Club Deportivo Basconia is a Spanish football club based in

Basauri Basauri is a major municipality of Biscay, in the Basque Country (autonomous community), 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. ...

Biscay Biscay ( ; ; ), is a province of the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Autonomous Community, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the Bay of Biscay, eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilb ...

, in the autonomous community of Basque Country. Founded on 14 March 1913, it currently plays in , holding home games at the ''Artunduaga Sports Centre'', in the town of

. Years ago, Basconia used to play in the ''Estadio López Cortázar'', which was demolished in order to build new buildings. 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 thre ...

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

Tercera División Tercera División () was the fourth tier of the Spanish football league system. Until 1977, it was the third tier of the Spanish football league system. Founded in 1929, it was below the ''Primera División'' (also known as La Liga), the ''Segund ...

'') 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 co ...

neighbours

Athletic Bilbao Athletic Club (; ), commonly known as Athletic Bilbao (), or simply Athletic, is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in the city of Bilbao in the Southern Basque Country, Basque Country, Spain. They are known ...

feeder club In sports, a farm team (also referred to as farm system, developmental system, feeder team, 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 pl ...

, not being eligible for promotion if the reserves,

Bilbao Athletic Athletic Club "B", officially 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 currently compete in the . Founded in 1964, the team holds ho ...

, 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 as the Primera División or La Liga, and officially known as LaLiga EA Sports for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Spain and the highest ...

and

UEFA competitions UEFA competitions (), 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 association football and futsal. Th ...

. 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 (English: 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 ...

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, previously having the sam ...

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 television 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, is a semi-improvised comedy show about a fantasy football l ...

, 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 (also referred to as farm system, developmental system, feeder team, or nursery club) is generally a Team sport, team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any s ...

'' ---- *6 seasons in

Segunda División The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Segunda División, commonly known as Segunda División or La Liga 2, and officially known as LaLiga HyperMotion for sponsorship reasons, is the men's second professional association football division of the Spa ...

*8 seasons in

*55 seasons in

*4 seasons in

Tercera Federación Tercera Federación, previously known as Tercera RFEF, is the fifth tier of the Spanish football league system. It is below the ''La Liga'', ''Segunda División'', and its fellow semi-professional divisions '' Primera Federación'' and ''Segunda F ...

/Tercera División RFEF

Current squad

Basconia squad at Athletic Club official website
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Honours

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

Selected coaches

* *

Javier Clemente Javier Clemente Lázaro (; born 12 March 1950) is a Spanish football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. Forced to retire from playing in his early 20s through injury, he embarked on a coaching career with his first managerial ...

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

José Luis Mendilibar José Luis Mendilibar Etxebarria (born 14 March 1961) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder, currently manager of Super League Greece club Olympiacos. He played no higher than Segunda División, making 290 appea ...

Notable players

Note: this list contains players who have appeared in at least 50 league games for the

first team First team may refer to: Sports * First team (association football), the colloquial name given to the most senior team fielded by a football club * The First Team, the first players known to have played the sport of basketball * First Team All-A ...

or have reached international status. * Julen Agirrezabala *

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 Bilb ...

Fernando Amorebieta Fernando Gabriel Amorebieta Mardaras (born 29 March 1985) is a Venezuelan former professional footballer who played as a central defender. He spent most of his career with Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 254 competitive matches over eight La Liga ...

* Daniel Aranzubia * José Argoitia *

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), often referred to simply as Kepa, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Chelsea. After progressing through Athletic Bilbao's youth academy, Arrizabalaga be ...

Beñat Etxebarria Beñat Etxebarria Urkiaga (, ; born 19 February 1987), known mononymously as Beñat, is a Spanish former professional Association football, footballer who played as a central midfielder. He spent the better part of his professional career with ...

* Eneko Bóveda * Javier Casas *

Iñigo Córdoba Iñigo Córdoba Querejeta (; ; born 13 March 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left winger for club Burgos. Club career Athletic Bilbao Born in Bilbao, Biscay, Basque Country, Córdoba joined Athletic Bilbao's youth s ...

* Koldo Etxeberria * Borja Ekiza * Unai Expósito * Cristian Ganea * Unai Gómez * Carlos Gurpegi * Iago Herrerín *

Gorka Iraizoz Gorka Iraizoz Moreno (born 6 March 1981) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a goalkeeper, currently manager of Gernika Club. He spent most of his professional career with Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 392 official games. In La Liga h ...

* Andoni Iraola *

José Ángel Iribar José Ángel Iribar Kortajarena (born 1 March 1943), nicknamed ''El Chopo'' ("the Populus, Poplar"), is a Spanish former professional association football, football goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper and Manager (association football ...

Ander Iturraspe Ander Iturraspe Derteano (; ; born 8 March 1989) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He spent all but the final season of his career at Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 320 matches in all competitions ...

* Mikel Jauregizar * Aymeric Laporte * Enrique Larrinaga *

Iñigo Lekue Iñigo Lekue Martínez (; ; born 4 May 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right or left-back for Athletic Bilbao. Developed at Athletic Bilbao, he made over 250 appearances, winning the Supercopa de España twice and als ...

Fernando Llorente Fernando Javier Llorente Torres (; born 26 February 1985), nicknamed ''El Rey León'' ("The Lion King" in Spanish), is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a striker. He started his career with Athletic Bilbao, working his w ...

* Unai López * Sabin Merino * Unai Núñez * Aitor Paredes * Beñat Prados * Luis Prieto *

Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta Etxeberria (born 6 August 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays mainly as a central midfielder for Athletic Bilbao. Club career Born in Eibar, Gipuzkoa, Ruiz de Galarreta joined Athletic Bilbao's youth s ...

* Mikel Rico *

Unai Simón Unai Simón Mendibil (born 11 June 1997) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao and the Spain national team. Simón has spent his entire club career with Athletic, developing with their youth academy ...

* Markel Susaeta *

Ustaritz Ustaritz (; ) 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 rail connecti ...

Óscar Vales Óscar Vales Varela (born 13 September 1974) is a Spanish former Association football, footballer who played as a utility Defender (association football), defender, and sometimes as a Midfielder#Defensive midfielder, defensive midfielder. Club ...

* Asier Villalibre * Dani Vivian *

Iñaki Williams Iñaki Williams Arthuer (born 15 June 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao and the Ghana national team. Developed at Athletic Bilbao's academy, he has made over 450 first-team appearances ...

* Nico Williams * Francisco Yeste

References

External links

*. .
Team history
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 Reserve team football in Spain Football clubs in the Basque Country (autonomous community) Association football clubs established in 1913 1913 establishments in Spain Basconia Segunda División clubs CD Basconia