
La vida de Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, una de las plumas más distinguidas de la literatura universal, se apagó en la ciudad de Menton en 1928. Su fallecimiento fue especialmente sentido en Valencia y en el universo de los Poblados Marítimos. Las muestras en señal de duelo se sucedieron de forma inmediata. El Levante F.C. se sumó a este sentir con...
1920s - 1930s
Levante, together with Gimnástico, was able to endure in a very complicated sequence in the progress of contemporary entities that were related to the first football played in the city of Valencia. Most of the clubs disappeared leaving no footprints, nor stamps of their existance. Fortunately, this was not the case for either Levante or Gimnástico, who strengthened their internal structures in the 1920s, competing for the position of football main representative against Valencia C.F., in the shade of the tower of Miguelete. In 1922, the opening of Campo de La Cruz (September), and the premiere of the Stadium of Vallejo in 1925, became prominent milestones which emphasised the weight and strenght of Levante and Gimnástico in the Valencian society. Shortly, titles adorned their records inside the cabinets. The squad of Poblados Marítimos debuted as the champion of the Campeonato Regional in January, 1928.
Around that time, Gimnástico had already been named ‘Real’, and had experienced victory in the same competition format. However, football was turning. The professionalisation effects of the players and the birth of the League struck up a fierce debate between the local representatives. In addition, the differences regarding positioning were obvious. Gimnástico defended the amateur spirit of a game that was separating from the aspects that framed its own birth. During 1934 - 1935, and playing in the Second Division, Levante won the Súper-regional Championship and reached the Spanish Cup semifinals, eliminating Valencia C.F. and F.C. Barcelona in the last sixteen and quarter finals, and played the last game against Sabadell.
In July, 1937, during the Civil War, Levante won the Free Spain Cup (Copa de la República) after beating Valencia C.F. in Sarrià Stadium, Barcelona. In the 30s, Gimnástico found major disagreements among its members. With the birth of C.D. Peña Azulgrana, a part of the rectorship leaders set off on a new journey. The end of Civil War favoured a substantial variation of roles. Levante and Gimnástico imaginaries were brought together, giving birth to a new team, a team that would compete in Estadio de Vallejo. UDLG (Unión Deportiva Levante-Gimnástico) was born. This union was based on economic, political and sports matters, which resulted in a complicated fusion for all of its estates.