Sporting de Gijón facts for kids
 |
||||
| Full name | Real Sporting de Gijón, S.A.D. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Rojiblancos (Red-and-Whites) | |||
| Short name | RSG, Sporting | |||
| Founded | 1 July 1905 (as Sporting Gijonés) | |||
| Ground | Estadio Municipal El Molinón – Enrique Castro "Quini" | |||
| Capacity | 29,371 | |||
| Owner | Grupo Orlegi | |||
| President | Alejandro Irarragorri | |||
| Head coach | Rubén Albés | |||
| League | Segunda División | |||
| 2022–23 | Segunda División, 17th of 22 | |||
|
||||
Real Sporting de Gijón is a professional football club from Gijón, Principality of Asturias, Spain. It was started on July 1, 1905. The team plays in the Segunda División, which is the second-highest football league in Spain.
The club is known as Los Rojiblancos because of their red and white striped jerseys. Their home stadium is El Molinón, which is the oldest professional football ground in Spain. It has been used since at least 1908. The team's traditional uniform includes red and white shirts, blue shorts, and blue socks. In the Asturian language, the club's name is Real Sporting de Xixón.
Sporting Gijón had its most successful years in the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, they finished second in 1978–79 La Liga and reached the finals of the Copa del Rey (Spain's main cup competition) twice, in 1981 and 1982. Sporting Gijón is one of only nine Spanish teams that have always played in the top two divisions. Their main rivals are Real Oviedo, a team from a nearby city.
Contents
- History of Sporting Gijón
- Club Colors and Crest
- Home Stadium: El Molinón
- The Academy: Mareo's Young Stars
- Amazing Fans: La Mareona
- Club Rivals
- Club Achievements
- Sporting Gijón in European Competitions
- Meet the Players
- Club Staff
- Club Management and Money
- Women's Team
- Other Sports Sections
- See Also
- Images for kids
History of Sporting Gijón
Early Years: 1905-1940
The club began in 1905 as Sporting Gijonés. Anselmo López was the first president. Their first game was on August 18, 1907, against Sport Ovetense. Other local clubs declined, making Sporting Gijonés the main team in the city.
In 1912, King Alfonso XIII gave his royal support to the club. This added "Real" (meaning Royal) to their name, changing it to Real Sporting Club Gijonés.
Sporting Gijón won its first regional championship in Asturias in 1914. Two years later, they started the process to buy El Molinón stadium, where they had been playing since 1915. On April 2, 1916, the club officially became Real Sporting de Gijón. Because they won the regional championship, they played in the Copa del Rey for the first time on April 24, 1917. They were knocked out in the first round.
On October 9, 1921, Manolo Meana became the first Sporting Gijón player to join the Spanish national team. In 1929, Sporting Gijón joined the Segunda División. In their first season, they finished fourth.
The Real Gijón Era: 1940-1970
From 1940 to 1970, the club was called Real Gijón. This was because of a rule that stopped football clubs from using foreign words in their names.
In 1944, the club was promoted to La Liga, Spain's top league, for the first time. They won the Segunda División championship that year. Their first game in the top league was on September 24, 1944, against Español. It ended in a 0-0 draw.
Sporting Gijón spent the 1960s mostly in the Segunda División. In the 1960–61 season, they were almost relegated to the third division. However, another team quit, giving Sporting a second chance. In a playoff game, the winner was decided by a coin toss. Captain Pepe Ortiz won the toss, and Sporting stayed in the second division.
Golden Years and European Adventures: 1970-1992
In 1970, the club got its "Sporting" name back. This marked the start of their best period. Even after being relegated in 1975, they quickly returned to La Liga.
In the 1977–78 season, Sporting Gijón started strong, going eight games without a loss. They finished fifth, which meant they qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time.
Players like Quini, Cundi, Enzo Ferrero, and Antonio Maceda made history in the 1978–79 season. This is seen as the club's best season ever. They started their UEFA Cup journey by beating Torino 3-0 at El Molinón. They were later knocked out by Red Star Belgrade. In La Liga, they were tied for first place at halftime with Real Madrid. However, a 0-1 loss to Real Madrid ended their hopes of winning the league title.
In 1981, Sporting played in the Copa del Rey Final for the first time. They lost 1-3 to Barcelona. Interestingly, Quini, a former Sporting Gijón star, scored two goals for Barcelona in that match. Sporting reached the final again in 1982, but lost 1-2 to Real Madrid.
During the 1980s, Sporting played in the UEFA Cup four more times but always lost in the first round. On September 16, 1987, they won the first game against AC Milan, led by Arrigo Sacchi. However, a 0-3 loss in Italy ended their run. In the season before, Sporting beat Barcelona 4-0 at Camp Nou. This was their biggest away win in La Liga history.
