Who were Octavio Augusto Milego and Julio Gascó?

In 1919 the history of our beloved Club began. 105 years later, we remember two of the most important people for the foundation and future of Valencia CF: Octavio Augusto Milego and Julio Gascó. Find out more about their history and the links they share with Mexico down below.

Milego and Medina were also important in the leasing of plots of land in Algirós for the team to play on. Both sacrificed their free time, work, family dedication and personal money. In 1922, together and with the collaboration of Ramón Leonarte, they created the Valencian Referees Association, of which he was president and later referee.

Finally, between 1973 and 1975, he formed part of Francisco Ros Casares' board of directors as vice-president. Milego's family has lived in Mexico for many years. Julio Gascó, co-founder and a key person in the Club's administrative and sporting spheres.

Octavio Augusto Milego, co-founder and first president of the club

Milego, born in Toledo, but from the age of five in Valencia, was a great football fan. He fell in love with the sport at a major tournament held in Valencia in 1909. It was a time when the sport was at its peak. Octavio founded and played in the Club Deportivo Español. Clubs such as Rat Penat, Fraternitario, España, Racing de Patraix, Bancario and River Turia also emerged in Valencia.

Foto: Ciberche

In 1919, a tragic incident involving one of his teammates caused him to move away from football. He went to Madrid to take the competitive examinations for the Literature professorship at the School of Commerce and there he recovered his passion for the sport. He returned to Valencia and called together six friends and colleagues from Español, Sagunto and Rat Penat. In the Bar Torino, he started a series of meetings with Gonzalo Medina, Pascual Gascó, Julio Gascó, Fernando Marzal, Salvador Aliaga and Pepe Llorca. Meetings in which the birth of Valencia CF -Valencia Football Club at the time- was conceived and forged.

On 1 March 1919, both the articles of association and the statutes of the new club were drawn up and submitted to the Civil Government and the Companies Registry on 5 March 1919. On 18 March 1919, the statutes were approved by the Civil Government and the club was officially recognised as a recreational society. Now, the question remained as to who would be the first president of the club and a coin was tossed. Between the two candidates, Milego and Gonzalo Medina, Octavio finally emerged as the first president of Valencia CF at the age of 26.

Milego and Medina were also important in the leasing of the Algirós plots of land for the team to play on. Both sacrificed their free time, work, family dedication and personal money. In 1922, together and with the collaboration of Ramón Leonarte, they created the Valencian Referees Association, of which he was president and later referee.

Finally, between 1973 and 1975, he formed part of Francisco Ros Casares' board of directors as vice-president. Milego's family has lived in Mexico for many years. Julio Gascó, co-founder and a key person in the Club's administrative and sporting spheres.

Gascó's links with Valencia CF lie in his important work in the foundation of the club in 1919. Julio was one of the founding members of the Club and played a tremendously important ‘role’ in the administrative work to ensure that Valencia CF functioned properly.

 Gascó helped Fernando Marzal, the club's first secretary, in the administration of the company. Gascó himself would later take over his position, reviewing applications for new members, managing the Club's accounts and taking the minutes of each Board of Directors meeting.

Photo: Ciberche

Foto: Ciberche

He was also the first head coach in the history of Valencia CF, and was the first captain and leader as a player of the team.

Twenty years later, in 1939, his political activity as a militant of the Republican Left wing led him to leave Spain for France and later (1940) for Mexico. In Mexico, he contributed to the revitalisation of the Casa Regional Valenciana.

However, despite his geographical distance from Valencia, Gascó was always attentive to the city and his beloved Valencia CF. Such was his importance that, after his passing in 1956, the team wore black crests in the first match they played at Mestalla and on the 1963 tour to Mexico, the players and directors laid a flower wreath at his tomb.