Commemoration of the final at Jolaseta

“This is where the red-white jersey became famous”. The Basque writer Kirmen Uribe starts off his verse with this line that, both in Basque and Spanish, appears on the commemorative plaque that today was unveiled by the Presidents of Athletic Club and Real Club Jolaseta, Fernando García Macua and Fernando Lecanda, respectively, in the interior of the club from Getxo’s sporting facilities, with the aim of celebrating the Copa winning centennial won at this very site in the final won by Athletic Club in their match against Real Club Deportivo Espanyol by 3-1 in 1911.

García Macua pointed out “we are contributors to a very long history and today, players and supporters, are feeling the same as those who were here one hundred years ago, with the same pride as then, and in another hundred years the same thing will happen again, because we are united by a feeling”.

Afterwards, and in front of a numerous crowd, the veteran teams of both Athletic Club and Espanyol took part in a friendly match, refereed by Losantos Omar, who concluded the match with a red-white triumph by 2-1 (Urzaiz and Jon Ander Lambea).

At the end of the commemorative event, Athletic Club gave the Catalan team’s representative, their former goalkeeper Bertoméu, an enamel picture of Pichichi painted by Aurelio Atrteta, and the club from Neguri gave him a print of Zuriarrain’s painting of the old Jolaseta field and a picture with five photographs of the 1911 final found in the Club’s archives. Jolaseta also gave presents to Athletic Club and the veterans of the Catalan club.