The Pride of Vallekas

In the 2006-07 Segunda B season, Real Oviedo were relegated to the Tercera - the fourth tier of Spanish football. Predictably so - three different managers (José Antonio Velázquez, Ramiro Solís, Ismael Díaz) took over that season, the squad's top goalscorer, Jon Carrera, had a tally of four goals, and the team didn't win a single game away from home. As it turns out, the turmoil wasn't contained on the pitch - in 2006 Alberto González took a controlling share in the club. He did not pay social security or tax to the inland revenue and then disappeared - perhaps Cuba, possibly Panama - and is now wanted on two counts of fraud. But there was another Oviedo team that was relegated from the Segunda B that year too. CD Universidad de Oviedo, the team that represents the University of Oviedo, also went down in only their third year in the Segunda B. They have never come back up, and seven consecutive top 10 finishes were followed by a disastrous 2014-15 Tercera campaign, w...

They called him el ultrahéroe de Vallecas at Rayo. In hell, he was their ray of hope. Born in Madrid, Pachón started his career in the fifth division of Spanish football, playing for Rayo Alúa in the 1995-96 season. He went on to play for Parla in the Tercera for the following two season, and was signed by Segunda club Leganés. After helping the club retain their division two status, in 2000 he moved to La Liga outfit Real Valladolid. He would go on to play 31 games in his first year and 24 in the 2002–03 campaign, but only seven in the other two seasons combined. Failing to make an impact, he was released in January 2004 and moved to Segunda outfit Getafe, proving an essential offensive unit in the club's first ever promotion to the top division - on 19 June, he scored all five goals in the decisive 5–3 away win against Tenerife. He was mainly used as a substitute in the following three seasons and also helping the side to the 2007 final of the Copa del Rey. Immed...

Juan Vicente Peinado, the Rayo B coach, announced that he would not continue with the club. Hours later, fellow Madrid and Tercera club CD Móstoles URJC announced him as their new head coach. This season, Rayo B were three points away. Three points away from the relegation zone. Three points away from demotion to the fifth tier - the regional leagues - which they haven't played in since the 1987-88 season. Three points away from playing the B teams of some fourth tier clubs - the clubs Rayo B was playing this season. At one point, it wasn't even a contest. There was a time when Rayo were releasing "inspirational" videos for their B team. Even on the final day, Rayo B were far from safe. 18th place Alcobendas were on 44 points, 17th place Trival Valderas were on 46 points, joint with 16th place and Rayo B. Thankfully, Rayo B's dismal 1-1 draw against Atlético Pinto didn't matter - Atlético Madrid's B team easily saw off Alcobendas 3-0. And b...