Euskal Non-League Day: Cultural Durango

Town: Durango
Ground: Campo de Tabira
Division: Tercera División (Fifth tier)
Match: Cultural Durango vs CD Padura (Sept 9. 17:30 CEST)

Since 1919, when a group of enthusiastic locals founded Sociedad Cultural de Durango, the Biscay-based club have not stopped bringing through top-level footballers, some of them key players in Athletic Club's 125 years of history.

During this first edition of Euskal Non-League Day, they will go up against CD Padura at Campo de Tabira on Saturday September 9 at 17:00 CEST.

As with all the matches held on Euskal Non-league Day, at half-time there will be a prize draw for Athletic first team shirts and double VIP tickets for Los Leones' clash with Cadiz CF at San Mames.

"La Cultu" have spent most of their history in and around the Tercera Division (Spanish football's third tier until 1977), with the occasional campaign in the Segunda B and various periods in the regional leagues.

What Cultu's fans consider to be the biggest low moment in their club's existence occured in the 1946-47 campaign. That season Cultural Durango secured survial to the Tercera División after defeating Real Union in a relegation play-off. However, the authorities decided provincial capitals should have "national league" status and decided to demote the Biscayans and save Club Numancia instead.

Hotbed of footballers

Durango has always been an important source of players for Athletic, with several footballers from the town ending up at Lezama via La Cultu.

Those to have turned out for both clubs include: Txetxu Gallego, Carlos García, Andoni Cedrún, Patxi Gárate, Ignacio Gárate, Luis Zabala, Isaac Oceja, Fernando Arteaga, Xabier Castillo, David de Paula, Fernando Elguea, José Luis Ereñaga and, most recently, Jon Morcillo, who shone in Cultural’s youth set-up.