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.

WWW Official Site

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 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

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsors
2003–2004	No provider	Nistal
2004–2008	No provider	Farho
2008–2010	No provider	SEAT Asturias Motor
2010–2011	Luanvi	Cubiastur Gijón
2011–2012	Huerco	Xixón
2012–2013	Huerco	Fachadas El Llano Xixón
2013–2016	Mazcatu	Fachadas El Llano Xixón
2016–2017	Gorbeat	Tierras Gallegas Xixón
2017–2018	Givova	Tierras Gallegas Xixón
2018–2021	Adidas	Tierras Gallegas Xixón
2021–2024	Adidas	Scone Xixón
2024–	Umbro	Casa Ramón Xixón

Season to season

Source
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1 season in Segunda División RFEF
21 seasons in Tercera División
3 seasons in ''Tercera Federación''

Awards and trophies

1 Tercera División: 2020–21

Statistics and records

In Segunda División RFEF

Updated as of the end of the 2021–22 season.Best position: 18th.Record home win: 2–0 vs Arenteiro.Consecutive games undefeated: 2.Consecutive games without goals against: 2.Top scorer: Óscar Fernández.Most games played: Héctor Zuazua.Coach with more games: Pablo Busto.

In Tercera División/Tercera Federación

Updated as of the end of the 2023–24 season.Best position: 1st.Consecutive season in Tercera División: 17th.Record home win: 6–0 vs Condal.Record away win: 0–4 vs Llanes and vs Barcia, 1–5 vs Siero and vs Gijón Industrial.Consecutive games undefeated: 13.Consecutive wins: 7.Consecutive games without goals against: 5.Top scorer: Jimmy.Most games played: Juan Carlos.Coach with more games: Nacho Cabo.

Most capped players

Below is a list of the ten players with the most caps for Ceares in national leagues, Copa del Rey and Copa RFEF, as of the end of the 2022–23 season. Players in bold are currently playing at Ceares.

#	Player	Period	Caps	Goals
1	Juan Carlos	2011–2023	362	37
2	Pablo Martínez	2013–2020	236	20
3	Fonso Bellón	2012–2019	234	7
4	Jimmy	2009–2016	228	48
5	Chery	2014–2020	221	3
6	Pablo Prendes	2003–2006 2007–2009 2014–2015	203	10
7	David Bermejo	2003–2009	176	1
8	Chelís	2003–2009	172	4
9	Mario de la Roca	2003–2007 2011–2012	161	6
10	Aitor Cañedo	2013–2018 2020–2023	160	6

Top goalscorers

Below is a list of the top ten goalscorers for Ceares in national leagues, Copa del Rey and Copa RFEF, as of the 2021–22 season. Players in bold are currently playing at Ceares.

#	Player	Period	Goals	Caps	Average
1	Jimmy	2009–2016	48	228	0.21
2	Juan Carlos	2011–2023	37	362	0.10
3	Marcos Iglesias	2015–2017	34	68	0.50
4	Francisco Castaño	2006–2009	30	112	0.27
5	Álvaro Ponte	2013–2016	25	97	0.26
6	José María Luengo	2005–2007 2011–2012	23	104	0.22
7	Carlos Madeira	2017–2018 2020–	23	97	0.24
8	Juan Menéndez	2017–2019	20	78	0.26
8	Pablo Martínez	2013–2020	20	236	0.08
9	Jorge Vázquez	2010–2011 2012–2013	18	58	0.31
9	Borja Noval	2011–2014	18	93	0.19
9	Dani Peláez	2005–2007 2016–2017	18	106	0.17

Famous players

Head coaches

Updated as of 11 January 2025. All official games are counted.

Name	First match date	Last match date	Pld	W	D	L
Tibor Budavari	4 September 1977	28 May 1978	38	9	10	19	'
El Playu	2 September 1978	1 June 1980	76	30	23	23	'
Pepín	7 September 1980	26 May 1984	152	51	40	61	'
José Luis Rodríguez	2 September 1984	18 May 1985	38	17	8	13	'
Nardo	1 September 1985	21 June 1987	78	26	29	23	'
Eugenio Méndez	29 August 1987	10 January 1988	19	1	4	14	'
Amaro	17 January 1988	24 January 1988	2	0	1	1	'
Armando Sanz	31 January 1988	22 May 1988	17	1	4	12	'
César Fernández	4 September 1988	8 October 1989	44	9	11	24	'
Aníbal López	15 October 1989	27 May 1990	32	11	8	13	'
Serafín Menéndez	1 September 1991	1 September 1991	1	0	0	1	'
Angelín	8 September 1991	10 January 1993	56	20	14	22	'
José Manuel Glez. Quintanal	17 January 1993	8 December 1996	148	59	33	56	'
Nicolás Jiménez Mármol	31 August 1997	30 May 1999	40	11	6	23	'
Graciano Fano	15 December 1996	16 January 2000	37	7	13	17	'
José Ramón Trapero	22 January 2000	4 February 2001	40	11	6	23	'
Javier González	11 February 2001	27 May 2002	32	23	8	1	'
Brasi	12 April 1997	14 April 2002	38	27	8	3	'
Berrocal	21 April 2002	26 May 2002	6	2	1	3	'
José Antonio Redondo	5 August 2007	12 January 2008	24	9	2	13	'
Rogelio García	1 September 2002	17 May 2009	260	95	76	89	'
Florentino Angulo	2 September 1990	13 May 2012	152	50	30	72	'
Miguelín	30 July 2014	3 October 2015	51	23	15	13	'
Iñaki Eraña	11 October 2015	15 May 2016	31	8	6	17	'
Tino del Corzo	31 July 2016	14 May 2017	42	14	8	20	'
Nacho Cabo	26 August 2012	19 May 2019	164	62	51	51	'
Alberto Menéndez	31 July 2019	7 March 2020	32	7	11	14	'
Pablo Busto	15 November 2020	15 May 2022	61	21	9	31	'
Julio Llanos	10 August 2022	23 April 2023	34	9	7	18	'
Jorge Menéndez	6 August 2023		61	25	15	21	'

Memorial Pepe Ortiz

Since 2011, UC Ceares starts the pre-season playing a friendly trophy called Memorial Pepe Ortiz in hommage of the former player of Sporting de Gijón from 1949 to 1963, considered as the best player of the history of the neighbourhood.

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Score
2011	Roces	Ceares	1–0
2012	Sporting B	Ceares	2–0
2013	Avilés	Ceares	2–1
2014	Sporting B	Ceares	2–0
2015	Ceares	La Bañeza	2–1
2016	Atlético Pinto	Ceares	2–1
2017	Ceares	Gijón Industrial	2–1
2018	Ceares	Candás	3–2
2019	Langreo	Ceares	2–0
2020	Ceares	Candás	2–0
2021	Ceares	Gijón Industrial	1–1
2022	UD Ourense	Ceares	1–0
2023	Ceares	Covadonga	1–0
2025	Langreo	Ceares	1–0

Agreed and affiliated teams

Gijón FF

Gijón Fútbol Femenino is the only women's football team of Gijón that played in the Superliga.
In 2015, Gijón FF started to act as de facto's women's section of Ceares and both created the Mixed Football Academy.

Veriña

Veriña Club de Fútbol, located in the namesake parish, is one of the most important youth football teams in the city. The collaboration agreement started in 2020, during the months Ceares had to play at Estadio Lloreda due to the improvement works at La Cruz.