This Saturday, October 30, will be just one hundred years since the first match of the current Unió Esportiva Olot. The rival, the Casal Marià. Those were other times. The name was even different. From the so-called FC Olot has passed to the club as it is now known. An entity rooted in the territory, which inspires an entire city and province, which has lived them in all colors. Decades and decades after this premiere, it’s time to celebrate its centenary. It’s been a long time since the pot boiled and even two years ago, before the pandemic turned everything upside down, its main acts were presented. The context has had to postpone much of the events on the list. He has transferred them to the present, just now that the anniversary is being fulfilled. Better late than never, so Olot, not too long ago and for almost a year, will be dressed up to celebrate. Past, present and even future will go hand in hand with the club as the main protagonist.
In July, turn to warm up engines. The birthday poster was presented in society. Designed by Integra, an entity with which Olot has a regular relationship, and with the collaboration of local designer Pere Gelis. He was the one who retouched and digitized a drawing created by the students of the Joan XXIII Special Education Center. Friday, more firewood on fire. Up to two cinemas in the city were needed to offer the premiere of the centenary documentary, which brought together – and also thrilled – a good group of attendees. And on Saturday, coinciding with the great anniversary -the hundred years of the first game-, the exhibition L’Olot opens. One hundred years of a football club, which can be visited until next January.
“We have had to adapt to the circumstances generated by the pandemic, but we have had patience and here we are. The people of the city are very excited because they feel the colors of their team. There is excitement and this can be seen in the streets. This is explained by Carles Llorens, president of the Olot EU Centenary Commission. He himself downplays the fact that an anniversary of this magnitude coincides with the team in the Third RFEF, just a few months after competing in the now defunct Second Division B, the third state category. «We are from Olot no matter if we win or lose. Of course we would like the ball to come in and be higher. That doesn’t take away from the fact that a centenary can’t be celebrated. With more reason we will. Ignoring the results, here is a very interesting sports and social project, which attracts a lot, and all these events are our way of supporting it.
With the idea of putting an end to the first of October of the next 2022, almost a year from now, the celebration will have a good handful of events, beyond the documentary and the exhibition. “There will be a trading card album with players who have worn the Olot shirt, as well as a commemorative book. On November 20 there will be a match between the veterans of our club and those of Barça, and on the same day there will be an event called When Gamper came to Olot ». Because yes, what was a key piece in the founding of FC Barcelona, also contributed its grain of sand in the birth of a club called Olot Deportivo, in 1912. But this is not the end of the matter. It is expected that, in the coming months, a debate will open and a referendum will be held to choose whether the club retains its current name -UE Olot- or recovers the original -Olot FC-. That of, precisely, a hundred years ago.
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