UC Ceares

Unión Club Ceares is a Spanish football team based in the neighbourhood of Ceares, Gijón, in the autonomous community of Asturias. Founded in 1946, it plays in , holding home games at Campo de La Cruz, which has a capacity of 1,500 spectators.

History

Early years The club was founded in 1946 as a merger of two clubs: Fortuna and Reconquista. In 1965 and being Mr. José Ramón Elvira Sastre the president, UC Ceares promotes for the first time to Tercera División, but finished in the last position, being subsequently relegated. Ceares continued playing in regional divisions until 1986, year that the team returned to Tercera División and played in it two years.

2000s: Comeback to Tercera División In the seasons 2001–02 and 2002–03, Ceares achieved two consecutive promotions from Primera Regional to Tercera División with Rogelio García as head coach. He would coach UC Ceares during six consecutive seasons, with a break in 2007, remaining in Tercera starting the longest streak of the club in this division.

In 2007, former Real Sporting footballer José Antonio Redondo replaced him until 2009, when he resigned. With Redondo at the helm, on 5 April 2008, Ceares earned a 1–1 away draw in the last minute against Asturian powerhouse Oviedo and qualified for the semi-finals of the Asturian tournament of the RFEF Cup, where they were eliminated by Langreo.

Rogelio would take the team again until the end of the 2008–09 season. After that season, Florentino Angulo was hired as new manager. Angulo managed Ceares until 2012.

2010s: "People's football" project and promotion playoffs Before the 2011–12 season, a new board takes the control of the club and gives it a new philosophy based on a claim of social and people's sport and criticism the actual business in football. For this philosophy, Ceares board inspired on English football and clubs like St. Pauli or United of Manchester.

The 2013–14 season was the 14th of the club in this league (the 11th consecutive one) and the second of Nacho Cabo as manager. Ceares started the season with only one defeat in the first fifteen games, earning 34 points, which allowed the club to lead the table during two weeks, after a win at L'Entregu CF by 1–3 in its 500th game in Tercera.

Finally, Ceares qualified for the promotion playoffs to Segunda División B in the last week, after winning by 0–3 to Luarca CF. The team finished in the third position with 74 points, 21 wins, 54 goals scored and only 31 allowed. All these numbers were records in the history of the club.

In the first round, Ceares dropped Águilas by 2–1 in the aggregate. In the first leg, the brickers earned a draw by 1–1 thanks to a goal of Pablo Martínez in the 87th minute. Martínez also scored the only goal in the second game. This was the second time La Cruz registered an attendance of 1,500 fans. The first one was in 2003, when Oviedo visited the field for the first time.

Ceares faced Trival Valderas, the champion of the group of Madrid, in the second round, but was widely defeated in the first leg, played in Gijón, by 0–3. The team earned a 2–2 draw at Alcorcón, in a game where Borja Noval missed a penalty when the game was 2–1 for the brickers.

On 30 August 2014, Bryan Jiménez became the first Ceares player who played an international game. He made his debut with the Dominican Republic national team in a lost friendly against El Salvador.

In 2015, Ceares signed a collaboration agreement with women's football club Gijón FF for sharing La Cruz stadium and to create a youth academy for boys and girls.

2020–present: Tercera División title and first promotion In the 2020–21 season, the one with a two-staged format, Ceares ended the first leg of the regular season as champion of one of the two subgroups. On 2 May 2021, Ceares had the option to directly promote to the newly created Segunda División RFEF, currently called Segunda Federación, that would replace the Segunda División B, by defeating San Martín at home. However, they had to wait one more week as they were widely beaten by 1–4. Seven days later, Ceares clinched the Tercera División title and promotion after beating 0–2 in a do-or-die match at L'Entregu.

The first win in the new league arrived at round 3, after defeating Arenteiro by 2–0. However, a long streak of losses quickly demoted the team to the last position. On 30 November 2021, Ceares made its debut in the Copa del Rey, by facing local powerhouse Sporting de Gijón. The match was played at El Molinón, as La Cruz did not meet the requirements of the RFEF for hosting matches of this competition, and finished with a 0–1 defeat.

However, Ceares finally could not avoid relegation and finished in the last position in their first experience in a league with teams out from Asturias.

On 1 May 2024, Ceares qualified again for the promotion playoffs to Segunda Federación with two rounds left, but this time was eliminated in the first round by Lealtad.

Stadium

During the 1960s, UC Ceares played its matches in the old pitch of Los Fresno, in El Llano neighbourhood of Gijón. This location is today occupied by a shopping mall. During some years, due to not having an own stadium, played its matches in several fields until the current Campo de La Cruz was built in the 1970s.

The pitch is made of natural grass and has dimensions of 99 by 65 meters. The stadium has got a lateral tribune, improved in 2004, with 250 seats. It's located in Parque de Los Pericones in Gijón.

