Restoring Real Sociedad will not be an easy task for Chris Coleman, yet Basque football has a history of seeking assistance from the British Isles when difficulty must be confronted.

Coleman, the former Wales defender and Fulham manager, is poised to be confirmed as head coach of the San Sebastian club left reeling by its first relegation from the Spanish top flight in 40 years. Coleman's name was brought forward by his compatriot John Toshack, who had three separate spells in charge at the Anoeta stadium and whose opinion remains highly valued by those within its boardroom.

Sociedad's performances were grim throughout the last La Liga campaign and Coleman will inevitably be required to restructure for their promotion bid. The options available to him for potential transfers were forever changed by another import from the UK.

When, in 1989, Sociedad paid Liverpool £1.1m for John Aldridge, the Liverpool-born Republic of Ireland striker, it marked the most seismic shift in the club's history. Aldridge became the first non-Basque player to represent Sociedad and his arrival was charged with huge political significance. It separated the club's policy from that of Athletic Bilbao, their traditionally more successful rivals, and was initially met with fierce pockets of local opposition.

Aldridge has recalled seeing vehement slogans sprayed on walls in San Sebastian, but sheer talent soon transformed his status from that of interloper to idol. Thirty-two goals in 63 games for Sociedad quelled most of the disquiet about his employment and set the standard for further foreign arrivals.

A second-placed finish in La Liga in season 2002/03 was the team's best achievement of modern times and was thanks in no small part to the potency of a forward partnership between Nihat, a Turk, and Darko Kovacevic, a Serb. Sociedad also took the further step of signing non-Basque Spaniards, in political terms a potentially more precarious bridge to cross than simply adding players from overseas.

At the time that Aldridge was knocking them in for Sociedad, Athletic had their own Merseyside links. Howard Kendall had taken over as manager in Bilbao following a highly successful spell at Everton, but there was no possibility of him seeking to plunder former favourites from Goodison Park. Then, as now, the Basque cantera - or quarry - was from where Athletic mined its players.

The club, though, has had little compunction about employing non-Basque coaches. Athletic's defiantly English spelling gives lies to its early influences and the red-and-white striped shirts could be a homage to either Sunderland or Southampton. One English manager from the 1920s and 30s, Fred Pentland, is still revered as the father of Athletic as a modern, professional force within Spanish football.

Yet it is the reliance on the cantera that obviously sets Athletic aside these days, and the issue remains one of contention with other Basque clubs. Sociedad's decision to look outwards for players 18 years ago had its roots in frustration with their rivals' poaching of youth prospects from across the Basque country. They would strongly dispute the romantic idea of Athletic being a paragon of localism.

Bilbao is the capital of the Vizcaya province, but Athletic have fielded teams containing as many recruits from Gipuzcoa, the province that contains San Sebastian. That drain on the talent pool has created resentment which occasionally erupts into a state of conflict.

Athletic's £3m signing of a teenage Joseba Etxeberria from Sociedad in 1995 plunged relations between the two clubs to their nadir. Etxeberria's defection was not forgiven by the supporters he had left behind. Then, two years ago, Sociedad launched a lawsuit against Iban Zubiaurre after he was presented as an Athletic player despite still having a contract at the Anoeta. Zubiaurre was frozen out of football for 15 months before Athletic were finally told to pay Sociedad £3m in compensation.

Athletic had a poor season last time out but managed to preserve their status as one of only three Spanish clubs, alongside Real Madrid and Barcelona, never to have been relegated. Sociedad were unable to avoid that indignity. Coleman's job will be to recapture local pride by integrating foreign influences.