Catalan football championship

Last updated
Catalan Football Championship
Founded1901
Folded1940
CountrySpain
Last champions RCD Espanyol (9th title)
Most championships Barcelona (23 titles)

The Catalan football championship(Campionat de Catalunya) was a football competition in Catalonia and the first football league in Spain before La Liga was established in 1929.

Contents

In December 1900, Alfons Macaya, the president of Hispania AC, offered a trophy (the Copa Macaya) to be contested by several football teams from Spain. The league was played between 1901 and 1940 and was cancelled in Francoist Spain after the Spanish Civil War.

History

Early history

In 1901, Hispania AC became the first Catalan champions after winning the inaugural Copa Macaya , the first football championship played on the Iberian Peninsula. [1] The following season, 1901–02, saw FC Barcelona win the title, the club's very first piece of silverware. [2] During the 1902–03 season, two rival competitions were organized with RCD Espanyol winning the Copa Macaya after beating Hispania 3–1 in a title-deciding play-off (as they had finished level on points), while FC Barcelona won the Copa Barcelona. After 1903 the championship was organized by the Football Associació de Catalunya and it became known as the Campionat de Catalunya, and they recognized the Macaya Cup as the first edition of the Campionat de Catalunya. The stand-out players of this Copa Macaya period were Joan Gamper, who was proclaimed the top scorer of the first two tournaments with 31 and 19 goals respectively, and Gustavo Green, who is considered to have been the first great star of Catalan football, winning all the three editions of the Copa Macaya with three different clubs (Hispania, Barça and Español). [3] The winners of the Campionat de Catalunya also began to represent Catalonia in the Copa del Rey. By 1917 the league had turned professional and included a second division.

First dynasty

The first edition of the Campionat de Catalunya in 1903–04 was won by Club Espanyol (now RCD Espanyol), which at the time had Gustavo Green, and also with Ángel Ponz and José Maria Soler. The first dynasty of the Catalan championship came shortly after, when X Sporting Club won it three times in a row between 1906 and 1908. This historic X side had great national figures of that time such as Pedro Gibert, Emilio Sampere, the Massana brothers (Santiago and Alfredo), José Irízar and José Berdié, with the latter four going on to play for Barcelona. [4] On the other hand, FC Internacional achieved three successive runner-up finishes between 1904 and 1906, and interestingly, they lost the title to a different opponent each time: Club Español, FC Barcelona and X Sporting Club respectively. This FCI team had the likes of Paco Bru, Charles Wallace and Enrique Peris, all of which went on to join Barcelona. Naturally, all of these great players joining Barcelona meant a big leap in quality for the club, and as a result, at the turn of the first decade, Barcelona was enjoying its first great team. As well as the aforementioned players, Barça also had the likes of Amechazurra, Romà Forns, Pepe Rodríguez and Carles Comamala, and this team managed to repeat X's feat of winning three championships in a row, doing it so between 1909 and 1911. Their streak came to an end when RCD Espanyol won their second championship in 1911–12, largely thanks to the goalscoring feats of their foreign players such as Frank Allack, captain Victor Gibson and the Wallace brothers, Charles and Percy. [5]

Barcelona dominance

In the 1910s, FC Espanya, propelled by their infamous back line of Hermenegild Casellas and Eduardo Reguera, began to disrupt the monopoly of Barcelona and RCD Espanyol, winning the championship three times in 1912–13, 1913–14 and 1916–17. However, RCD Espanyol managed to form an even better defense whose solo architect was Ricardo Zamora, thus claiming the title in 1914–15 and 1917–18, winning the former after beating Barça 4–0 in the title-deciding play-off, with braces from Juan López and José Maria Tormo. The Catalan Championship then witnessed their third dynasty, which was with no doubt the greatest. At the turn of the second decade, Barça was enjoying its second golden age, which was the legendary team coached by Jack Greenwell, that also included Paulino Alcántara, Sagibarba, Félix Sesúmaga, Ricardo Zamora and Josep Samitier, and this side won 9 out of 10 titles between 1919 and 1928. The only team that managed to break their supremacy was CE Europa in the 1922–23 season, largely thanks to Estebán Pelaó, Manuel Cros and Antonio Alcázar, with the latter netting the only goal of the title-deciding play-off (they had finished tied on points) that gave CE Europa the trophy. [6]

Decline and Collapse

In 1928 three Catalan clubs: FC Barcelona, RCD Espanyol and CE Europa, became founding members of La Liga and the Campionat de Catalunya gradually began to decline in importance during the Spanish Civil War. In the 1930s, the championship was won by either Barcelona or Espanyol, except in 1933-34 when CE Sabadell FC, surprised everyone by winning it against all odds. The last competition was held on 1939-40, and the Campionat de Catalunya ended in the same way it began, with an RCD Espanyol triumph.

