The UD Las palmas celebrates 66 anniversary returning back to the First National Division

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The UD Las palmas celebrates 66 anniversary returning back to the First National Division

The narrative of this article, archived documents and graphics have been literally collected volumes of Las Palmas history whose author is Antonio de Armas de la Nuez.

Recently our club was honored, once again, by the RC Nautico de Gran Canaria because of our promotion to the First National Division, constituting the event a resounding success of call, especially children and young fans, a fact that makes us think that the flame of hope still sprouting in all canaries homes.

The Yellow expedition reaching RC Náutico facilities.

In my long career at the club, it has always caused me great impact the large number of calls from fans of all ages received in my office at the headquarters, asking repeatedly myself the same question:

How, when, where and why was born UD Las Palmas and what were the reasons for its constitution?

This may seem trivial detail and simply irrelevant view but it has a deep background and meaning.

And what is really the distinguishing feature ?.

In fact, after analyzing many times I have concluded that the UD Las Palmas transcends to the merely quotidian.

And it is not just about achieving sporting success classification or management

It is also the unconditional support of the majority of canaries households. Paraphrasing the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, will denominate "fans faceless", ie, people without the slightest notion of Balompédica art but feel UD Las Palmas as an emotional symbol, an emotional identification of all walks of life as Las Palmas become from the outset in the club and all suffice as shown by the immense archive of partners that the club has had throughout its history where it would be strange not find a link to a family member.

Strictly speaking we could classify it as an attitude to life.

Our organization and RC Náutico de GC have been over the years of abundant historiography. The canary football integration, the national competitions and the constitution of our club in the historic "Great Assembly" had, at that time, very little published, since all their study was limited to the publication of volumes on Las Palmas history. From humility and without petulance I have the honor of having written them some time ago ...

Edited volumes on Las Palmas history

Both institutions occupy a prominent place in the grancanaria society and constitute indissoluble bonds that will last forever.

The old image of that post-romantic and reminiscent building from the nineteenth century was founded by the illustrious Patricio Gustavo Navarro Nieto. It rises over pilasters with its Venetian towers in perfect synchrony, communicating with a small bridge over the silent waters of the bay.

It still remains in living and collective memory in many generations of Gran Canaria, who vacationed close to "Las Canteras" beach and often reaches that idyllic place attracted by its majestic presence.

Gustavo Navarro Nieto.

Old RC Náutico de Gran Canaria.

Among the plurality and diversity of facets that the RC Nautico de GC has played throughout its history, one can distinguish a special relevance and significance that would become the social and sporting epicenter of the by then peaceful city of Las Palmas GC.

An indelible date not only be characterized by the solemnity of the act itself, but by its convening power, large representation and great popular fervor.

The date of August 22, 1949, when five teams that made up the First Regional Category:

They are grouped to form a "single team" which was born from the union of all the canaries and that would take by name: UD Las Palmas.

Unión Deportiva Las Palmas.

And so the old RC Náutico de GC, which had been largely secular history product of a liberal bourgeoisie, went to play a more unifying role, rooted in the popular and importance in the constitution of our club.

Concluded the parenthesis of the Spanish Civil War, football on the islands regain back its former glory and the Canary home-grown would produce, such as spontaneous generation, players of great technical quality that went to swell the ranks of the five clubs that made up the First Regional Category.

The fans went en masse to the Stadium "Pepe Gonçálvez " to see their new idols and those encounters great rivalry remain indelibly in everyone’s memory.

However, this culminating moment of our football would not long lasting.

On the one hand, the extraordinary class of those players, and secondly, the very high level reached regional competitions transcend beyond our borders reaching the most powerful clubs in the nation, who began to demand the services of leading figures. Since these offers could not be matched in any way by local clubs, a mass exodus of canaries players to the peninsula, favored largely by the creation of new airlines and their regular flights from the islands would begin.

Rosendo Hernández.

Luis Molowny.

Hernández (Lobito Negro), Rafael Mujica and Miguel "El Palmero".

Cástulo.

Alfonso Silva.

Beneyto.

Manolo Torres.

As a result of this massive emigration of canaries values, the status of the five historical clubs was getting worse day by day. The regional teams watched as their staff ostensibly were depleted and therefore lose in quality competitions and excitement.

Despite many promises and encouragement words from the Real Spanish Football Federation top leaders, all these agreements were dilating until oblivion.

Real Spanish Football Federation

It is here, when the figure of two unrepeatable grancanarios arises. Real framers for creating a "single team," begotten by five legendary clubs and formed by waiving a whole context and historical past through a merger. Their names will remain forever printed with gold letters on the canary football pages:

MANUEL RODRÍGUEZ MONROY (Vice President of the Regional Football Federation). Promoter and manager of the idea of the UD Las Palmas creation.

ADOLFO MIRANDA ORTEGA (President of the Regional). Channeler and promoter of the project.

Mr. Manuel Rodríguez Monroy, a man of recognized impartiality and handedness. He had reached the full conviction that it was only by merging the five teams that made up the First Regional Category and forming a single team, could be incorporated in national competitions and solve their plight.

This idea constantly seething in Mr. Manuel’s mind, is raised to the President of the Federation Mr. Adolfo Miranda Ortega, who apart from his professional relationship bound him a great friendship.

