Sabino Barinaga

[Nordic Saint]

If only we'd kept the great Real Madrid striker we'd have gone up to the top flight in 1949. Instead we kept him in the reserves where he scored 62 goals in one season and then released him.

 

What might have been:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabino_Barinaga

[VectisSaint]

If only we'd kept the great Real Madrid striker we'd have gone up to the top flight in 1949. Instead we kept him in the reserves where he scored 62 goals in one season and then released him.

Possibly something to do with the end of the Spanish Civil War and the outbreak of WW2. Don't think we had much choice about his release.

[FloridaMarlin]

I bet he was popular in the Basque country.

 

Born in Durango in the Basque country, fled Spain in 1936 to escape the ravages of the Civil War, went back, turned down Athletic Bilbao, the footballing standard-bearers of Basque identity, and went to play for hated Castillians Real Madrid, who during that time (and long after) were Franco's pet team.

 

Blimey.

[Badger]

Possibly something to do with the end of the Spanish Civil War and the outbreak of WW2. Don't think we had much choice about his release.

 

Would he have been allowed to play in our League in 1939 as a Spanish national ?

 

Had he stayed of course, we wouldn't have had a real league for him to play in until after the war.

 

Fascinating story though, thanks Nordic, for unearthing it.