THE BALL – Salgueiros: the soul is back to repeat history (Portugal Championship)
It is a history that has recovered after a long period in an almost comatose state, with no home of its own, given over to a fate that has never returned the full color palette. The old Salgueiros, who even dressed up as Salgueiros08 during the long storm, is back and to continue the story. Behind several sporting gains and a huge loss due to the political decision of the League that in 2002 determined the fall to II B due to accumulated debts to the body then chaired by Valentim Loureiro.
Then, under the constant threat of the abyss and with frequent complaints from the partners, Salgueiros finally found the conditions to return to the front positions. It is what equips the current managers and what the football player will play in the C series of the Portuguese Championship, perhaps the most competitive of the competition, such as Leça, Espinho or Castro Daire, all pointed out.
There were 12 consecutive years at the highest level, between 1990 and 2002, and a European participation, in the UEFA Cup, framed this victorious cycle. The result was a total of 24 appearances in the biggest Portuguese and sure that Vidal Pinheiro, where today there are some changing rooms and storage rooms covered by what survived from the upper bench, was then the party hall of Paranhos.
Campanhã on the way up
For Gil Almeida, president of the Board, this will undoubtedly be the project of his life as an architect. The other, more immediate, is financial, that of the «club recovery», even in that dark past. This is where SAD comes in, also led by António Godinho, who does not lead the investments so that there are no more slips. Because, as the young leader also quips, «when things seem to be easy for problems, willows appear».
Gil Almeida, has been supported by emeritus salgueiros, such as Silvestre Pereira, creator of the famous pedestrian tour to Paranhos, recognizes «a liability already negotiated and around 250 thousand euros», an obstacle to many ambitions that he insists on keeping alive. «From the moment we came to Campanhã, a space that we can use at any time, and that serves a main equipment and the 450 kids from the youth groups», says Gil Almeida. Can’t think any higher. Except yesterday after the promotion to Liga 3, a goal that can be achieved if the good results, as seen in Ovar, in the triumph over Espinho (2-0) are maintained.
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