Patricio EGUIDAZU

Patricio Eguidazu Altuna (or Equidazu, according to some sources) was a Spanish-born central defender who started his professional career with Real Sociedad in 1940. The San Sebastian club, had limited resources back in the day, but still managed to become one of the top sides in the Spanish Second Division, even making it into the First Division. During his twelve seasons with the Basque club, the player (nicknamed "Patri") would experience the highs and lows of promotions and relegations, but would be a key player in all the promotion campaigns of Real Sociedad in that time. He was an undisputed first choice throughout his career in Saint Sebastian, but he would play less in the 1948/1949 season as he had been poisoned - along with other members of the team - in rather suspicious circumstances after a Spanish Cup tie away at Valencia. With Real Sociedad, Patricio Eguidazu Altuna would win the Second Division title in 1949, was finalist in the Spanish Cup in 1951, having knocked out the giants of Real Madrid (2-0) in the Semi Finals. In the Final, the Basque outfit would lose to FC Barcelona. At the beginning of the 1952/1953 season, he would fall victim to a fever in Malta, having drunk milk from a sick goat, and ended up being released by his club. Salvador Artigas, Player-Manager at Stade Rennais at the time, and former team-mate of Eguidazu, jumped at the opportunity to sign him. He didn't play at the beginning of the season, but - in November - he took the place of the injured Besse, going on to become a rock at the heart of the Rennes defence, alongside Nuevo and Lemaître. In his lone season with the Red and Blacks, he made 24 apperances for the club. He would score one goal, on 22nd February 1953, on Matchday 24, against Roubaix in the First Division. Rennes would ultimately finish the season relegated, and "Patri" decided to hang up his boots to return to live in Spain.