Real Valladolid

20th-century history (1928–2001)

Real Valladolid was founded from the merger of Real Unión Deportiva de Valladolid and Club Deportivo Español, the club played its first game on 22 September 1928. It was a 2–1 win over Alavés. Valladolid first reached the top level in the 1947–48 season, as champions of the Segunda División. The club became the first Castile and León club to play in the Spanish top flight. The following year, the team pushed on from this success and reached the finals of the Copa del Rey in Chamartín Stadium against Athletic Bilbao, losing 4–1. The next ten years were spent in the first division, and relegation was short-lived as Valladolid gained promotion again in 1958–59 with a 5–0 win over Terrassa under manager José Luis Saso, a legendary figure in club history. He had originally been a goalkeeper for the club and went on to perform many roles, including serving as president of the club. Valladolid swung between the first and second divisions in subsequent years, falling as low as to the third division in 1970–71. Next year the club was promoted to second division and in 1980 promoted to first division, where Valladolid played until 1992 when the club was relegated to the second division again. Promoted in 1992–93, the club was again sent down after the 2003–04 season. In 1984, Valladolid also won the Copa de la Liga (a competition only played in the early 1980s) over Atlético Madrid.

On 14 April 1996, Valladolid played its 1,000th game in La…

League

Segunda División: 1947–48, 1958–59, 2006–07 Tercera División: 1933–34 Castilla-León Championship: 1930–31

Cups

Copa Real Federación Española de Fútbol: 1952–53 Teide Trophy: 1983 Copa de la Liga: 1984 Castilla y León Cup: 1985 Records

Most games unbeaten in Segunda División: 29 (2006–07) Earliest promotion in Segunda División: day 34 (out of 42), 22 April 2007 Fastest goal in La Liga history: 7.42 seconds; scored by Joseba Llorente on 20 January 2008, vs Espanyol (2–1 win)