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 In 1989, The Royal Society Football Club of San Sebastian, to give Real Sociedad its full title, had a problem. Its policy of using locally born players nurtured through the youth system was faltering badly. Competition for Basque-born players with their local rivals Athletic Bilbao worsened
matters, Athletic using their higher status and financial muscle to snare the best Basque quarry, poaching players from nearby Sociedad, Alaves and Osasuna.

Until i989, La Real, the Basque country's second biggest club with average crowds of z4,ooo, was completely reliant on local talent. They only took players from the immediate province of Guipuzcoa, while Athletic were prepared to twist their own rules by recruiting from the partly Basque neighbouring regions of Navarra, or La Rioja, famous for wine rather than its Basque background.

Real Sociedad's strategy had stood for decades and often served them well. They are still eighth in the respected all-time Spanish league table, but the early'8os was their high point, bringing their first league title. League champions twice in succession, they also reached the semi-final of the European Cup. Bars in San Sebastian's old town — where numerous flags bear the legends like 'Tourists beware, the Basque countryis not Spain'- still proudly display posters of that side, immortalising legendary goalkeeper Luis Arconada, Perico Alonso, father of Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso, and the striker whose name inspired much juvenile British laughter during the i98z World Cup, Lopez Ufarte.

When Athletic, with a world-class keeper of their own, Andoni Zubizarreta, matched Sociedad's achievement, winning the league in the following two years, Spanish football was again dominated by the Basques. Many in the region saw it as justification of their fight for independence. As arguably Europe's oldest race they had survived the repression of their ancient laws and complex language under the regime of General Franco, and now their sporting teams were triumphing over foes with far greater resources. Admirers of Peter Shilton, Pat Jennings or Ray Clemence may have disputed the opinion, but the Basques also claimed they were producing the best goalkeepers in Europe because of the defensive influence of their other national game J elota (imagine a game of squash with the ball travelling at over 150mph).

Real Sociedad were a big name. Steve Coppell chose them as opponents for his August i986 testimonial, inviting them to Old Trafford for the only meeting so far between the clubs. The 18,826 crowd could have been better (though playing five testimonial games
in i986-87 hardly helped) but they saw Ufarte steal the show in a i-i draw. La Real won the Copa del Rey later that season and haven't won a trophy since.

In i988, under their Welsh manager John Toshack, they finished second to Real Madrid, scored 6i league goals and reached the Spanish cup final. Ayear later, though, the once triumphant club found themselves suddenly, and unexpectedly, fioundering. They'd slipped to iith position, managing just 38 league goals. Toshack left for Real Madrid and with Athletic poaching their striker Loren, the usual solution, that of recruitment from the cantera (quarry) youth system, offered no strikers of the desired class.

"We called a meeting," said a club spokesman, "And we decided that the most important factor for us was a goalscorer. It was then that we made the decision to sign an outsider, the first non-Basque Sociedad player of the modern era."

Once this momentous decision had been made, Basque nationalism dictated that the outsider could not be a Spaniard. So they chose a Scouser: John Aldridge, because "Aldridge was a killer in the box. He was strong, fast and polemical. We had to sign him."

Aldridge could never claim to have supported Real Sociedad as a boy. Nor was he initially enthusiastic about moving. Three years earlier, he had realised his dream by signing for the team he watched home and away as a youngster, Liverpool. Aldridge had been the top scorer in the classy 1988  championship winning side, but Toshack recommended him to La Real, who offered 1,5 million and a salary far bigger than Aldridge's at  Anfield. He took it, though he wasn't even sure  where San Sebastian was.

That it is gloriously situated on a  shell-shaped bay soon lifted the reluctant  newcomer's spirits. The town's baroque  architecture makes it one of the most elegant  and fashionable Spanish seaside resorts.  ''We couldn't believe it when I got there  and saw two beaches and this wonderfull  promenade," recalls Aldridge. "I turned to  my wife. Her smile made me realise there  were good times ahead. I said I didn't realise  it was going to be this good.'"

Nor did Aldridge appreciate the significance  ofbeing Sociedad's first non-Basque player for  over three decades.

"I'd been told that they mistrusted outsiders  and that you had to be Basque to be fully  accepted but I wasn't aware of the importance  at all," he stated. ""I could see my name in graffiti around the town, but couldn't understand the Basque words around it. When I asked somebody what it meant they got a bit embarrassed. It said No outsiders welcome here'."

Aldridge avoided talking about the political situation, told journalists he was there to score goals and was welcomed by his new team-mates.

Sociedad have since moved to a new 32,000 capacity home, but in i989 resided at the Estadio Atocha, a tight and inadequate stadium in the town cen the train station, not dissimilar to Millwall's old Den. Cramped for the home team, maybe, but also highly intimidating for visiting teams. Aldridge performed well in front of sceptical on his debut. They weren't sceptical weeks later when he scored two goal against Barcelona in the Nou Camp.

Aldridge bagged zz goals in his first season, 1989/9o, including eight in s successive games, a club record that yet tobe bettered.

La Real were so happywith his contribution that when he returned pre-season training they had signed two more English players, midfielder Kevin Richardson (right) from Arsenal for 570,000 and striker Dalian Atkinson- their first black player -- from Sheffield Wednesday for a club record 1.75m. The three appeared together on the front page of Marca, Spain's best selling newspaper, standing behind the Real Sociedad flag under the headline "Extranjeros, Si". (Foreigners, yes)

Borrowing Aldridge's textbooks, Richardson learned a few Basque words and phrases, which was appreciated. He, too, enjoyed his time at the club, as have the numerous foreign players who've joined since, such as Sander Westerveld, Darko Kovacevic, Nihat Kahveci and the Russia midfielder Valery Karpin, all of whom came close to leading La Real to the title in 2002/03, losing to Real Madrid on the final day of the season-an achievement which led to huge celebrations in the city of 188,000 souls. That was the last time Sociedad played in the Champions League, but last season's surprise ourth-placed finish — they played hree seasons in the second division m zoo7 to io — means they' re back the 5,900 travelling fans inside rafford tonight are determined oy the occasion.

As for those supporters who initially objected to Aldridge's arrival? They weren't so accepting ofhis decision to leave and held up "Don't Go" banners inside the Atocha.

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