Club Deportivo Basconia is a Spanish football club based in

Basauri Basauri is a major municipality of Biscay, in the Basque Country, an Autonomous Community in northern Spain. The town is a part of the Greater Bilbao conurbation, being only a few kilometers south of Bilbao. It is an industrial town that also i ...

Biscay Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. ...

, in the autonomous community of

Basque Country Basque Country may refer to: * Basque Country (autonomous community), as used in Spain ( es, País Vasco, link=no), also called , an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain (shown in pink on the map) * French Basque Country o ...

. Founded on 14 March 1913, it currently plays in Tercera División RFEF – Group 4, holding home games at ''Estadio de López Cortázar'', with an 8,500-seat capacity. In 1997, they entered into a partnership with Athletic Bilbao to serve as a feeder club for Bilbao and essentially operate as the club's C team.

History

Founded in 1913 and named after a (later owned by the

Altos Hornos de Vizcaya Altos Hornos de Vizcaya, S.A. was a Spanish metallurgy manufacturing company. It was the largest company in Spain for much of the 20th century, employing 40,000 workers at its height. The business began in 1902 in Bilbao with the merger of three ...

company), Basconia reached the national third level (''

Tercera División Tercera División ( en, Third Division) was the fourth tier of the Spanish football league system. Founded in 1929, it was below the ''Primera División'' (also known as La Liga), the ''Segunda División'', and the semi-professional ''Segunda Di ...

'') thirty years later. The club played in the second tier for six seasons (1957–63), but this was before the creation of the regionalised new third division in the 1970s. In 1997, Basconia became

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous c ...

neighbours

Athletic Bilbao Athletic Club ( eu, Bilboko Athletic Kluba; es, Athletic Club de Bilbao), commonly known as Athletic Bilbao or just Athletic, is a professional football club based in the city of Bilbao in the Basque Country of Spain. They are known as ''Los Le ...

feeder club In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...

, not being eligible for promotion if the reserves,

Bilbao Athletic Athletic Club "B", commonly known as Bilbao Athletic, is the reserve team of Athletic Club, a football club based in Bilbao, in the autonomous community of Basque Country in Spain. The team are playing in the Primera Federación – Group 2. F ...

, playing in the level above, did not attain the same goal. The primary function of the agreement is to aid the development of young players in a challenging environment while remaining in the same group under the close guidance of the parent club; a number of teenagers who spent a season at Basconia became professionals at Athletic Bilbao, eventually playing in

La Liga The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known simply as Primera División in Spain, and as La Liga in English-speaking countries and officially as LaLiga Santander for sponsorship reasons, stylized as LaLiga, is the men' ...

and

UEFA competitions UEFA competitions (french: competitions de l'UEFA), referred improperly by the mass media as European football, are the set of tournaments organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), generally in professional and amateur asso ...

. In January 2020 it was confirmed that the partnership, due to expire that summer, had been renewed for another three years to 2023. Basconia's place in Athletic's club structure means that the squad changes greatly each season. About half of the players move up to play for Bilbao Athletic, or go out on loan to other local clubs playing at

Segunda División B Segunda División B ( en, Second Division B) was the third tier of the Spanish football league system containing 102 teams divided into five groups, until it was replaced by the new structure in 2021. It was administered by the Royal Spanish Fo ...

level. They are replaced by graduates, usually 17 or 18 years old, from the previous year's Juvenil A team. The squad is normally expanded further with new signings from the regions's youth clubs, most notably Danok Bat and

Antiguoko Antiguoko Kirol Elkartea (Sport Club of Antiguo in English) is an amateur youth Spanish football club based in Antiguo, a part of San Sebastián, in the Basque Country, Spain. It acts as feeder club to Athletic Bilbao, having previously had the ...

Although Athletic Bilbao control the main squad's players and coaching personnel, Basconia retains its own club committee and staff and operates several youth teams as well as amateur side ''Basconia B'' who compete in the Preferente de Vizcaya league, two levels below the first team. These other teams play in a separate small stadium in the town, ''Soloarte''. Occasionally the main squad has been supplemented by some of Basconia's 'own' players in emergencies – Mikel Rico was with Basconia B when he appeared in one ''Tercera División'' fixture in 2001; he left Biscay for a long career across Spain which eventually brought him back to sign for Athletic in 2013. In January 2018, with the team struggling to remain in

the league ''The League'' is an American sitcom that aired on FX and later FXX from October 29, 2009, to December 9, 2015, for a total of seven seasons. The series, set in Chicago, Illinois, is a semi-improvised comedy show about a fantasy football leag ...

, Basconia took the unusual step of recruiting some older, more experienced players including Thaylor Lubanzadio to help them maintain their 23-year divisional status, which was eventually accomplished – they finished 15th, 5 points above the relegation zone.

Season to season

* ''As a separate club'' *''As a

farm team In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...

'' ---- *6 seasons in Segunda División *8 seasons in

*55 seasons in

*1 season in Tercera División RFEF

Current squad

Honours

:Winners: 1956–57 :Winners (3): 1984–85, 1997–98, 2002–03

Notes

Selected coaches

* * Javier Clemente *

Joseba Etxeberria Joseba Andoni Etxeberria Lizardi (born 5 September 1977) is a Spanish retired footballer who played mostly as a winger, currently manager of CD Mirandés. After starting his professional career at the age of 17 with Real Sociedad, he quickly ...

