It’s a hot August Sunday and fishermen are casting their rods into the river Bidasoa, a few feet behind them on the banks of the water stands Stadium Gal; home to Real Unión. On the other side of the waterway is France, though it is all part of the Basque Country. The team from the Gipuzkoan town of Irun, has a significant history; a founder member of La Liga and four-time Copa del Rey winners it now finds itself in Segunda ‘B’, the Spanish equivalent to League One. It is match day one of the season and Unión are at home to RS Gimnástica.

Upon arrival, I notice the away sides’ impressive bus parked outside, adorned with a personalised decal. For a league that has semi-professionals at best I am impressed by the Cantabrian teams’ marketing. After purchasing a ticket for 12 euros; around 10 euros cheaper than the average League One ticket I make my way to a seat. Spoilt for choice, I settle for a spot opposite the dugouts and enjoy the summer heat. The attendance is modest in the expanse of 6000 seats, but I notice the large number of enthusiastic away fans, probably because of Gimnástica’s promotion last season.

Reminiscent of the LaLiga pitches from the noughties, Real Unión’s playing surface is a snooker table; Spain have always seemed to have had some of the best playing surfaces in Europe with slick pitches being beneficial to the speed of their game, even down the footballing hierarchy great importance was placed on providing a field fit for purpose, however the goal mouths appear to have been given a terminal diagnosis and are too far from recovery. With the game kicking off, the locals begin to crack their way into their salted sunflower seeds whilst I take advantage of the freedom to enjoy a cold cerveza in the stands. I find the patience of Spanish football refreshing. All too often in England we see two teams charge at one another, providing excellent entertainment but not illustrating the extent of football technique and ability. It is feasible that the balance of influences we see in the Premier League is the element that persuades millions of people to watch.

Here in Spain, coaches focus heavily on developing technique with the physicality of the game having somewhat of a lesser value. In comparison to the English lower leagues, being strong and physical as a player is seen as a fundamental quality. As I watched, I realised the ball was very rarely leaving the ground except for crossing, which unlike Laliga is used more regularly to combat the shortcomings in quality. Both teams played out from the back, with overlapping fullbacks darting forward. This was clearly an attempt to copy a winning formula that had helped the national team win a World Cup and two European Championships, along with the dominance of Spanish clubs in Europe.

With the quality of football impressing me, economically, I wasn’t witnessing a league on par with League One. In the stands, it felt that most Unión fans in attendance had witnessed first-hand the club’s victory in the 1927 Copa Del Rey final, however there was a small pocket of teenagers who along with their drum were determined to make as much noise as possible. After Unión conceded to an 8’ own-goal, they unleashed their megaphone. Despite their clamour it seemed to merely reflect past glories as the chanting echoed around the unfilled and exhausted stadium. With the football turning into somewhat of a stalemate, I glanced around and saw a sponsorship board for Real Sociedad; the LaLiga side a half-hour drive away. I found it startling to have a rival clubs name and logo on display beside the pitch. I later discovered Unión is effectively a feeder club for the San Sebastián side and following the mismanagement of the lower leagues it appears that the money Real Unión receive from the LaLiga team is vital to their survival.

Life in the lower leagues is expensive, player licenses are €3,000 and with facilities looking weathered, clubs can’t afford to pay for secure maintenance, instead they are forced into making cheap repairs when they can afford it. As a result, many clubs in this area have feeder status, but it is a sacrifice that fans accept as the mere existence of their club relies on outside control. The 2008 economic crisis only helped to worsen the notorious debt within Spanish football, with teams from across the footballing hierarchy becoming desperately concerned about their future. Lower league clubs in England have promoted their football as the purest form away from the commercialisation and monopoly of the Premier League, in Spain however, clubs first need to rid themselves of corruption and financial insecurity. Extravagant tv rights has also contributed to the imbalance in fortunes; LaLiga are continuously making deals to promote their brand across the world to compete with the English top flight, leaving clubs like Unión to play catch-up. Empty stadiums and a lack of finance haunts the Segunda ‘B’, its supporters feel alienated and disheartened. Here in Irun, many local fans also support Real Sociedad, when the weekend arrives many prefer to watch the high quality, professional game of LaLiga.

Fans of EFL clubs in England are fearful that the gap between the first and lower tiers is widening, effectively limiting success. In Spain the situation is worse. Clubs in Spain’s Segunda division received a share of 140 million euros in TV revenue, while the football league was able to share £600 million in revenue to all its 72 teams. In Segunda ‘B’, games are broadcast solely on local television channels in poor definition, generating little income. Concerned, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced earlier this year that they were studying the possibility of negotiating television rights. This would, they hoped “improve the economic conditions” and “benefit the non-professional game”. However, the organisation of the league makes it hard to finance; with four separate regional divisions each containing 20 teams, clubs are effectively playing against 79 other teams. To gain promotion the top 16 teams from the divisions enter playoffs, resulting in four clubs gaining entry to Segunda. Promotion is an exhausting and extensive task, where even division winners are not guaranteed to move up. A restructuring is needed but with 80 teams playing at the same level, clubs are unwilling to accept change in fear of being moved further down the footballing pyramid.

Just before half-time, Unión whipped in a lovely cross, connecting with the head of their centre-forward – Mikel Orbegozo – who equalized. Unión fans happily went to buy their serrano ham baguettes in the break. The second half of the game was underwhelming. With players struggling in the early evening heat and resorting to long balls, chances on goal were few and far between. Finishing level at 1-1, I find the game enjoyable and see the personal relationship many of the fans have with the players; chatting with them openly as they disembark the pitch. I too, feel like I have watched football in a casual and authentic setting, but I feel pessimistic about the leagues future and the clubs that are being left behind. If the RFEF are to market this league, they need to emphasise the undiluted and dedicated feel of it. As I left with the sun setting on the River Bidasoa, I saw Real Sociedad players Asier Illarramendi and David Zurutuza exiting the stand, reminding me once again the role that many see the club as having. We can however, take some positives from this, perhaps the next LaLiga star will emerge from these humble surroundings (my money is on Jon Ceberio, who at 21-years-old dominated the midfield of the pitch). Eibar and Huesca have also shown recently that small clubs can make it big in Spanish football but that’s a tale for another day. To secure its future, the league needs rationality from the Spanish Federation and with some economic restructuring, perhaps clubs can not only survive but flourish.