Athletic Bilbao B

The Bilbao Athletic name was first used in 1938 during the Spanish Civil War, when both La Liga and the Copa del Rey were suspended; most of the top Athletic players had joined the Euzkadi XI, a team put together at the suggestion of José Antonio Aguirre, the president of the Basque Country (and himself a former Athletic Bilbao footballer). Euzkadi went on tour to raise funds for the Basque cause, and also played in the Mexican domestic league. However, at home the Campeonato de Vizcaya had resumed in 1938. With their best players abroad with Euzkadi, Athletic could only field weakened sides and, to avoid possible shameful results damaging the club's reputation, chose to enter under the name Bilbao Athletic (the name was derived from the two clubs that merged in 1903 to become Athletic Bilbao – Bilbao Football Club and Athletic Club).[2] Despite the low expectations, they still won the championship and entered the 1939 Copa del Generalísimo.

Aerial view of the team's mini-stadium at Lezama, 2019

The name was revived in 1964, when Athletic Bilbao decided to establish a reserve team with Agustín Gaínza as coach. The new Bilbao Athletic initially played in local regional leagues before winning promotion to Tercera División in 1966, under Rafa Iriondo; in 1969 they first reached Segunda División.

In 1983–84, with José Ángel Iribar as coach, and an emerging Julio Salinas as striker, the reserves finished in second place, only trailing Castilla CF; both teams were ineligible for promotion, and Salinas won the Pichichi.

Bilbao Athletic dropped back down to the third level in 1996, but the main squad continued to be nurtured with several players who had spells with the reserves.

Bilbao Athletic played home games at San Mamés during the 2015–16 season due to league requirements, but attracted crowds of only a few thousand for most games.

After 19 seasons in the Segunda División B, Bilbao Athletic returned to the second tier after defeating Cádiz CF, 3–1 on aggregate, in the promotion playoffs.[3] However in their campaign in the Segunda they were reliant on the same group, a core squad of 20-year-olds who had never played at such a high level before, and despite battling performances in most of their games, a pattern of narrow defeats led to the team finishing bottom and being relegated back down at the first attempt.[4] Somewhat ironically, the promoted teams that season were CD Leganés whose squad included three players on loan from Athletic who would have been eligible to play for Bilbao Athletic that season, as well as the parent club's local rivals Alavés and Osasuna.

• As farm team

• As reserve team

• 14 seasons in Segunda División
• 30 seasons in Segunda División B
• 10 seasons in Tercera División
• 2 seasons in Categorías Regionales

As of 9 October 2019[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Jokin Ezkieta 2 DF Jon Sillero 3 DF Jon Rojo 4 DF Javier Murua 5 DF Daniel Vivian 6 MF Unai Vencedor 7 FW Asier Córdoba 8 MF Oihan Sancet 9 FW Andoni Tascón 10 MF Antonio Salado 11 FW Jon Morcillo 12 FW Gorka Guruzeta 13 GK Ander Iru 14 FW Iñigo Baqué

No. Position Player 15 DF Oier Luengo 16 MF Oier Zarraga 17 MF Julen Bernaola 18 DF Jesús Areso 19 DF Imanol García de Albéniz 20 MF Víctor San Bartolomé 21 FW Ewan Urain 22 FW Juan Artola 23 DF Álvaro Núñez 24 DF Aitor Paredes 25 MF Beñat Prados 26 FW Rubén Azcona 27 FW Jon Cabo - DF Odei Arrieta

• Segunda División B:[lower-alpha 1] 1982–83,[lower-alpha 2] 1988–89[lower-alpha 2]
• Tercera División:[lower-alpha 1] 1966–67,[lower-alpha 3] 1968–69[lower-alpha 4]
• Biscay Championship: 1938–39

For playing big matches, they use San Mamés, the first team stadium.

Bilbao Athletic in training

• Javier Clemente
• Agustín Gaínza
• José Ángel Iribar
• Rafa Iriondo
• Ignacio Izagirre (284 matches)
• Iñaki Sáez (290 matches, record)[7]
• José Ángel Ziganda (242 matches)

Note: this list contains players who have appeared in at least 100 games for the first team.

• CD Basconia (Athletic Bilbao's feeder club)

• Team history at Athletic Bilbao's official website
• Futbolme team profile (in Spanish)
• La Cantera De Lezama - Unofficial website focusing on Athletic’s youth teams (in Spanish)