On the 9th, we learned of the passing of Suso Ares, a resident of Foz linked to the world of the sea… and the world of football. In the latter he achieved a significant goal, being the first player from our town to play in the First Division of Spanish football.
Suso was born on November 20, 1933. He was the son of the family known as ‘The Quintaneros’. His father, Eliseo Ares Rivas, and his mother, Dominga Otero Gallo, formed a household that had 8 descendants: Antonio, María, Eliseo, Abelardo (Lalo), Ramona, Anita, Moncho and Suso, the youngest. They lived in the maritime district, very close to the Ribeira. Since childhood, the family has been dedicated to the world of the sea. They were owners of a traina boat called TRES HERMANOS (Folio 946) built in the shipyard of Juan Mª Nécega Somoza in 1929.
Over the years, other vessels came: Antonio (Folio 1018), Eudosia (Folio 1021), Jesús del Gran Poder (Folio 1141), Dominga (Folio 1287), Delio (Folio 1392) which changed its name to Quintanero, Ares Otero (Folio1552), Nuevo Quintanero (Folio 1599), Quintanero (Folio 1668), Hermanos Quintanero (Folio 1737). The ships had wooden hulls and their base was in the port of Foz. They were mainly dedicated to fishing for sardine, chicharro and bonito.
From the port of Foz to that of A Coruña
In 1967 they built the Siempre Quintanero (Folio 3ª CO-2-3876), a boat with a steel hull and moved their base to the port of A Coruña to engage in deep-sea fishing in the seas of the Gran Sol, forming a company called the Eliseo brothers , Moncho and Suso. In 1972, the fleet increases with the construction of the Eliseo Quintanero, another steel boat to work in the Gran Sol.
‘The Quintaneros’ are very popular in the village because they provided a lot of work and made progress for many families. Young sailors were trained on their ships who then became shipowners.
Their ships are shipped throughout the Cantabrian Sea for a large quantity of fish landed in Foz and in different ports of the Basque Country and Cantabria, mainly. José Pino said in an article from the year 2021 that Eliseo Ares Otero `’Quintanero’ happens to be one of the fishing skippers of the cast of those chosen from the Cantabrian Sea. He opened the way for what is today fishing in A Mariña and was the visible head of a leading saga.
The world of football
But Suso had other goals linked to the world of football. As a child he studied at the Sagrado Corazón School (today Martínez Otero). In 1948 he started playing in the Centro Deportivo Cultural Juvenil team with the help of Hermano Próspero, a Menesian religious, great football fan, who was responsible for recruiting young people from Foz and students from the school to form the aforementioned team. The matches were played in La Granda, near the Centiño River.
Through the book ‘CD FOZ. A Club with its own history’, we know that the Juvenil played a friendly match on May 31, 1950 and beat Juventude de Hierro de Ortigueira by 6-3, a match in which Ares II stood out (Suso, since Ares I was his brother monk). He was the best on the field at just 17 years old. With very good position, better accuracy in deliveries, measured passes and always to the best placed partner. A great player was beginning to emerge.
At that time, a gentleman from Lugo known as ‘Don Salus’, director of Gimnástica Lucense – played in the 2nd Division – was summering in Foz, who suggested he sign for the aforementioned team. But, at home, they did not see that future with good eyes.
An article from the Madrid newspaper PUEBLO referring to Ares says: Ares’s family is rich. Your fishing boats are important, especially one, which is the envy of the competition. Ares, when he said that he was leaving the sea for football, had family displeasure, because the brothers told him that fishing, the sea, was his thing. Ares said no, that he liked football more. Then they challenged him: “At the same time: you will end up returning home, football is not good, you will be disgusted by it.” Ares, turning a deaf ear to this, replied: “I will triumph in spite of you.”
In the 1950-1951 season he played at Gimnástica Lucense. At the end of it, the team disappeared, and he signed for Rácing de Ferrol, a 2nd Division team where he stayed for two and a half seasons (1951-1954).
His arrival in the first division
In the middle of 1954, Celta de Vigo made two signings from Rácing, Ares and Blas Artime, with a contract for 3 years. We already have our neighbor in a 1st Division team. He made his debut with Celta on April 4, 1954 in Valencia, being the only match he played that year.
Ares’ great year at Celta was in the 1956-1957 season, with Alejandro Scopelli as coach. With this man came Che Gutiérrez, a sensational Argentine midfielder who formed an exceptional midfield with Ares. Our neighbor played 28 league games and scored two goals; one, in A Coruña against Deportivo, and the second against Real Sociedad, in Vigo.
The name of Ares is becoming known. In a match Barcelona – Celta, the home team beat Celta by 2 goals to 1. In the sports chronicle of a newspaper it is said that it was a difficult victory. In the photo that accompanies the report, Ares and Kubala are seen fighting over a ball.
