Fran Machado

Born in Armilla, Granada, Machado played youth football for Elche CF, making his senior debut with the reserves in the Tercera División. On 2 November 2003, he appeared in his first competitive game with the first team, coming on as a late substitute in a 2–2 Segunda División home draw against Ciudad de Murcia. He was almost exclusively associated to the B's during his spell, however. In the following eight years, Machado competed in the Segunda División B, with Villajoyosa CF, CD Alcoyano, Betis Deportivo and Real Jaén. He achieved promotion at the end of the 2012–13 season with Jaén, scoring three goals in 36 matches while acting as their captain. His first second-division goal came on 8 September 2013 in a 3–1 home win over Girona FC, and he totalled a career-best five at the professional level in an immediate relegation. Machado then represented, still in the third tier, Cádiz CF, Recreativo de Huelva and Ontinyent CF. On 28 March 2019, after the dissolution of the latter club, the 35-year-old left. On 12 July 2019, Machado returned to Alcoyano. In January 2021, he signed for Arenas CD in the Andalusian regional leagues.