Josep Escolà

Club

FC Barcelona

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Escolà made his La Liga debut for FC Barcelona under Franz Platko on 2 December 1934 and scored the fourth goal in a 4-0 win against Arenas Club de Getxo at Les Corts. During his debut season with the club, he helped them win the Campionat de Catalunya. Under Platko’s successor, Patrick O'Connell, and with a team that also included Domènec Balmanya, Joan Josep Nogués and Enrique Fernández, he helped the club win a further Campionat de Catalunya and reach the 1936 Copa del Presidente de la República Final. Barça played Madrid CF and with the Madrid club leading 2-1, Escolà was denied a late equalizer after a spectacular save by Ricardo Zamora.

Civil War and Exile

During the following season, 1936–37, national football was suspended because of the Spanish Civil War. However FC Barcelona and other clubs in the Republican area of Spain competed in the Mediterranean League and Escolà, Balmanya and O’Connell helped the club win this title. In 1937 FC Barcelona, including Escolà, Balmanya and O’Connell, went on a fund raising tour to Mexico and the United States. The club played fourteen games and opponents included Club América, Atlante F.C., Necaxa and a Mexican XI. In the United States, FC Barcelona played in and won a tournament against a Brooklyn XI, a New York XI and a Hebrew XI and then played a USA XI. In financial terms this tour saved the club, but O’Connell returned to Spain with only four…

Player

Barcelona

La Liga: 1944–45, 1947–48 Copa del Rey: 1942; runner-up: 1936 Supercopa de España: 1945 Mediterranean League: 1937 Campionat de Catalunya: 1934–35, 1935–36

Manager

Levante

Tercera División: 1955–56