Real Betis for two years before being officially recognised (in 1909); despite this 1907 remains the official foundation date of the club. Following an internal split from Sevilla FC, another club was formed, Betis Football Club. In 1914, they merged with Sevilla Balompié. The club received its royal patronage in the same year, and therefore adopted the name Real Betis Balompié. Fans continued to refer to the club as "Balompié" and were themselves known as "Los Balompedistas" until the 1930s, when "Betis" and the adjective "Béticos" became common terminology when discussing the club and its followers. Real Betis wear a green and
Real Betis category as key to the "identity" and "soul" of the club. During this time, Betis earned a reputation for filling its stadium and having a massive support at away matches, known as the "Green March". When the side returned to the second level in 1954, it gained the distinction of being the only club in Spain to have won all three major divisions' titles. Much of the credit for guiding Betis through this dark period and back into the "Segunda" lies with chairman Manuel Ruiz Rodríguez. In 1955, Manuel Ruiz Rodríguez stepped down from running the club believing he could