Granada celebrates the 90th anniversary at the best moment in its history. About the exact date it was founded there is some controversy among historians. Some say it was April 6, 1931; others set April 14 of that year as the starting point. The club has launched a series of acts to give luster to such an emblematic anniversary. Along this path, Granada has lived all kinds of experiences, promotions to First, a Cup final, the heroic 70s, a fall into hell that lasted 35 years, resurrection, return to the elite, consolidation and success in the Europa League. These are some of its most outstanding historical moments.
Club registration
Ideal says that the Granada Recreational Club was registered in the Registry of Associations in the Civil Government by the first president, Julio López Fernández on April 14, 1931. That team would get its first promotion in 1941. For the story these names are Floro, Millán, González, Maside, Bonet, Sosa, Guijarro, Trompi, Cholin, Bachiller and Liz. The president was Ricardo Martín Campos.
Pepe Millán
He was the first Granada footballer to play for the Spanish National Team, on March 11, 1945 against Portugal. Born in the capital of the Alhambra. He played 250 games in eleven seasons and formed a legendary defensive trio with Floro and Manuel González. The latter is the grandfather of Lucas Alcaraz.
Cándido Gómez, goalkeeper and president
Driving force in the previous golden age of Granada. After 13 years as a goalkeeper, he became president, a position he held in five stages. The first of them between 1976 and 1976 was the brightest. A great Granada with players like Izcoa, Ñito, De la Cruz, Lasa, Castellanos, Aguirre Suárez, Mazurkiewicz, Quiles, Porta, Vicente, Montero Castillo, Fernández or Megido. He arrived in 1948 from Valladolid although, despite being a Galician from Porriño, he belonged to Athletic. He was known as 'Candi'.
The horizontal revolution
Alfredo Relaño remembers it like this in his 'Memories in black and white' how Cándido Gómez changed the vertical stripes of the team uniform for the horizontal ones. “Candi did not want Granada to be one more and commissioned a study. Always, yes, with the premise of keeping the colors. He handled several proposals: four paintings, which suggested plagiarism from Sabadell; small squares, in chess; T-shirt divided into two vertical bands; and hatched horizontally. He chose the latter. Crashed. Here horizontal stripes were associated with rugby. In football you only saw a few outside teams: Sporting de Portugal, Queens Park Rangers and Celtic de Glasgow. “Today, horizontal stripes are Granada's hallmarks.
The 1959 Cup final against Barcelona
Despite how complicated it was to travel in those years due to the tortuous nature of communications, there were several thousand people from Granada who went to Santiago Bernabéu from Madrid to cheer on their team against Barcelona. in what to date remains the only cup final played by Granada. The result that June 21, 1959 was 4-1. The rojiblanco goal, by Arsenio Iglesias. For history this lineup: Piris, Becerril, Vicente Díaz, Larrabieiti, Ramoní, Pellejero, Vázquez, Carranza, Loren, Benavidez and Arsenio Iglesias.
The derbies against Malaga
The rivalry between Malaga and Granada, once fierce and without quarter, today has turned into a friendly derby since their hobbies are twinned. There were piques for that promotion of permanence and promotion to First in May 1966, won by the people of Granada with a goal by Eloy that neutralized the Malaguista advantage.
The fearsome Granada of the 70s
“Every time we played in Los Cármenes we had to say goodbye to the family.” This said Amancio, the brilliant Real Madrid footballer, who feared visits to Los Cármenes because of the harshness of Fernández, Aguirre Suárez or Montero Castillo. Beyond this excess of virility, that Granada was a formidable team that reached two sixth places.
Enrique Porta, top scorer in 1972
Porta was an intelligent forward with tremendous scoring facility who scored 20 points in the 1971-72 campaign. Granada obtained one of its two sixth places. In those years no one understood why Kubala did not take him to the National Team. I would have done it luxurious.
Great coaches
Who have been the best Granada coaches of all time? Los Cármenes has the 'Door of the Trainers'. There are some of those who made Granada great. Victorian saints achieved the first promotion to the First Division. Hungarian Janos Karmar reached the only final of the Copa del Rey. Joseito He lived through the great era of the 70s and is the coach with the most games directed, 210. Lucas Alcaraz placeholder image he has always been to the rescue and accumulates 187 games. And of course Fabri with his two promotions from Second B to return to First 35 years later. The one who does not have a door in the Granada stadium is Tony adams…
The Maradona brothers in Los Cármenes
11-15-1987 will be remembered for being the only day that the three Maradona brothers played together on the same team. And this was Granada, who had signed Lalo. Diego and Hugo helped Granada pay the 25 million pesetas of the time (about 150,000 euros) with a friendly match in Los Cármenes against Malmoe. The result, 3-2 for the Grenadians with Maradonian goals.
Quique Pina, to the rescue
In 2009 Gino Pozzo, Italian businessman owner of Udinese, bought Granada that was in Second B. Enrique Pina he stayed as president and started managing a club that was in debt up to its eyebrows. In a short time, he not only took him out of Second B but also promoted him and consolidated First. He discovered great players like Nyon, Siqueira, Brahimi, Jeison Murillo and of course Ighalo, a hero in both promotions. A shrewd leader ahead of his time who also discovered one of the best sports directors in Spain, Juan Carlos Cordero.
Arrival of DDMC
Gino Pozzo sold his majority share package to the Chinese company DDMC for 37 million euros. Jong Jiang arrived as president. Everyone thought he was the owner. Less wolves …
Antonio Monterrubio, the great manager
After the failure of the first year with the Chinese group and the relegation, the club signed as CEO to Antonio Monterrubio, a manager with experience in complicated teams like Xerez and Rayo Vallecano. Step by step the results came from optimizing resources and putting each piece in its place. The numbers were squared, the team was promoted to First and now it is in Europe.
Diego Martínez ‘The Shaman’.
It seemed like a risk gamble. But everything went fancy. Diego put order and energy. With his character and involvement, not only was he promoted to First, but in the Europa League this Granada is making history. Why do they call him 'The Shaman'? We will limit ourselves to reproducing what the always recurring Wikipedia says. “A man who in some cultures makes predictions, invokes spirits and exercises healing practices using hidden powers and natural products; he also usually advises and guides people who come to consult him.” Well that.
Ángel Castellanos, honor and glory
He was a sensational central defender. It is the last international for Spain of Granada. He made his debut against Denmark on 9/25/1974 in Copenhagen against Denmark in a match won by La Roja by 1-2. He is honorary president.
Patricia rodriguez
She was the second woman to be the manager of a first-class football club in Eibar. The first was Berta Vales at Deportivo. A born manager whose successes, also in Elche, have brought her to Granada. She is in the Top-100 of most influential women in Spain according to 'mujeres & cia'.
Roberto Soldado and Jorge Molina
The 'floats of the goal'. Despite the fact that between the two they will add up to 75 years when this season ends, they have rejuvenated Granada. Roberto Soldado (he will turn 36) is the first scorer for Granada in the Europa League and has also played continental competition with Real Madrid, Osasuna, Valencia and Villarreal. Jorge Molina (39 chestnuts) is the second oldest scorer in the EL of all time. Two geniuses.
Don't forget: the fans saved the team
And to close this run over Tribute to the 90 years of Granada we cannot help but remember that, in hard times in Third Division, our celtiberian politicians wanted to kill the team of a lifetime to give step to an institutional hybrid called Athletic Granada. The fans did not allow it. The dear old Granada followed forward despite so much ineffable seedy legal act. And now everyone is showing off. Normal.
