represented the purest image of the rossoblù fans, with the constant presence, closeness to young people, the cheerfulness and sportsmanship that have always characterized his support for Torres, in Sassari and in stadiums throughout Italy".
In the 1970s he worked for an electrical appliance store and when customers weren't punctual in paying Mr. Gavino had his own method of soliciting them: if he saw the latecomer or when he rang his intercom he would yell: «Sir (or madam) the bill of exchange ». Method that worked since the defaulter paid shortly after. Hence the nickname "Gavino la promissory note".
Passionate about football and not just about Torres, he knew how to quote the legendary formation of Turin in the 1930s, the one that dominated in Italy. He kept the fans updated on his numerous movements: when he arrived at the stadium he declaimed in his loud voice where he had been and who he had spoken to.
His voice was so powerful that even the joke about cell phone networks was born: 3G, 4G or 5G indicate signal strength on the Gavino scale.