The stadium was used also by Gijón FF, for playing the 2005–06 Superliga Femenina, the only season the club played in the top women's league in Spain. It came back to La Cruz in 2018.

In April 2017, Ceares agreed with the Gijón Town Hall the renovation of the facilities and the construction of a second pitch made of artificial turf for Gijón FF and the youth teams of the club. However, due to some controversies in the city, the Town Hall preferred to build the second pitch in other area of the neighbourhood.

One year later, Ceares authorised Gijón FF to play its games in the women's second division at La Cruz.

In July 2019, the Town Hall of Gijón refused to continue with the project of the new pitch mainly for the women's team and only offered Ceares to renovate La Cruz by building a new tribune and changing the pitch of natural grass for one made of artificial turf. This proposal was widely rejected by the club members.

In 2020, the building of the lockers and club office and the kop, both located behind the goal, were reformed.

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

PeriodKit manufacturerShirt sponsors2003–2004 No provider Nistal2004–2008 Farho2008–2010 SEAT Asturias Motor2010–2011 Luanvi CubiasturGijón2011–2012 Huerco Xixón2012–2013 Fachadas El LlanoXixón2013–2016 Mazcatu2016–2017 Gorbeat Tierras GallegasXixón2017–2018 Givova2018–2021 Adidas2021–2024 SconeXixón2024– Umbro Casa RamónXixón