José Luis Mendilibar José Luis Mendilibar Etxebarria (born 14 March 1961) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a midfielder, currently manager of Sevilla FC. He played no higher than Segunda División, where he made 290 appearances and scored 34 goals main ...

Notable players

Note: this list contains players who have appeared in at least 50 league games for the first team or have reached international status. *

Yeray Álvarez Yeray Álvarez López (; born 24 January 1995), known simply as Yeray, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club Athletic Bilbao. Club career Born in Barakaldo, Biscay, Basque Country, Yeray joined Athletic Bi ...

* Fernando Amorebieta * Daniel Aranzubia *

José Argoitia José María Argoitia Acha (born 18 January 1940) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a forward. Football career Born in Galdakao, Biscay, Argoitia joined Athletic Bilbao in 1960, from Basque neighbours CD Basconia. He made his La ...

While the club operated independently (pre 1997). *

Joseba Arriaga Joseba Arriaga Dosantos (born 28 July 1982) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a forward. Formed at Athletic Bilbao, he spent most of his 18-year senior career in Segunda División B, representing a host of clubs. His professional i ...

Kepa Arrizabalaga Kepa Arrizabalaga Revuelta (born 3 October 1994) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Chelsea. He is sometimes referred to simply as Kepa. A Basque native, Arrizabalaga began his senior club career with At ...

Beñat Beñat is a Basque masculine given name variant of Bernard, which comes from Germanic origin. There are variants in other languages including the Spanish and Italian ''Bernardo''. While the Basque language does not have a feminine given name eq ...

* Eneko Bóveda * Javier Casas * Iñigo Córdoba * Koldo Etxeberria * Borja Ekiza * Unai Expósito *

Cristian Ganea Cristian George Ganea (; born 24 May 1992) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Super League Greece club Panathinaikos. After emerging through the Spanish football system, Ganea returned to Romania at age 21 and ...

Youth teams only. *

Carlos Gurpegi Carlos Gurpegui Nausia (alternate spelling Gurpegi; born 19 August 1980) is a Spanish Association football, football Manager (association football), manager and former player who played as a central defender or defensive midfielder. He is the ma ...

* Iago Herrerín * Gorka Iraizoz * Andoni Iraola *

José Ángel Iribar José Ángel Iribar Kortajarena (born 1 March 1943), nicknamed ''El Chopo'' ("the Poplar"), is a Spanish retired football goalkeeper and manager. Having played almost exclusively for Athletic Bilbao, he appeared in more than 600 official game ...

* Ander Iturraspe *

Aymeric Laporte Aymeric Jean Louis Gérard Alphonse Laporte (born 27 May 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club Manchester City and the Spain national team. He previously played for Basconia and Athletic Bilbao. When he joined ...

* Enrique Larrinaga * Iñigo Lekue * Fernando Llorente *

Unai López Unai López Cabrera (; ; born 30 October 1995) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Rayo Vallecano as a central midfielder. Club career Born in Errenteria, Gipuzkoa, López joined Athletic Bilbao's youth system in 2011 at the age ...

* Sabin Merino *

Unai Núñez Unai Núñez Gestoso (; ; born 30 January 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Celta, on loan from Athletic Bilbao, and the Spain national team. Club career Born in Sestao, Biscay, Basque Country and raise ...

* Luis Prieto * Mikel Rico *

Unai Simón Unai Simón Mendibil (born 11 June 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao and the Spain national team. Club career Simón was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Basque Country, and ...

Markel Susaeta Markel Susaeta Laskurain (, ; born 14 December 1987) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a right winger. He spent almost the entirety of his professional career with Athletic Bilbao after making his debut with the first team in 2007, ...

Ustaritz Ustaritz (; eu, Uztaritze) is a town in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, now a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, southwestern France. It is located on the river Nive some inland from Bayonne. Ustaritz station has ...

* Óscar Vales *

Asier Villalibre Asier Villalibre Molina (born 30 September 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Athletic Bilbao. Club career Born in Guernica, Biscay, Basque Country, Villalibre joined Athletic Bilbao's youth setup in 2011. ...

* Iñaki Williams *

Francisco Yeste Francisco "Fran" Javier Yeste Navarro (born 6 December 1979) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or a left winger, and is a manager. He spent 11 years of his professional career with Athletic Bilbao (19 counti ...

References

External links

Official website

at Athletic Bilbao's official website
La Cantera De Lezama
Unofficial website focusing on Athletic's

cantera Cantera, literally meaning "quarry" in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies and farm teams organized by sports clubs. It is also used to refer to the geographical area that clubs recruit players from. The term is widely ...

teams {{DEFAULTSORT:Basconia Athletic Bilbao Spanish reserve football teams Football clubs in the Basque Country (autonomous community) Association football clubs established in 1913 1913 establishments in Spain

Basconia Club Deportivo Basconia is a Spanish football club based in Basauri, Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country. Founded on 14 March 1913, it currently plays in Tercera División RFEF – Group 4, holding home games at ''Estadio d ...

Segunda División clubs CD Basconia