ATHLETIC DE BILBAO HISTORY
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Athletic Club's genesis sinks his roots in the history of his country.The club is son of his time, from when, at the end of XIXth century, flowered commercial and cultural relations between Vizcaya and the raising England. The ships under British flag arrived at Vizcaya's coasts loaded with coal and full of English specialized technicians who joined to the emerging vizcaines industries. In a logician cultural exchange, ships leave Bilbao's port and next to the rich mineral of iron, numerous youngers of the incipient vasc bourgeoisie who went to the prestigious British schools to study, principally technical industrial course travelled.

This exchange made possible that the seed of a new English sport, the foot-ball, took root in a society that till then was centred in the traditional native sportif activities. The rowing, the pelota, the cut of trunks or the stonelifting saw emerging a powerful competitive. As if by magic the young vasc sportsman began fascinating to practise an strange game: two group of eleven boys in shorts pursuing a big leather ball. They have seen the crew of the ships practising in today's well-known as "Campa de los Ingleses" and since then would remain recorded by fire in their hearts.

The events happened at giddy speed: The first city football team came up. His name was Bilbao Foot-ball Club. This team celebrated his matches in Lamiako in front of the blast furnaces.The new sport keeps on his imparable advance and wins supporters among youngers of the renowned gymnasium Zamacois too, that will end becoming into market of contracting matches, and from where in 1898 the creation of the first vasc football club was thrusted: ATHLETIC CLUB.

Finally, on february of 1901, at Café Garcia, one committee composed by Enrique Goiri, Juan Astorquia and Jose Mª Barquín, with the purpose of preparing the rules for the new society was made up. These rules were approved on the 11 June of 1901. The first president, Mr. Luis Márquez Marmolejo, was appointed and after obtaining the permit of the Civil Government, the Club was set up definitively, on the 5 september of 1901, and the society counted with 33 founding members. The first members of Athletic Club, were the next ones: Mr. Alejandro Acha, Mr. Fernando Iraolagoitia, Mr. Pedro Iraolagoitia, Mr. Luis Silva,Mr. Alejandro de la Sota, Mr. Amado Arana, Mr. Ramón Silva, Mr. Remigio Eguren, Mr. Paulino Iturrino, Mr. Rafael Yanke, Mr. Luis Yanke, Mr. Angel Pérez, Mr. Ulpiano Torre, Mr. Alfredo Mills, Mr. Ricardo Quintana, Mr. Antonio Zubillaga, Mr. Luis Ibarzabal, Mr. Luis Marquez, Mr. Luis Astorquia, Mr. José Mª Alday,Mr. Francisco Iñiguez, Mr. Eduardo Montejo, Mr. Pedro Igartua, Mr. Jose Mª Ibáñez de Aldecoa, Mr. Agustín Orensanz, Mr. Rafael Gutiérrez del Río, Mr. Federico de Olano, Mr. Miguel Maeztu, Mr. César Arana, and Mr. Luis Damborenea.

There were confrontations against the Bilbao F.C. in style, due to the existing competition between both clubs. After approaching their positions, they agreed on uniting and made up a selection named Bizcaya, that played the first matches against the Burdigala Burdeos, and won. The most important triumph of this team, is the winning of the first championship of Spain in 1902, after defeating the Barcelona in the final by two goals to one.

The pitch that was used by Athletic was in Lamiako, and Athletic keep on adding triumph after triumph. Even in 1904, Athletic was champion of Spain without playing a match, due to the disappearing of the opposings.

The Vizcaya Cup was contended too, where of course, is the most dominating. One happening that is needed to be emphasized is the first time that Athletic wore red and white.There was january, the 9th of 1910, and the Sporting Irún was the rival.

After having passed by some economics jams that nearly made disappear the Club, Athletic changed the pitch and moved to Jolaseta, coinciding with the first international matches of the Club. Mr. Sheperd, is the first coach known of Athletic, and he managed Athletic for one month. The project is running, and the incomparable history of this Club, began to walk.