Historical classification

The historical classification of Catalonia Football Championship is a classification that compiles all the matches, results, points and goals of all the teams that participated in the Championship of Catalonia football since its inception in 1900 until its disappearance in 1940. [1] The classification includes the results of the Copa Macaya, the Barcelona Cup and the championship of the Football Association of Catalonia, also considered official. The 1902–03 and 1912–13 seasons were contested with two clubs claiming championships. This classification has been done with the data collected through the archives of Los Deportes, Mundo Deportivo, La Vanguardia. Classification may contain errors due to the inaccuracy of the data published in those years,

PosTeamSeasonsPointsPWDLGFGAGD1st2nd3rdDebutLast AppearanceBR
1 FC Barcelona 396444023014259135638697023771900–19011939–19401
2 RCD Espanyol 375133982315111792252040291191900–19011939–19401
3 CE Sabadell FC 242412729845129442530-881331914–19151939–19401
4 FC Espanya 18203190892576323295283431907–19081927–19281
5 CE Europa 141951648133503622601021611919–19201937–19381
6 CF Badalona 161221755022103255431-1760121912–1913 (2)1939–19402
7 FC Internacional 14121136511966212235-230331902–1903 (1)1921–19222
8 UE Sants 991110361955182224-420111922–19231932–19332
9 University SC 108595361346167191-240031901–19021916–19173
10 CE Júpiter 88596381048174219-450121929–19301937–19382
11 FC Català 1480119351074179385-2060121901–19021914–19152
12 Girona FC 66168251231106107-10111933–19341939–19402
13 Hispània AC 45234252710930791211900–19011902–1903 (2)1
14 Terrassa FC 5506620103698165-670001924–19251928–19294
15 FC Palafrugell 333421292154100-460011931–19321933–19343
16 EC Granollers 432481362972128-560001933–19341939–19404
17 X Sporting Club 53140151243965-263001903–19041907–19081
18 FC Martinenc 528661084883217-1340001923–19241932–19336
19 FC Atlètic de Sabadell 42742123273893-550001915–19161918–19194
20 L'Avenç de l'Sport 626501063460107-470101912–1913 (2)1922–19232
21 Salut SC 2173081214698-520001902–1903 (2)1903–19045
22 Joventut FC 1111651102257-350001903–19041903–19046
23 Irish FC 11014428252410001902–1903 (2)1902–1903 (2)5
24 FC Sant Gervasi 181632111295-830001903–19041903–19047
25 Real Club de Polo de Barcelona 1710316923-140001912–1913 (1)1912–1913 (1)4
26 Ibèria SC 171431101025-150001902–1903 (2)1902–1903 (2)7
27 Club T.B.H. 1683051213-10001914–19151914–19157
28 Casual SC 16103071125-140001912–1913 (1)1912–1913 (1)5
29 FC Barcelona C 1542118530011912–1913 (2)1912–1913 (2)3
30 FC Numància 3527212417100-830001911–19121913–19145
31 FC Barcelona B 1442029810001912–1913 (2)1912–1913 (2)4
32 Star FC 14122010130-290001909–19101909–19106
33 AUF Tarragona 148206030-300001900–19011900–19014
34 FC Central 12121011540-350001909–19101909–19107
35 Club Franco-Espanyol 128107054-540001900–19011900–19015
36 Ibèric FC 12160214470-660001903–19041903–19049
Active Club
Club deceased

Champions

Source [1]