Season to season Season Tier Division Copa del Rey Copa Federación Top league scorer(s) 1948–49 5 2nd 24 14 6 4 72 27 34 1st 6 5 0 1 18 7 10 1949–50 4 3rd 20 13 2 5 28 1950–51 4 7th 26 10 6 10 46 41 26 1951–52 4 11th 26 6 5 15 37 66 17 1952–53 Did not participate as result of a protest 1953–54 4 1ª Reg. 12th 22 1 3 18 29 79 5 1954–55 5 2ª Reg. 12th 22 4 1 17 24 62 9 1955–56 5 2ª Reg. 11th 20 5 4 11 33 44 14 1956–57 5 2ª Reg. 1st 12 8 1 3 37 16 17 8th 14 0 4 10 15 47 4 1957–58 5 2ª Reg. 6th 16 7 2 7 29 31 16 1958–59 Did not enter any competition 1959–60 5 2ª Reg. 24 11 3 10 44 46 25 1960–61 5 2ª Reg. 26 13 3 10 52 42 29 1961–62 4 1ª Reg. 14th 26 5 6 15 33 56 16 1962–63 4 1ª Reg. 9th 28 9 6 13 34 54 24 1963–64 4 1ª Reg. 14th 30 7 9 14 34 47 23 1964–65 4 1ª Reg. 2nd 30 18 7 5 64 31 43 1965–66 3 3ª 16th 30 3 6 21 36 81 12 Toni 7 1966–67 4 1ª Reg. 9th 30 12 3 15 43 52 27 1967–68 4 1ª Reg. 12th 30 11 5 14 42 54 27 1968–69 4 1ª Reg. 13th 36 12 6 18 53 66 30 1969–70 4 1ª Reg. 17th 38 12 5 21 48 83 29 1970–71 5 2ª Reg. 7th 26 10 6 10 75 62 26 1971–72 5 2ª Reg. 2nd 22 18 0 4 83 19 36 2nd 8 4 2 2 16 8 12 1972–73 5 3rd 26 17 4 5 38 1973–74 5 16th 38 13 6 19 53 69 32 1974–75 6 2ª Reg. 1st 20 17 1 2 35 3rd 8 5 0 3 16 9 10 1975–76 6 2ª Reg. 1st 16 12 3 1 47 13 27 1st 10 5 2 3 14 8 12 1976–77 5 18th 38 7 5 26 45 90 19 1977–78 6 5th 38 19 7 12 63 64 45 1978–79 6 1ª Reg. 2nd 38 23 10 5 64 27 56 1979–80 5 Reg. Pref. 18th 38 7 14 17 32 60 28 1980–81 5 Reg. Pref. 17th 38 13 5 20 59 49 31 Souto 12 1981–82 5 Reg. Pref. 15th 38 15 6 17 48 62 36 Souto 24 1982–83 5 Reg. Pref. 13th 38 13 11 14 58 46 37 Souto 19 1983–84 5 Reg. Pref. 15th 38 11 11 16 57 70 33 PradaQuique 11 1984–85 5 Reg. Pref. 8th 38 17 8 13 71 50 42 Edu 14 1985–86 5 Reg. Pref. 2nd 38 19 11 8 60 38 49 Edu 17 1986–87 4 3ª 19th 38 5 18 15 27 54 28 Edu 7 W 2 1 0 1 3 2 1987–88 4 3ª 20th 38 2 9 27 30 95 13 Paulino 13 1988–89 5 Reg. Pref. 17th 38 9 10 19 36 70 28 Fredi 12 1989–90 5 Reg. Pref. 15th 38 14 9 15 38 64 37 Elías 7 1990–91 5 Reg. Pref. 6th 38 16 9 13 50 35 41 Fredi 12 1991–92 5 Reg. Pref. 6th 38 16 8 14 43 34 40 Roberto Colunga 10 1992–93 5 Reg. Pref. 14th 38 11 10 17 44 64 32 Roberto Colunga 11 1993–94 5 Reg. Pref. 8th 38 14 11 13 45 45 39 Roberto Colunga 12 1994–95 5 Reg. Pref. 4th 38 21 6 11 58 33 48 CarlosFelipe Vega-Arango 9 1995–96 5 Reg. Pref. 13th 38 13 7 18 39 53 46 Rafa 7 1996–97 5 Reg. Pref. 13th 38 12 10 16 43 50 46 Alfredo Ceñal 7 1997–98 5 Reg. Pref. 8th 38 14 12 12 38 36 54 Línter 8 1998–99 5 Reg. Pref. 11th 38 11 14 13 37 41 47 Línter 9 1999–2000 5 Reg. Pref. 12th 38 12 11 15 39 45 47 Mingotes 12 2000–01 5 Reg. Pref. 18th 38 10 5 23 47 71 35 Carlos 11 2001–02 6 1ª Reg. 1st 38 25 9 4 72 24 84 Aitor 24 2002–03 5 Reg. Pref. 1st 38 26 9 3 80 16 87 Iván Dueñas 14 2003–04 4 3ª 10th 38 13 13 12 41 45 52 Sergio Melón 10 2004–05 4 3ª 11th 38 15 7 16 49 55 52 Group stage ChrisRodri 8 2005–06 4 3ª 16th 38 10 10 18 35 49 40 Group stage David BouzoJosé María Luengo 6 2006–07 4 3ª 9th 38 12 12 14 48 58 48 José María Luengo 12 2007–08 4 3ª 12th 38 14 8 16 53 55 50 Group stage Javi Castaño 10 2008–09 4 3ª 15th 38 10 12 16 45 57 42 Semi-finals Bogdan Stoica 10 2009–10 4 3ª 13th 38 12 8 18 39 59 44 Jimmy 8 2010–11 4 3ª 15th 38 10 9 19 39 56 39 Pelayo Torre 11 2011–12 4 3ª 16th 38 12 4 22 40 62 40 Jimmy 13 2012–13 4 3ª 12th 38 13 9 16 43 48 48 Jorge Vázquez 17 2013–14 4 3ª 3rd 38 21 11 6 54 31 74 Borja Noval 11 R2 4 1 2 1 4 6 2014–15 4 3ª 6th 38 16 15 7 51 41 63 Group stage Álvaro Ponte 11 2015–16 4 3ª 10th 38 13 6 19 42 60 45 Group stage Marcos Iglesias 20 2016–17 4 3ª 9th 38 14 7 17 47 63 49 Group stage Marcos Iglesias 12 2017–18 4 3ª 6th 38 15 15 8 46 30 60 Group stage Juan Menéndez 12 2018–19 4 3ª 13th 38 10 14 14 35 51 44 Group stage Juan MenéndezWilmer 7 2019–20 4 3ª 15th 28 6 9 13 28 37 27 Group stage Zucu 9 2020–21 4 3ª 1st 26 16 6 4 38 25 54 Carlos Madeira 12 2021–22 4 2ª RFEF 18th 34 5 3 26 23 78 18 First round Óscar Fernández 9 2022–23 5 3ª Fed. 12th 30 9 7 14 35 44 34 Group stage FerrariDavid Ferreiro 7 2023–24 5 3ª Fed. 4th 34 19 8 7 52 30 65 Group stage Carlos Madeira 11 R1 2 0 0 2 1 4 2024–25 5 3ª Fed. 12th 34 9 11 14 36 44 38 Semi-finals Pablo FerreiroCarlos MadeiraBlin Miranda 5 2025–26 5 3ª Fed. 8th 34 12 9 13 39 40 45 Group stage John Layman 72026–2753ª Fed. SourceProfile at Fútbol Regional

1 season in Segunda División RFEF 21 seasons in Tercera División 5 seasons in Tercera Federación

Awards and trophies 1 Tercera División: 2020–21

Statistics and records

In Segunda División RFEF Seasons Pld W D L GF GA 1 34 5 3 26 23 78 Updated as of the end of the 2021–22 season.

Best position: 18th (2021–22). Record home win: 2–0 vs Arenteiro. Consecutive games undefeated: 2. Consecutive games without goals against: 2. Top scorer: Óscar Fernández (9 goals). Most games played: Héctor Zuazua (33 games). Coach with more games: Pablo Busto (34 games).

In Tercera División/Tercera Federación Seasons Pld W D L GF GA 23 830 267 221 342 949 1186 Updated as of the end of the 2023–24 season.

Best position: 1st (2020–21).