In many of our endless conversations, my friends and I Unionists, between memory and remembrance, travel, games, stories ... harbor an illusion, still in force, but is unattainable? ... "A title, or at the very end, and a league cup !"..." it is impossible ... we said ... "And at the Calderon," in the Bernabeu we eat the other fans, "we talked ...
In many of those nights Booksellers in 90, we had our toast to the Union Hala! inevitable and eternal ... and sometimes into the night, overwhelmed with a feeling that yes, someday we'll play one, that it takes many turns ...
The current situation does not invite it, unadulterated cup system for the 2 nd either ... but Alaves (1 st) played the final of UEFA, not long ago and now in 2 nd B! ... Why not the EU one day? ... In
stuff refrendábamos our desire, enthusiasts love to the core of some colors ...
But that dream within 90 days in those streets of Old Town, between liters, letters and dreams of college, now far away ... came close in 77.
season 76-77, was probably the most complete of the disputed first division in this great journey, the arrival of Joao Alves, and Johnny, and continuity of Rezza and D'Alessandro, along with Juanjo, boats, or Perez Pita, made that team, a solid team (34 goals conceded in 34 days), which gave a square UEFA to deflate in the last four days ... adorning the season with the memorable victory at the Bernabeu and the final chance of winning the Cup title
Once the season, day 34, 22.5.1977, defeated 0-1 by the Racing de Santander, only remained to contest the quarter, semifinals and final of Copa ..
weekend that weekend, a mini-league matches would be followed closely throughout Spain, as there was more national competition in play, so Sunday after Sunday, instead of league ... Cup .. and the Union in the quarterfinals!
UD.Salamanca Real Zaragoza, English-Celta, Betis-Athletic-Hercules and Sevilla ... formed the quarterfinals of that first drink that gave King Juan Carlos I.
The Union lost the first leg 1-0 in against Real Zaragoza, cutting Seoane a penalty at a discount Zaragoza playing with a player from 50 minutes to see Pedraza double yellow and in return, although Zaragoza forward a final 3-1 after extra time, got us into semi-finals of the KO!
We had the good fortune Athletic, the king of hearts at the time, direct football team and brave, favorite in all the pools, not only for being a finalist, if not to win the title too ...
With the second leg, which would be at home, it was assumed for the Union, at least a tie in order to compete ... wonderful to contest the first final in our history ... and at the Calderon. Betis and English expected.
Far from reality, because even though the end was near, for the mere fact of reaching the semifinals, only endured 25 minutes in San Mames ...
Here we present a June 11, 1977, with an unusual team ... Seoane, Pedraza, Juan, Bustillo, Boats, Churches, Tomé, Lacasa, Pita, Juanito and Perez. Juanjo
was injured on 20 minutes, and the absence of central Ameijenda replaced, could not counter the air vendabal Athletic, who went 2-0 at halftime and ended up endorsing 6, five of them head.
Night memorable Carlos who scored four and his assistant Txetxu Rojo, simply, as I said at the end of the shock Traid "swept us."
Iribarren, Lhasa Guisasola, Alesanco, Escalza, Irureta, Villar, Dani, Churruca, Carlos and Red I formed the Athletic eleven this afternoon, in San Mames to resale, the big occasions, which were only the unwelcome guest, which itself would be a finalist.
Carlos kneeling, took no pity on the central charros, that afternoon.
Carlos (above) and Irureta (below), in separate headers and the first and scoring second goal in the goal of Seoane.
After left-footed shot, (the only goal scored with his foot six), Carlos runs elated to celebrate the goal with Red Txetxu waiting in the background, to Pedraza and unwelcome guest.
Carlos tireless and in the sight of boats, again on the lookout for the goal Unionist
before a San Mames awesome.
The second leg, without history, finished 1-2 with a poor entry to what could have been a crowded Helmántico in pursuit of a playoff, which vanished without a remedy in the first leg we have summarized in pictures.
Was Real Betis finally lifted the cup which, in that mythical end of the penalties, Iribarren-Esnaola grief at the Calderon.
Rogelio on 6/25/1977 up, for Betis, the cup that was closest to the windows Unionists.
could not be in 77, we were never closer than then, but what may be some day? ...
Despite many years do not raise Booksellers jugs, I still think so ... everything is possible, as we dream so many nights, someday, I do not date, we'll go to for that Calderon ...
Cup
PS loyalist for my friends who are also my best friends , with whom I shared those dreams unattainable "?, we had teenagers.