The Girona collector: "It's better not to know how much money it has cost me, all together"

Girona"Honestly, it's better not to know how many euros it cost me, all together," explains, between laughs, Albert Martínez, who after a lot of years of research, has an enviable collection of Girona items. Among them, all the first kits in the history of the Catalan club. "There are 55 – he says –. Of the first forty years, only four, because they used one every decade. And, later on, one lasted for two seasons." He has navigated among antique dealers, sellers, players of all times and their families to make it possible. Every time he found a relic, before making the corresponding payment, he called Jota, the person in charge of equipment until last December, to confirm that they weren't tricking him. "It's difficult, because the club didn't put them on sale until the 2005-06 season," he admits.

"What I do now is look for specific matches. The last one I got is Jordi Matamala's, from the day of the promotion to the Second Division in 2008, against Ceuta. That day it was played with a different Codere than the one usually used. He gave it to me himself," he adds. It's common to see Martínez giving exhibitions, because his repertoire goes beyond Girona football: he also treasures a good handful of shirts from other teams from Girona and from different historic clubs from other sports in the region. But, as far as Girona is concerned, he says: "We're talking about the first kit, because if I started looking for second, third, and goalkeeper kits, it would be madness." He keeps everything in wardrobes and boxes he has at home or in a warehouse. There are also balls, gloves, boots, scarves, and even cycling jerseys.

His fame led Girona, who host Villarreal this Monday (9 p.m., DAZN), to call him to participate in the campaign they have promoted in recent weeks, for the retro matchday that La Liga is preparing for next weekend, in which the Girona team will compete with a shirt inspired by the 1991-92 season. The collector, however, wasn't called primarily for the kits. "I have a Golf GTI Series 2 from that year; those who know, call it Mk2. I put a Girona vinyl on the roof and posted a photo on X. The club saw it and asked me for it." In the promotion, the vehicle is seen driving around the south goal stands. "We didn't know whether to drive it forwards or backwards, I had to do twenty maneuvers to get it facing the right way. Some have said it was artificial intelligence, that the car didn't go up into the stands. Damn right it did, I drove it there myself – Martínez assures. One of the models appears driving in the video. I asked him if he had a license, just in case he threw it down the stands."

Bollycaos and betting pools

Almost twenty-five years ago, that team coached by Xavi Agustí made the promotion to return to professional football, but lost on the key day in Salamanca. "It was a very good time: you would ride your bike past Montilivi and see the clothes hanging out. Where the Espai 1930 is now, they used to dry the kits –he says–. Everyone followed the club, during those months. It was the first boom." The matches were broadcast by "Ràdio Grup, which was at Carrer de la Creu, 52. The announcer was Pibernat." In that play-off, the Girona goalkeeper, Josep Maria Soldevila, scored a goal from one end of the pitch to the other against Villarreal. "They called him Bolly, because he did a Bollycao advertisement on television." In the locker room were greats like Pep Boada, Juli Sunyer, and Joan Sagué, who appear in the club's spot.

Also present was the famous Movistar commentator, Raúl Ruiz, who gained recognition in a Copa del Rey tie between Barça and Numancia. As that Girona team had many debts and the players weren't getting paid, Ruiz reached an agreement with a director to live in his flat without paying rent in exchange for filling out 3,720 football pools slips a week. "My eyes started to hurt," the former Castilian footballer has admitted. At that time, the club only had two fan clubs: La Gironina and La Immortal, which was founded for the occasion. "For away games, we travelled on a bus that left from Rhin Bar, which no longer exists. The owner was Candi, a great guy. Now there's a pharmacy there," replies Martínez, with sadness.

"The shirt is among the five worst designed in history, but, for me, the best are from the eighties, when polyester started. If we go back, everything was cotton, but, when you wear them, it's fine. Now you have to be careful with the temperature when washing them, because a vinyl can easily peel off," assures the man from Girona. Everything has changed a lot, even the mascot. That year, Sisa, the current fly, wasn't around. "There was Geroni, who was initially a dog, but the closest thing they found was a lion."

Girona's slogan states: "We are here because you were." "When they tell us that in Girona we were 300 people, it comes from that era. And now, of those, perhaps 150 remain. Many are gone, they have left us along the way. That's why I like them to do this retro day, because it's a tribute in life. You remember people, anecdotes come up. You bring it back to life," concludes Martínez.