SeasonChampions (titles)Runners-upThird placeTop scorer(s)
Player(s) (Country)Goals
1900–01 Hispania AC (1) FC Barcelona Club Espanyol [lower-alpha 1] Joan Gamper (Barcelona)
31
1901–02 FC Barcelona (1) Hispania AC Club Espanyol Joan Gamper (Barcelona)
19
1902–03 Club Espanyol (1) Hispania AC FC Internacional Gustavo Green (Espanyol)
7
1902–03 FC Barcelona (2) Club Espanyol Hispania AC Joan Gamper (Barcelona)
21
1903–04 Club Espanyol (2) FC Internacional Català FC Carles Comamala (Barcelona)
14
1904–05 FC Barcelona (3) FC Internacional Club Espanyol Romà Forns (Barcelona)
4
1905–06 X Sporting Club (1) FC Internacional FC Barcelona Romà Forns (Barcelona)
José Quirante (Barcelona)
Juan Bargunyó (Barcelona)
Virgilio Da Costa (Barcelona)
Guillermo Galiardo (X Sporting Club)
3
1906–07 X Sporting Club (2) FC Barcelona Català FC Emilio Sampere (X Sporting Club)
4
1907–08 X Sporting Club (3) FC Barcelona FC Espanya Carles Comamala (Barcelona)
Charles Wallace (Barcelona)
3
1908–09 FC Barcelona (4) FC Espanya CD Espanyol Charles Wallace (Barcelona)
7
1909–10 FC Barcelona (5) CD Espanyol Universitary SC Carles Comamala (Barcelona)
23
1910–11 FC Barcelona (6) Català SC Universitary SC George Pattullo (Barcelona)
12
1911–12 Club Espanyol (3) FC Espanya FC Barcelona Pepe Rodríguez (Barcelona)
15
1912–13 FC Espanya (1) Club Espanyol Universitary SC Kinké (Universitary)
6
1912–13 FC Barcelona (7) FC Barcelona C Avenç FC Apolinario Rodríguez
7
1913–14 FC Espanya (2) FC Internacional RCD Espanyol Gabriel Bau (FC Espanya)
5
1914–15 RCD Espanyol (4) FC Barcelona FC Espanya José Maria Tormo (Espanyol)
7
1915–16 FC Barcelona (8) FC Espanya Sabadell FC Paulino Alcántara (Barcelona)
23
1916–17 FC Espanya (3) RCD Espanyol Sabadell FC Agustín Cruella Tena (FC Espanya)
11
1917–18 RCD Espanyol (5) FC Espanya FC Barcelona Clemente Gràcia (Espanyol)
9
1918–19 FC Barcelona (9) RCD Espanyol FC Espanya Paulino Alcántara (Barcelona)
Vicente Martínez (Barcelona)
9
1919–20 FC Barcelona (10) Sabadell FC RCD Espanyol Paulino Alcántara (Barcelona)
14
1920–21 FC Barcelona (11) CE Europa RCD Espanyol Enrique Alegre (Europa)
14
1921–22 FC Barcelona (12) CE Europa Avenç Paulino Alcántara (Barcelona)
Clemente Gràcia (Barcelona)
19
1922–23 CE Europa (1) FC Barcelona Sabadell FC Paulino Alcántara (Barcelona)
Manuel Cros (Europa)
José Julià (Europa)
7
1923–24 FC Barcelona (13) CE Europa RCD Espanyol Josep Samitier (Barcelona)
14
1924–25 FC Barcelona (14) RCD Espanyol UE Sants Josep Samitier (Barcelona)
José Luis Zabala (Espanyol)
10
1925–26 FC Barcelona (15) UE Sants Sabadell FC Josep Sastre (FC Gràcia)
13
1926–27 FC Barcelona (16) CE Europa RCD Espanyol Josep Samitier (Barcelona)
18
1927–28 FC Barcelona (17) CE Europa RCD Espanyol Manuel Cros (Europa)
21
1928–29 RCD Espanyol (6) CE Europa FC Barcelona Manuel Cros (Europa)
12
1929–30 FC Barcelona (18) RCD Espanyol CE Europa Josep Forgas (CF Badalona)
9
1930–31 FC Barcelona (19) Sabadell FC CF Badalona Edelmiro Lorenzo (Espanyol)
9
1931–32 FC Barcelona (20) RCD Espanyol CE Júpiter Josep Samitier (Barcelona)
13
1932–33 RCD Espanyol (7) FC Barcelona FC Palafrugell José Garreta (Espanyol)
19
1933–34 Sabadell FC (1) RCD Espanyol FC Barcelona Miguel Gual (Sabadell)
18
1934–35 FC Barcelona (21) Sabadell FC CE Júpiter Josep Escolà (Barcelona)
13
1935–36 FC Barcelona (22) CF Badalona Sabadell FC Josep Escolà (Barcelona)
19
1936–37 RCD Espanyol (8) FC Barcelona Girona FC Miguel Gual (Barcelona)
9
1937–38 FC Barcelona (23) CE Júpiter CF Badalona Jaime Rigual (Barcelona)
15
1939–40 RCD Espanyol (9) Girona FC FC Barcelona Martínez Català (Espanyol)
14
  1. Espanyol withdrew after the fourth game.

Titles by Team

TeamWinnersRunner-upWinning Years
FC Barcelona
23
7
1901–02, 1902–03, 1904–05, 1908–09, 1909–10, 1910–11, 1912–13, 1915–16, 1918–19, 1919–20, 1920–21, 1921–22, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1937–38
Club Espanyol / RCD Espanyol / CD Espanyol
9
9
1902–03, 1903–04, 1911–12, 1914–15, 1917–18, 1928–29, 1932–33, 1936–37, 1939–40
FC Espanya de Barcelona
3
4
1912–13, 1913–14, 1916–17
X Sporting Club
3
1905–06, 1906–07, 1907–08
CE Europa
1
6
1922–23
CE Sabadell FC
1
3
1933–34
Hispania AC
1
2
1900–01

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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