Terrassa FC - History

History

In 1902 there was the first football game in Terrasa, by Industrial School students. In 1906 a group of these young people create the Young's Club on the grounds of "En Belil". Two years later renamed Terrassa Foot-Ball Club, which in 1911 becomes Terrassa Futbol Club. In 1914, Terrassa's foundations are set, with the first regulations being created by the board of directors, presided by Narcís Freixa Ubach. Three years later, the club plays one of its first international matches, against FC Basel of Switzerland, also winning three trophies: Copa Ramón Torras, Copa del Día Gráfico and Copa Sport, and playing (and winning) twice against FC Barcelona - 1–0 and 2–1.

In 1919, Terrassa FC won the Cup of the Mayor of the city against the undefeated champion of Spain, FC Barcelona (2-1). In 1924, in the first official dispute between Terrassa FC and FC Barcelona, Terrassa FC won by 0-1 (goal of Gràcia) in the Camp de Les Corts.

Terrassa won the first Copa Catalunya in 1925, one of the most important competitions in Spain. In fact, Terrassa Futbol Club won the first two editions of the Catalonia Cup history: the 1925 (in the decisive game Terrassa Futbol Club won CE Sabadell 2-0 the December 6, 1925, with goals from Pedrol and Argemí) and 1936 (Terrassa Futbol Club beat Martorell, CE Sabadell, Vic, FC Barcelona and Girona FC in the final, 3-2, on June 28, 1936, with goals of Colomer, Nieto and Malón).

First reached the second division seventeen years later, although it would be immediately relegated, for the following 11 seasons.

In 1960–61, with the team again in level two - and being again relegated - a Spanish Cup tie against Barça befell at the Camp Nou, with the hosts winning it 4–2, in front of over 80,000 spectators. The new grounds, Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa, were also inaugurated, with a 2–4 loss with Sevilla FC, as the club's new exile in Tercera División would be even longer the second time (14 years, although it is worth noting Segunda División B had not yet been created).

On 29 May 1972, new club president Josep Masdefiol i Peralta was elected: other than aiding the club financially, he would eventually create the Trofeo Internacional de Fútbol Ciudad de Terrassa, with Real Zaragoza, Ferencvárosi TC and FC Bayern Munich being the first participants. Still, the club's anthem was created, by Vicenç Villatoro.

Terrassa played the 1977 relegation play-offs against AD Almería, winning after its opponent had illegally fielded a player. In the 1980s, the club eventually dropped two levels, and had reached the regional leagues by 1990. As in several times in the past, the city hall intervened and allowed for the club to stay afloat.

In 2001–02's Segunda B, Terrassa finished in fifth position, but was allowed to participate in the promotion playoffs after Zaragoza's first team relegated from the top flight, rendering the reserves' possible promotion impossible. The promotion was attained after six matches and as many wins.

The club would play the next three years in division two, performing solidly in the first two: in 2002–03 Spanish Cup, Terrassa fought valliantly against Real Madrid, before bowing 5–7 on aggregate, greatly thanks to longtime midfielder Xavier Monteys Verdaguer, aka Monty. A third and fourth Catalonia Cup were added, with a win at FC Barcelona in 2002 and CF Gavà in 2003, before the team eventually returned to the third level at the end of 2004–05, as third from bottom. Former Spanish international Juanele, aged 33, played one of his last professional seasons with the club, but only found the net once.