The foundations of promotion
In the 1948-49 season, Club Deportivo Málaga faced its third consecutive season in the Second Division. Under the presidency of Manuel Navarro Nogueroles, Luis Urquiri from Guipúzcoa was hired as coach, having just achieved First Division promotion with Deportivo de La Coruña.
The Malaguista signings were López, González, Robles, Elzo and Gamonal. When the season was underway, several players arrived on loan; Cabrera, who played a fundamental role, came from Real Madrid, as well as goalkeepers Carbelo (ex-Atlético de Madrid) and Alberto (ex-Levante UD). In addition, there was the signing of Gimeno, who arrived from the then CD San Andrés, who would later go on to score CD Málaga’s first goal in the First Division. The objective of the Club was clear; to achieve First Division promotion.
Furthermore, this campaign featured the novelty of Club Atlético Malagueño (current Málaga CF), competing in Group C of the ‘Primera Regional’, making Fernández Requena CF the Malaguista reserve team.
1948-49 season
The campaign could not have got off to a more promising start. CD Málaga, part of 14 teams within the Second Division, where the first two achieved promotion, played its first three league games at La Rosaleda, as the matchday 2 clash with Real Sociedad was changed due to works carried out on the Atocha stadium. The season kicked off with three victories and a balance of 17 goals scored and two conceded (8-0 against Real Murcia, 3-1 against Real Sociedad and 6-1 against CF Badalona). Another two wins, against Levante UD and Gerona CF, led the team to accumulate a full house of five victories.
Málaga didn’t suffer defeat until matchday 8, by 1-0 against Granada CF at Los Cármenes, the result of which would be of vital importance in the second round. The start of the second round of the competition, with three away games for Málaga, wasn’t so positive. The Malaguistas claimed two defeats and one draw against Badalona. CD Málaga, leaders from matchday 1, lost that honour on matchday 15. On matchday 20, the team lost to Baracaldo CF by 3-2. From that match onwards, the Martiricos outfit didn’t lose another League game.
The undefeated streak couldn’t have started better. A 5-0 victory against Granada CF, favourable goal average and fourth place, with the team out of promotion positions but just two points away from leader, Hércules. Then came the draw in Santander (2-2), victory against Sporting de Gijón (3-0) at La Rosaleda and a 0-1 win against CD Mestalla in Valencia, in the inaugural journey of the 'Flecha Azul', the first bus owned by the Club.
A crucial match that was the prelude to promotion took place on matchday 25, the penultimate of the competition. At La Rosaleda, in front of an impressive crowd featuring fans from Gibraltar and Morocco, CD Málaga faced Hércules de Alicante, still having possibilities of promotion. A header from Cabrera from a Bazán pass in minute 78 of play, which ultimately led to victory, was celebrated in such a way that several fans sustained injury. At the end of the game there was a pitch invasion by euphoric Blue and White fans.
Matchday 25 ended with Real Sociedad, CD Málaga and Granada CF tied at the top with 33 points. Out of these three teams, two would achieve promotion.
Promotion in Ferrol
The team, with everything to play for, remained in concentration in Galicia days before the match. On 17th April 1949, the 26th and last league matchday was held between Club Ferrol and Club Deportivo Málaga. Madrid-born referee Ricardo Galende Pascual was in charge. CD Málaga selected the following starting-11 for this match at Estadio Municipal de Inferniño: Bellido, González, Maciá, Teo, Robles, Laborda, Cabrera, Gimeno, Bazán, Gamonal and Lezama.
Bazán, loyal to the goal, opened the scoring with a header in 15’. Three minutes later, a powerful shot from Maciá led to the second Malaguista goal, and no sooner had Ferrol left midfield, Gimeno from a counter-attack scored the third. Cabrera, in 36’ with a strong shot, and another goal from Gimeno just before half-time, sealed an imperial 0-5 lead for CD Málaga. In the second half, Polo in 63’, netted the honorary goal for Ferrol. With the final 1-5 win, the Malaguista players celebrated promotion on the pitch.
After the last match of the season, Real Sociedad, CD Málaga and Granada CF ended at the top with 35 points. Granada didn’t move up due to an adverse goal average, precisely against CD Málaga.
Like on 3rd April 1904, with the football match that served as the presentation of this sport in Málaga society, and on 13th April 1941, with the first match played at La Rosaleda, another Easter Sunday (17th April 1949) would go down in the Malaguista history books.
Reception from north to south
Málaga celebrated the team’s achievement in style. However, due to the circumstances at the time, the Malaguista expedition didn’t arrive back to the city until the night of Tuesday 19th April. CD Málaga continued to receive congratulations from leaving Ferrol until arriving back in the Costa del Sol capital.
From the entrance to Málaga via the Montes road, the main exit of the city at the time, groups of fans eagerly awaited the arrival of the players on the 'Flecha Azul'.
Thousands of fans crowded into Plaza de Uncibay, with the club’s headquarters located at number 6 in this central square, which were fully decked out to celebrate the occasion.
The expedition had time to visit the Santuario de la Victoria and City Hall, where they were welcomed by José Luis Estrada Segalerva, who coincidentally would become president of CD Málaga a little over a year later. At last, CD Málaga was a First Division team.