At the end of the 1956-1957 league, he was transferred to Atlético de Madrid for a considerable amount, 1,250,000 pesetas, which meant reducing the debt that Celta had. Suso signed with Atlético de Madrid for 3 seasons, at the rate of 200,000 pesetas for each one. At this club, he shared a dressing room with well-known names in the football world: Peiró, Collar, Mendoza… But, he was not lucky here. Coach Daucík did not have him in his plans and he only played 6 games in the League and 2 in the Cup.
In one of the conversations held with Suso he told me: In the 1957-1958 season we were league runners-up. The last match was against Real Sociedad, in San Sebastián. As we couldn’t catch up to the champions, Real Madrid, Daucík put in non-usual players… and we won 2-4, leaving the coach surprised and the players, of course, very satisfied.
The following year he was loaned to Málaga (2nd Division). O jornal PUEBLO, cited above, said: Ares, before leaving for Málaga, commented “The anger I have is that they have cornered me at Atlético; I am looking forward to being transferred, to being given freedom. “I want to play, show that I am good for football.” So, since we were unaware of the family challenge, we thought that Ares was jealous. Now we see that it was not jealousy, but rather the pride of a good man.
In the 60s, he said goodbye to the playing fields
At the end of the season, he returned to Madrid, where he spent the last year wearing the Atlético shirt. In 1960 he was transferred to Salamanca, team of the 2nd Division, where he played for three years.
24-7-1960 is a date well remembered in Foz, since a match was held between CD Foz and Arsenal de Ferrol. Our club was reinforced with four players from Atlético de Madrid: Ares, Mendoza, Amador and Lodeiro. Thanks to Ares, the public was able to see 1st Division players play live.
In the Salamanca era, Ares married María Rosario Pardo Prada on June 8, 1961 in the Church of the Monastery of Samos. The new home was increased with the arrival of the children Celia, Jesús and Ana.
Suso appears again in the press after Salamanca’s match against Racing Santander at the El Sardinero stadium. Accompanying your photo, there is a chronicle that I said: Who was like never before… yesterday, at Sardinero? Ares. In the periods of contention, Salamanca midfielder Ares was the best man on the visiting side, magnificently dominating his zone and exuding enthusiasm at all times, imposing himself with his speed and his genius for intervening in any situation. When Salamanca began to dominate, Ares showed himself to be an agile midfielder, with great play in his boots, giving his vanguard teammates countless services. Ares was in Sardinero like never before.
In 1963 he joined the Popular Union of Langreo, the 2nd Division, where he spent three seasons. The press returns to talk about Ares. Logo of a match in Riazor against Deportivo, in the chronicle we can read: “The one who hit them all was Ares. He gave a real course. With cleanliness, precision, and also with strength and nerve to defend. There they said that he played thinking about Celta, but it is absurd, knowing the characteristics of the boy from Foz who is a complete professional and that since he has been at Unión, he has given enormous performance (…) Ares has been a colossus. He is a resourceful, temperamental player. His longevity is great, although he is only 33 years old (…) Next year we will have him fighting again.”
In 1966, Ares retired from football after playing 15 years as a professional.
A very personal interview
One summer day, on the terrace of Bar O Lar, I did a short interview with him as a football summary. These were the answers:
– Your booster was? R/ O Hno. Prosperous. We played Granda.
– Anecdote from Madrid? R/ On one occasion, Meana – the Spanish national coach – told me “Ares, I have you on the list”. But I didn’t get to play in the National Team.
– Coaches who would you highlight? A/ The best I had was Alejandro Scopelli, at Celta de Vigo. I also liked Villalonga, at Atlético de Madrid, who would soon become Spanish coach, winning the European Cup (Spain 2 – Russia 1).
– Any companions you love? R/ Azpeitia, Gutiérrez (Arxentine international), Quinocho… At Atlético de Madrid: Mendoza, Peiró, Collar. Vavá (world champion with Brazil)…
– Some players you faced? Di Stéfano (the most complete), Kubala, Luís Suárez, Gento…
– Countries where you xogaches? R/ Co Celta, in Portugal (Porto, Lisbon). Co Atlético, in France (Lens, Metz, Nantes), Germany (Colonia, Essen) and Italy (Cagliari).
On several occasions, I remembered what my father used to tell me when he sailed in the San Lorenzo de Foz: If the ship was in the ports of Vigo, Xixón, Bilbao… and, if it happened that the local team was playing against the team it was on Ares, some crew members were going to football. Suso got the tickets, a detail they appreciated.
Around the world at sea
Once retired from football, Suso once again had contact with the sea as a ship owner, alongside his brothers Eliseo and Moncho. Although he lived in A Coruña, he did not stop coming to Foz regularly with his family. In recent years he has already settled in his hometown, in a house in the neighborhood of Marzán, near Praia de Llás, where he spent pleasant days with Saros (his wife), his children and grandchildren, Jesús, Iago and Inés.
Suso, thank you very much for the good times you have had as a player, and also for everything you have contributed in the world of work. Rest in Peace