The club's last UEFA Cup appearance was in the 1991–92 season. They beat Partizan after a penalty shootout but then lost to Steaua București. On October 6, 1992, Sporting Gijón played its 1,000th game in La Liga.
Challenges and Changes: 1992-2008
In 1992, Real Sporting de Gijón became a sports company, officially named Real Sporting de Gijón, S.A.D. Financial problems and important players leaving led to the club's decline. They started finishing in lower positions in La Liga. In the 1994–95 season, they avoided relegation by winning a playoff. But three years later, after a very bad 1997–98 season where they only got 13 points, the club was relegated to the Segunda División. This ended their 21 continuous years in La Liga.
The club faced serious financial issues in the 2000s and was almost shut down. They had to sell their training ground, Escuela de Fútbol de Mareo, to the city for €12 million in 2001. In the 2003–04 season, despite selling star player David Villa, they almost got promoted back to La Liga, finishing fifth. With €51 million in debt, Sporting was close to being forced into a lower league at the end of the 2004–05 season.
Back to La Liga: 2008-2012
With Manuel Preciado as coach since 2006, the 2007–08 season started with nine games unbeaten. On June 15, 2008, the club finally earned promotion back to La Liga by beating Eibar 2-0 in the last game.
In their first season back, 2008–09, Sporting let in many goals early on. However, they got important wins, like 3-2 against Valencia and 1-0 against Sevilla. They avoided relegation on the last day by winning 2-1 against Recreativo de Huelva.
On April 2, 2011, Sporting beat Real Madrid 1-0 at their home stadium, Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. This ended Real manager José Mourinho's nine-year unbeaten home league run. The 2010–11 season was the club's best since their promotion, as they finished 10th.
The 2011–12 season started poorly, with no wins in the first eight games. The team stayed in the relegation zone for most of the season. On January 31, 2012, after a 1-5 loss, coach Manolo Preciado was fired. Javier Clemente took over, but the team was still relegated, leading to new financial problems.
Young Talent and New Challenges: 2014-2022
On May 4, 2014, Abelardo Fernández became the new coach. In his first season, he couldn't get Gijón promoted, losing in the playoffs.
However, Abelardo signed a new two-year contract. Sporting was not allowed to sign new players from outside their reserve team in the 2014–15 season due to unpaid debts. Despite this, Sporting returned to La Liga with a team mostly made of players from their youth academy. They only lost two games all season. They were promoted on the last day by beating Real Betis 3-0.
In their comeback season, Sporting faced the same player signing restrictions. They could only loan three young players.
The season started with a 0-0 draw against Real Madrid. Sporting got important wins, including 1-0 at Mestalla, 2-1 against Atlético Madrid, and 5-1 against Real Sociedad. They avoided relegation on the last day by beating Villarreal 2-0. Abelardo left the club in January 2017. Despite a new manager, the club was relegated again to the Segunda División.
In the following years, Sporting stayed in the Segunda División. They only made the promotion playoffs in 2018. The club continued to struggle until 2022, when Abelardo returned for the last four games to help them avoid relegation to the third division.
New Owners, New Era: 2022-Present
On June 28, 2022, the club's main owner, Javier Fernández, sold the club to the Mexican group Orlegi Sports for €43 million. This was the second-highest sale of a club in Spain. Alejandro Irarragorri became the first foreign President of the club.
After two seasons where they barely avoided relegation, Sporting Gijón qualified for the promotion playoffs to La Liga in 2024. However, they were eliminated in the first round by Espanyol.
Club Colors and Crest
Real Sporting de Gijón has worn red and white striped jerseys since the club started. They were the first Spanish team to wear these colors. Both Athletic Bilbao and Atlético Madrid wore blue and white until 1909. The red and white colors come from the official flag of Gijón. This flag is based on the maritime flag of Gijón from 1845.
The color of the shorts used to change between blue and white. In the 1910s, blue became the official color for the shorts of the first kit.
Today, Sporting wears blue shorts and socks. But until the 1980s, they wore black socks. In the 1990s, Sporting wore white shorts and socks. However, fans voted to bring back the traditional blue.
Like many old football clubs, Real Sporting de Gijón did not have a badge on their shirts at first. Their first official badge was introduced in the 1920s. It was a shield divided into three parts, showing the club and the city.
From 1931 to 1936, during the Spanish Second Republic, the badge changed. The royal crown at the top was replaced with a mural crown.
The club's current badge is a triangle with red and white vertical stripes. It has a gold 'S' (for Sporting) and 'G' (for Gijón) intertwined. A crown on top shows the club's royal patronage.
