Beasain - Loinaz

Beasain is a small town of 13,000 people, around 20 miles south west of San Sebastian. The local team SD Beasain, was formed in 1905, and as you would expect of a team from such a small town, spent much of its first 85 years playing at a local level. There were 10 consecutive seasons at Tercera level in from the mid 50's, but nothing of any great consequence happened until the early 1990's.
Loinaz in the 1990's - The club's most successful period
There was then of period of success that saw the team rise up to Segunda B, challenge for promotion to the Liga Adelente on 2 occasions, and then famously in 2001, beat local big-wigs Real Sociedad, 2-1 in the Copa del Rey. The league campaigns of 94/95 & 97/98 saw the club record top four finishes and thus qualify for the play-offs. In 94/95 Beasain was grouped with Almeria, Racing Ferrol & Valencia Mestalla. However the gulf in class proved too much and the club finished bottom of the group with just 2 points. Three years later, Beasain returned to the play-offs, but it was more of the same, finishing bottom of a group that featured Terrassa, Malaga & Talavera CF.
Loinaz  & Igartza from above. The old configuration in 2001 (left) and 8 years later in 2009
SD Beasain has played at Loinaz since 1958, which is also the municipal sports complex. The original layout of the ground was at 90 degrees to the current position. Then in 2003, the club moved to Igartza, a new stadium around 35 metres (Yes... 35 metres!) to the east. SD Beasain played here until the start of the 2005-06 season, before moving back to the redeveloped Loinaz. Igartza's 60-metre raised stand seats around 300. It has a barrell-vaulted cantilevered roof and an artificial surface, and is used by over 20 teams each week. Above are aerial shots from 2001 and 2009 show the new ground being developed and how the position of the original site has changed.
Old and new side by side in 2010
Loinaz's redevelopment coincided with Beasain's centenary in 2005 and features a raised, full length cantilevered stand and three sides of hard standing. By 2005, SD Beasain's 10 year stay in Segunda B was over and since then, the new Loinaz stadium has only seen football at Tercera level.




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