There are weeks of tribute to Athletic teams that have been champions throughout history. Last Thursday, at halftime against Sevilla, it was the turn of the first women’s team to win the first Super League in the rojiblanco club’s history. Now it’s the turn of the team that won the seventh Liga in Las Palmas.
Monday marks the 40th anniversary of that title won by Javier Clemente’s men, and now, in the qualifying round, not at half-time, they will have their tribute from the fans arriving in San Mamés tonight . It’s a detail and there will definitely be a reason, but I think it looks better at halftime than the previous one. But this is a personal opinion, it is not based on any scientific study. Now I realize that this is also the day of the delivery of ‘One Club Woman’ to ‘Mati’ Martínez. Cleaned up.
Clemente, Zubizarreta, Urkiaga, De la Fuente, Liceranzu, Goikoetxea, Núñez, De Andrés, Gallego, Sola, Urtubi, Dani, Sarabia, Argote… A well-known team, with a good coach, that achieved great success the following season will repeat with a double. I remember nothing of that League, I was young, but I have a certain anecdote of that historic afternoon at El Insular.
In a play I did in my company Periplo Teatro; titled ‘Meanwhile take my hand’, directed by Borja Ruiz and based on the poems of Kirmen Uribe; I enjoyed being a radio host. This work includes an account of some of the goals on May 1, 1983. From De Andrés’ own goal, to the final 1-5 scored by Urtubi. I had the opportunity to recount good (and bad) games, finals that meant titles such as the Super Cup, but the feeling of winning the league title with Athletic, even if it was in a theatrical way, was an experience that will stay with me forever. forever. I hope one day I will do it in reality, but let’s not fool ourselves, it seems so far away, not impossible.
Clement, live
On Monday we had the opportunity to interview Javier Clemente on Radio Bilbao. The last coach to become champion in the Athletic League left a review of that team, or a good part of the most important players he used in that team in 1983. De Zubi said he was the clear heir to Iribar ; de Urkiaga highlighted his strength; Luisito, as he called Luis de la Fuente, who made him a winger; de Liceranzu who is the best scorer in Spain; from Goikoetxea who is technically very good; from De Andrés, that no one passed behind him; Dani’s born scorer; from Gallego that it is pure sacrifice; from Sarabia, which is the best in terms of quality; from Urtubi who was the best and from Argote who was a good substitute for Txetxu Rojo. The truth is that it was an interesting conversation in which he also praised the figure of the current coach of the men’s first team, Ernesto Valverde.
Also my memory for the champion team in 2003 in the Super League. It was at noon when 35,000 spectators came to San Mamés to see the victory over Híspalis. Many thought that everything would stay there, but more Leagues came and a growth in the competition where, let’s not fool ourselves, it becomes difficult to see Athletic winning the League. Another thing is the Cup. Who knows if 2023 will be the year of the Copa de la Reina and we will remember it for a few years. It wouldn’t be a thing on any other Thursday.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
