Hércules CF
Hércules Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈerkules]) is a Spanish football team based in Alicante, in the autonomous community of Valencia. Founded in 1922, it currently plays in the Spanish second division, and holds home games at the Estadio José Rico Pérez, which seats 30,000 spectators.
History
After first appearing in La Liga in 1935–36, Hércules would play sporadically in the category for the next forty years, playing mainly in the second division but going as low as Tercera División. From 1961–69, neighbours Alicante CF acted as its feeder club.
After a ten-year spell in the topflight, encompassing 12 seasons in the 1970s/80s, the club only returned again in 1996–97; though finally relegated, it managed two remarkable comeback wins over FC Barcelona, which ultimately handed over the league title to Real Madrid.
In 2004–05, after five years in the third division, Hércules finished second, being subsequently promoted to the second level. After posting three consecutive solid seasons, the club would narrowly miss on a return to the top division in 2008–09, finishing fourth, three points behind last-promotee CD Tenerife.
2009–10 saw Hércules promoted back into the top flight after 13 years, in dramatic fashion: losing 1–0 at half time to Rayo Vallecano, the team fought back to win 2–1 in the penultimate game of the season and leap frog Real Betis into third place. In the last round, a 2–0 win at relegation-threatened Real Unión guaranteed the promotion, with the 4–0 win of Betis against Levante UD eventually counting for nothing (all three teams – Levante, Hércules and Betis – ended with the same number of points).
In 2010–11, one year, three months and 19 days after FC Barcelona's last home defeat in the league, Hércules recorded a shock 2–0 win at the Camp Nou, thanks to a brace from Paraguayan Nelson Valdez.[1] Barça had won their last 11 home matches, scored at least three times in each of their last six league fixtures and were protecting a 17-game unbeaten streak. Amazingly, however, this was the Alicante outfit’s third successive win over the Catalan side, having won both meetings in their last league campaign 14 years ago.[2] After a solid first round of 19 matches, the team slumped in the table, eventually ranking in 19th position for an immediate relegation back.
Season to season
Current squad
The numbers are established according to the official website:www.herculescf.es and www.lfp.es
As of 8 September, 2011.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Notable players
see also Category:Hércules CF footballers
Former coaches
- Alejandro Finning (1930–31)
- Walter Harris (1931–33)
- Lippo Hertzka (1932–34)
- Manuel Suárez (1933–36)
- Luis Surruca (1939)
- Francisco Gamborena (1939–40)
- José Quirante (1939–40)
- Manuel Olivares (1940–42)
- Mauri Urgartemendia (1941–42)
- Manolo Maciá (1943–44)
- Francisco Pagaza (1944–46)
- Luis Urquiri (1945–48)
- Gaspar Rubio (1948–50)
- Antonio Bonet (1950–51)
- Mundo (1951–52)
- Gaspar Rubio (1952–53)
- La Riva (1952–53)
- Llopis (1952–53)
- Pina (1952–53)
- Amadeo Sánchez (1953–54)
- Patricio Caicedo (1954–56)
- José Iraragorri (1955–56)
- Amadeo Sánchez (1956–57)
- Gallart (1957–58)
- Echezarreta (1958–59)
- Sierra (1958–59)
- Álvaro Pérez (1959–60)
- Satur Grech (1960–61)
- Diego Lozano (1961–62)
- Carlos Iturraspe (1961–63)
- José Bermúdez (1962–65)
- Pepe Millán (1964–65)
- Luis Belló (1965–66)
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See also
References
External links
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Hércules Club de Fútbol
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History · Players · Managers · Presidents · Seasons · Statistics · Current season
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| Other teams |
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| Home stadium |
La Florida (1928–1932) · Bardín (1932–1954) · La Viña (1954–1974) · José Rico Pérez (1974–) |
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| Training ground |
Campo de Fontcalent
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| Related articles |
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