Rayo Vallecano
| Full name | Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D. | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Rayo | ||
| Founded | 1924 | ||
| Ground | Teresa Rivero, Madrid, Spain | ||
| Capacity | 15.500 | ||
| Chairman |  María Teresa Rivero | ||
| Manager | José Ramón Sandoval | ||
| League | Segunda División | ||
| 2009-10 | Segunda División, 11th | ||
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Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D., often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the neighbourhood of Vallecas. Founded on May 29, 1924, it currently plays in Segunda División, holding home matches at the 15,000-seater Estadio Teresa Rivero.
History
One of the perennial yo-yo clubs of Spanish football, Rayo Vallecano spent many years during the 1980s and 1990s moving back and forth between the first and second divisions. They appeared to have consolidated their top flight status after promotion in 1998–99, and the team's most successful season came in 2000–01, when they reached the UEFA Cup quarterfinals, going out only to eventual runners-up Deportivo Alavés (Rayo finished ninth in the previous season, but entered the competition via the fair play draw).
However, the club shortly thereafter fell on hard times, enduring successive relegations from the first (in 2002–03) and second divisions (2003–04). In 2005–06, the club hired Míchel, a legend for Real Madrid in the 1980s and 90s, as team manager.
The club finished the 2006–07 season in second place in third-tier, winning the promotion play-off semifinal, but losing in the final to SD Eibar (1–2 aggregate). The next season, Rayo returned to the second division after a four-year absence, winning the play-off, disposing of Benidorm CF in the semifinal, and Zamora CF in the last game (2–1 aggregate).
In the first season back in the second tier of Spanish football, Rayo finished comfortably, often either in or just outside the promotion places. That same year, its women's team was crowned league champions for the first time, thereby qualifying for the UEFA Women's Champions League, but were eliminated 2–5 on aggregate in the round-of-32, by Russia's WFC Rossiyanka.
Club background
- Agrupación Deportiva El Rayo (May 29, 1924 - November 13, 1947)
- Agrupación Deportiva Rayo Vallecano (November 13, 1947-1995)
- Rayo Vallecano de Madrid (1995-present)
N.B. Affiliate of Club Atlético de Madrid in 1949-50
Current squad
As of 14 August 2009, according to combined sources on the official website. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Staff
Director of Sports:
Head Coach:
- Jose Ramon Sandoval
Seasons
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- 12 seasons in La Liga
- 34 seasons in Segunda División
- 5 seasons in Segunda División B
- 11 seasons in Tercera División (As third level before 1977-78 season)
- Federación Regional Castellana de Fútbol (1928-30; 1939-49)
- 7 seasons in Primera Categoría
- 3 seasons in Segunda Categoría
- Federación Obrera de Fútbol (1931-36)
- 5 seasons
Notable former players
Club presidents
| Period | President | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 1924-1926 | Julián Huerta Priego | |
| 1926-1927 | José Montoya Arribas | |
| 1927-1928 | Galo Andrés. | |
| 1929-1930 | José Antonio Sánchez | |
| 1930-1931 | Anastasio Sánchez | |
| 1931-1936 | Ángel Martínez | |
| 1939-1943 | Miguel Rodríguez Alzola | (2ndterm) |
| 1943-1946 | Ezequiel Huerta Priego | |
| 1946-1948 | José Rodríguez Rubio | |
| 1948-1955 | Miguel Rodríguez Alzola | (2ndterm) |
| 1955-1958 | Jerónimo Martínez Fernández | |
| 1958-1961 | Tomás Esteras Navalpotro | |
| 1961-1965 | Iván Roiz Morante | |
| 1965-1973 | Pedro Roiz Cossío | |
| 1973-1978 | Marcelino Gil Blázquez | |
| 1978-1980 | Francisco Encinas Carvallal | |
| 1980-1981 | Luis Quer Méndez | |
| 1981-1989 | Francisco Fontán de la Llave | |
| 1989-1991 | Pedro García Jiménez | |
| 1991-1994 | José María Ruiz Mateos | |
| 1994-Current | Teresa Rivero Sánchez-Romate |
Stadium
Estadio Teresa Rivero is a football stadium located on Calle Payaso Fofó 1, Vallecas. Opened on 10 May 1976, at first it was called "New Stadium Vallecas", but in January 2004, 13 years after the arrival of the Ruiz-Mateos family in 1991, it changed denominations, as the wife was also named by her husband, business man José María, the first woman president of an elite soccer team.
It has a capacity of 15,500 spectators in an all-seated format, and dimensions of 102x64m. Additionally, one of the goalends does not have a grandstand, just a big wall with information panels.
In June 2009, the club announced plans for the construction of a new stadium.
Miscellaneous info
- Rayo Vallecano was Laurie Cunningham's last club – he was killed in a car crash just outside of Madrid in 1989, after a sole season. He also had represented neighbours Real Madrid four years.
- Spanish antifascist band Ska-P are outspoken supporters of the club (and the whole Vallecas neighbourhood) and have dedicated two songs to it, named Como un Rayo and Rayo Vallecano.