Athletic Club

MyGen Profile GeneratorWelome to the one and only Athletic Club De Bilbao Myspace.A Brief History... I'v nicked a description from wikipedia until i can be bothered writing my own description of Athletic Club...Athletic Club is a football club from Bilbao in Basque country. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since 1928. Of the founding members, only Athletic, Real Madrid, and FC Barcelona have never been relegated. Athletic are historically one of the most successful clubs in Spain. They have won La Liga on eight occasions and the Copa del Rey twenty three times.They are known as the Rojiblancos because of their red and white striped shirts and as Los leones because of their intense fighting spirit and also because their stadium was built near a church called San Mamés. Mamés was an early Christian thrown to the lions by the Romans. The lions refused to eat Mames and he was later made a saint.The club is known for its cantera policy of bringing young local players through the ranks. This has gained Athletic both admirers and critics. The club has been praised for promoting home grown players and club loyalty. Athletic also has a strong link with British origins, the use of Athletic in their name and the regular employment of foreign coaches as further proof that the club is far from parochial.Football was introduced to Bilbao by two distinct groups of players, both with British connections. In the late 1800s Bilbao was a leading port at the heart of an important industrial area with iron mines and shipyards nearby. It was the driving force of the Spanish economy and as a result attracted many migrant workers. Among them were miners from the north-east of England, including Sunderland, and shipyard workers from Southampton and Portsmouth. In the early 1890s these workers came together and formed what is now known as Athletic Club.