Encouraged by him and other federative, he presented on February 4, 1949 a motion that calls on the leaders of the five teams in the First Regional Category in order to create a proposed merger, based on the great roman axiom "VIS UNITA EST FORTIOR" '’union is strength "

Motion submitted by Manuel Rodriguez Monroy on February 4, 1949.

The representatives of regional clubs: "Real Club Victoria", "Marino Football Club," "Club Deportivo Gran Canaria", "Athletic Club" and "Arenas Club" are summoned to a meeting at the Regional Federation of Palmas headquarters, domiciled at that time in 3, Doctor Domingo Déniz Street, Alameda de Colón.

Federación Regional of Las Palmas headquarters.

The presidents of the five teams on the above image.

These teams leaders attended with good will and predisposition the meeting although they showed some reluctance and doubts.

The Club Deportivo Gran Canaria, would be the youth base club merger, since it was the only one fully integrated, donating its headquarters with all their trophies and belongings. That is, handed over everything they owned, from the most modest boot to the most valuables, disappearing entirely as a club.

On the above image the old headquarters from 1 Luis Antunez square, generously donated by the CD Gran Canaria to UD Las Palmas after the club was founded in 1949 with all their trophies and belongings.

The Atletico Club, Arenas Club and Club Deportivo Gran Canaria, moved towards the idea of the merger.

We have to understand that these three clubs although with a worthy history (especially the Club Deportivo Gran Canaria) did not have the support of a Real Club Victoria or Marino Football Club. Their sports societies, with fewer economic resources, had bottomed out and would see this alternative as their salvation.

Regarding RC Victoria and Marino CF would enter into another dimension of the facts. It would provoque much friction and roughness, thinking even, that the problema could be dificult to solve.

To continue addressing all these issues is agreed to name a presentation called " MERGER LECTURE ".

" Merger Lecture "

Mr. Adolfo Ortega Miranda and Mr. Manuel Rodríguez Monroy would travel again and again to Madrid until our proposals were accepted. The National Federation gave us approval on the condition of a previous regional league play and gave us the chance to contest a league afterwards to promote to the Second Division.

Telegram: Approval of merger proposal and national participation.

But while joining the national football was already a happy reality, merging local clubs did not quite materialize.

Under the perspective of more than 60 years, is time for new generations know the path, circumstances and transcendental significance of the historic " Magna Assembly " of the old RC Náutico of GC in the birth of our club " Magna Assembly "

But, why a Magna Assembly?, many of you will wonder

And, what real difficulties motivated it?

On the one hand, the documentation submitted by the clubs RC Victoria, Marino CF and Athletic Club for players registration, did not conform in any way to the regulations required by the Federation way, and while it is true that these clubs gave their top figures is no less true that players would be sold once verbally agreed the merger.

They were not willing to give up their recreational societies either, which continued to operate with complete autonomy, or to give up their trophies or belongings.

Juan Rodríguez Doreste, construction/building community assistant /secretary had opposed the sale of the sports stadium with no agreement on lease or sell the shares they had on the Insular Stadium.

Juan Rodríguez Doreste.

Also contacted with Marino FC and RC Victoria clubs to cover the costs of the new team. They argued being in a difficult economic situation.

Mr. Manuel Rodríguez Monroy was very concerned about the alarming turn that events were taking. He proposed to organize an urgent "Magna Assembly" having as framework the RC Náutico of GC, chaired at that time by Mr. Enrique Martínez Suárez. Club managers, local authorities and all relevant persons in the grancanaria society were invited, hoping to obtain support for such a laudable purpose.The meeting was to be held on Monday, August 22, 1949 at 20:00 hours at the RC Nautico of GC.

Mr. Enrique Martinez Suarez, President of the former Royal Club Nautico when it held the "Great Assembly" and the UD Las Palmas was established.

A copy of the invitation to the "Great Assembly".

The old RC Náutico building where the historic "Magna Assembly" was held on August 22, 1949 constituting The UD Las Palmas.

This historic Assembly held with unusual expectation serve to smooth things over and reach a full agreement.

A daunting task here would be to name all persons who were present at that Assembly. For your knowledge, the capacity for

The following blurred list and deteriorated by the passage of time, has 10 pages. There are more in the archives of the Firm. There is evidence of more than 200 people from all walks of life. Considering the demographic rate of those years it is a highly significant figure.

Entrance of the old RC Náutico of GC communicating with a small bridge and beautiful chains on the silent waters of the bay.

Hall where the "Magna Assembly" was hosted.

The efficient and laborious "Paper Merger" work had come to an end. We left behind many hours of dedication and effort to this great company not without difficulties.

The five clubs accept at such meeting unanimously the following resolutions:

1st CD Gran Canaria will join Arenas Club under the new name of UD Las Palmas in the first phase of the merger.

2nd Achieves the rise in the Regional league championship, to perform the second phase of the merger by supplementing it with clubs RC Victoria, Marino CF and Athletic Club.

This agreement then suffer a variation leading to effects of the regional championship only three teams: UD Las Palmas, RC Victoria and Marino CF.

3rd Constitution of the UD Las Palmas.