- Rayo Vallecano
Infobox Football club
clubname = Rayo Vallecano
fullname = Rayo Vallecano de Madrid
nickname = Rayo
founded =May 29 ,1924
ground = Teresa Rivero
Madrid ,Spain
capacity = 15.000
opened = 1976
chairman = flagicon|SpainMaría Teresa Rivero
mgrtitle = Manager
manager = flagicon|Spain Pepe Mel
league =Segunda División
season = 2007-08
position = 2ªB - Group 1 1st
shirtsupplier = Patrick
shirtsponsors = Clesa
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=__redrightsash|pattern_ra1=
leftarm1=FFFFFF|body1=FFFFFF|rightarm1=FFFFFF|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=FFFFFF
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_redrightsash|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=000000|body2=000000|rightarm2=000000|shorts2=000000|socks2=000000Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish "
Segunda División " football club based inMadrid ,Spain , in a neighbourhood namedVallecas . Their home ground is the 15,000-seat Teresa Rivero stadium.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 "
La Liga " and the "Segunda División ". Having appeared to consolidate their top flight status with promotion in 1998–1999, their most successful season came in 2000–2001, when they wereUEFA Cup quarter-finalists, going out only to the eventual runners-upDeportivo Alavés (they had finished ninth, butUEFA awarded the side a spot forfair play ). Since then, the club has fallen on hard times, with successive relegations from the first (in 2002–2003) and the second levels (2003–2004).In 2005–2006, their manager was
José Miguel González Martín , known as Míchel, a legend forReal Madrid in the 80's/90's.The club finished the 2006-07 season in second place in "
Segunda División B ". They won the promotion play-off semi final but lost 2-1 on aggregate in the final toSD Eibar . The next season they returned to the second division after winning the promotion play-off. They beatBenidorm CD in the semifinal andZamora CF in the last game (2-1 aggregate).Rayo Vallecano was
Laurie Cunningham 's last club – he was killed in a car crash just outside of Madrid.Spanish
antifascist bandSka-P are outspoken supporters of the club (and the wholeVallecas neighbourhood) and have dedicated a song to it, named Como un Rayo (album "Ska-P").Names
*"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
2 September 2008 , according to combined sources on the official website.On loan
Recent seasons
*2004/2005: "
Segunda División B ", "3rd"
*2005/2006: "Segunda División B ", "5th"
*2006/2007: "Segunda División B ", "2nd"
*2007/2008: "Segunda División B ", "1st - Play-Off - Promoted"
*2008/2009: "Segunda División "------------------
*12 seasons in "La Liga "
*31 seasons in "Segunda División "
*5 seasons in "Segunda División B "
*11 seasons in "Tercera División "*"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 seasonsFamous players
"see also cl|Rayo Vallecano footballers"
External links
* [http://www.rayovallecano.es Official website] es icon
* [http://www.rayoherald.com Rayo Herald - Updated info about Rayo Vallecano] es icon
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