Juan Ugarte

Juan Ugarte Aiestarán (born 7 November 1980) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a striker.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ugarte and the second or maternal family name is Aiestarán.
Juan Ugarte
Personal information
Full name Juan Ugarte Aiestarán
Date of birth (1980-11-07) 7 November 1980
Place of birth San Sebastián, Spain
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1991–1998 Antiguoko[1]
1998–2000 Real Sociedad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2002 Real Sociedad B 31 (11)
2001 Real Sociedad 1 (0)
2002 Eibar 1 (0)
2003 Real Unión 16 (3)
2003–2004 Barakaldo 29 (8)
2004 Dorchester Town 7 (6)
2004–2005 Wrexham 30 (16)
2005–2006 Crewe Alexandra 2 (0)
2006 → Wrexham (loan) 2 (0)
2006–2008 Wrexham 3 (0)
Total 122 (44)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Born in San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Ugarte was brought up in local giants Real Sociedad's youth system, but only appeared once for the first team during his two-year spell as a senior.[2] Released in 2002, he would also be very unfortunate at Basque neighbours SD Eibar – one match played in Segunda División.

In the following years, Ugarte played with Segunda División B sides Real Unión and Barakaldo CF, also in his native region.[3] In early 2004, after an unsuccessful trial at Wycombe Wanderers,[4] he moved to Dorchester Town until he was acquired by Wrexham, scoring his first goal for the latter in the Football League Trophy quarter-final tie against local rivals Chester City; he finished the year as that competition's top scorer, notably netting in the final against Southend United (2–0).[5]

Ugarte scored regularly during his time with the Welsh club, but this was not enough to avoid relegation to Football League Two after it had suffered a ten-point deduction for entering administration. On 5 March 2005, he put five past Hartlepool United in a 6–4 away win.[6]

Ugarte then joined another team in Football League One, Crewe Alexandra, but injuries prevented him from ever starting a game for them, also continuing to affect him during two loan returns to Wrexham. Despite his condition, the Dragons re-signed him in November 2006, but he only made three official appearances over two seasons, retiring at the age of 27.[7]

Personal life

Ugarte was best friends with Xabi Alonso (one year his senior), who also emerged through Real Sociedad's youth ranks. He went on to play for Liverpool, Real Madrid, FC Bayern Munich and the Spain national team.[8][9]

Honours

Club

Wrexham

Individual

References
  1. "Jugadores relevantes" [Relevant players] (in Spanish). Antiguoko KE. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  2. "Victoria agónica del Zaragoza" [Agonizing Zaragoza win]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 3 October 2001. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  3. Fano, Oier (1 February 2011). "Una carrera anónima entre leyendas del fútbol inglés" [Anonymous career amongst legends of English football]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  4. "Berkhamsted Town 2 Wycombe Wanderers 1 – Friendly". Chair Boys. 4 August 2004. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  5. "Southend 0–2 Wrexham". BBC Sport. 10 April 2005. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  6. "Hartlepool 4–6 Wrexham". BBC Sport. 5 March 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2007.
  7. Trueba, Jon (30 March 2008). "El adiós obligado de un ex realista aventurero" [The forced goodbye of an adventurous realista]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  8. Marcos, José (14 February 2005). "El 'protegido' de Xabi Alonso" [Xabi Alonso's 'protégé']. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  9. "Dragons boss vows to keep Juan Ugarte". Wales Online. 28 April 2005. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
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