Euskal Non-League Day: CD Gordexola

Town: Gordexola
Ground: Juan José Meltxizidor
Division: División Preferente (Seventh tier)
Match: CD Gordexola vs CA Aranguren (Friendly) (Sept 9. 17:00 CEST)

Club Deportivo Gordexola, officially founded in 1954, are one of the genuine representatives of what regional football in Bizkaia is all about: humility, effort, commitment and a true love for the sport.

Nearing their 75th anniversary, Gordexola are currently experiencing the best sporting moment in their history following their promotion to the Division Preferente in 2019. A club that, without forgetting their essence have established themselves in a new division and look to the future with optimism.

Gordexola, a municipality with barely 2,000 inhabitants, together with Sodupe and Aranguren itself (their rival in this first edition of the Euskal Non-League Day), is the natural route for young people from the area to have the opportunity to play high-level football.

Under the name CD Gordejuela, the club made their debut in official competition in the 1954-55 season, in the Tercera Territorial at the time. In 1963, after a two-year hiatus during which they did not compete, the side returned to the league as CD Garsa, a name they kept until 1968. Garsa (Garay S.A. Meat Industries) was a sausage factory in Gordexola that provided work for the town and sponsored the club for many years.

The side was always regular in the regional leagues, flicking between Primera and Tercera. But in 2019, with David Barrutia as head coach, the Blue and Whites achieved the greatest feat in their history, becoming group champions and earning promotion to the Preferente Division, where they finished fifth the last season.

For this first edition of Euskal Non-League Day, CD Gordexola will take on local rivals Aranguren. The two clubs have played each other 58 times over the last 65 years.

The fixture will be played at the Campo Juan José Meltxizidor on Saturday 9, at 17:00 CEST. Don't forget that, among those attending the match, CD Gordexola will raffle two Athletic first team shirts and double VIP tickets for Athletic Club vs Cadiz CF at San Mames.

Lions from CD Gordexola

The most notable connection between Athletic and Gordexola is Francisco Celaya, who retired at the non-league outfit after an outstanding career as a Lion. Celaya was with the Zurigorri for 10 seasons, making 164 official appearances between his debut in 1941 and his last match in 1950.

A decade in which he won no less than six titles: one LaLiga (1942-43), four Copas (1942-43, 1943-44, 1944-45 and 1949-50) and the Copa Eva Duarte (1950-51).

Celaya joined Gordexola as a player and head coach in 1954. In fact, he played against Athletic Club in the opening match of the Campo Ibarra (now Juan José Meltxizidor) on 4 September 1954. He died in 1997, the year in which a testimonial match was held for him between a local combined XI from the area surrounding Gordexola and Athletic Club's Under-18s.