The club's official flag has nine equal horizontal stripes. Red stripes are at the top and bottom, alternating with white stripes. The club logo is in the center.
What Do the Kits Look Like?
|
|
Home Stadium: El Molinón
El Molinón is the home stadium for Sporting de Gijón. It can hold 29,371 fans.
Even though the stadium existed since at least 1908, Sporting didn't start using it until 1915. Before that, the club played in different areas of the city. These included San Lorenzo beach, Prau Redondu, La Matona, and La Flor de Valencia.
In 2018, the stadium was renamed El Molinón-Enrique Castro "Quini". This was done to honor Quini, the club's all-time top scorer, after he passed away.
The Academy: Mareo's Young Stars
The Escuela de Fútbol de Mareo is Sporting de Gijón's training ground and youth academy. It opened on March 28, 1978. The club's main offices are also located there.
Mareo is about 7 km from the city center and covers 112,000 square meters. It is used for training and for matches played by the youth teams. The facilities include eight pitches, a service building with dining areas, a gym, and a medical center. The main pitch, where the reserve team plays, is called Campo Pepe Ortiz. It can hold 3,000 people.
Mareo is known for producing many talented players, called cantera players. Famous international players who grew up there include Eloy, Ablanedo, Luis Enrique, Abelardo, Manjarín, Juanele, and David Villa. David Villa was a World Champion with the Spain national team in 2010.
Sporting Gijón also has a second academy in Logroño, which is also called Mareo.
Amazing Fans: La Mareona
Sporting de Gijón fans call themselves Sportinguistas. They are known for being very loyal, traveling well, and creating a great atmosphere at games. When large groups of fans follow the team, they are called La Mareona, which means The Big Tide. This group is mainly made up of 240 fan clubs, or peñas.
About 300,000 fans celebrated when Sporting was promoted in June 2008.
In the 2015–16 season, Sporting had 23,400 season ticket holders. This number grew to 24,078 in August 2016. In the 2017–18 season, they reached 24,402 season tickets, even after being relegated the season before.
Club Rivals
Sporting de Gijón's biggest rival is Real Oviedo. Their matches are known as the Asturian derby.
Club Achievements
National Titles
- La Liga:
- Runners-up: 1978–79
- Copa del Rey:
- Runners-up: 1981, 1982
- Segunda División:
- Winners: 1943–44, 1950–51, 1956–57, 1969–70, 1976–77
- Runners-up: 1929–30, 2014–15
Top Scorers and Goalkeepers
- Pichichi Trophy (Top Scorer):
- La Liga (top division): Quini (3 times: 1973–74, 1975–76, 1979–80)
- Segunda División (second division): Ricardo (1956–57), Solabarrieta (1966–67), Quini (2 times: 1969–70, 1976–77)
- Zamora Trophy (Best Goalkeeper):
- La Liga (top division): Ablanedo II (3 times: 1984–85, 1985–86, 1989–90)
- Segunda División (second division): Roberto (2005–06), Cuéllar (2014–15)
Sporting de Gijón has played:
- 42 seasons in La Liga
- 52 seasons in Segunda División
Sporting Gijón in European Competitions
Sporting de Gijón has played in the UEFA Cup six times. They only made it past the first round twice.
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Agg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978–79 | UEFA Cup | R64 |  Torino |
3–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 |
| R32 |  Red Star Belgrade |
0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | ||
| 1979–80 | R64 |  PSV Eindhoven |
0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | |
| 1980–81 | R64 |  Bohemians |
2–1 | 1–3 | 3–4 | |
| 1985–86 | R64 |  Köln |
1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | |
| 1987–88 | R64 | Milan |
1–0 | 0–3 | 1–3 | |
| 1991–92 | R64 | Partizan |
2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | |
| R32 |  Steaua București |
2–2 | 0–1 | 2–3 |
Meet the Players
Current Team Squad
|
|
Reserve Team Players
|
|
Players on Loan
|
Club Staff
Current Technical Staff
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Rubén Albés |
| Assistant coaches | Toni Madrigal |
| Technical assistant | Iván Cabezudo |
| Analysts | Caco Morán Carlos Hernández |
| Delegate | Mario Cotelo |
| Goalkeeping coach | Jorge Sariego |
| Fitness coaches | Pablo Gómez |
| Chief doctor | Antonio Maestro |
| Club doctors |  Odín Vite |
| Physiotherapists | César Castaño Pablo del Fueyo Pelayo Merediz |
| Masseur | Diego Lobelle |
| Nutritionist | Beatriz Manchón |
| Podologist | Benjamín Arnáiz |
| Kit men | Jorge Luis García Pablo Caso |
Club Management and Money
Board of Directors
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| President | Alejandro Irarragorri |
| Executive presidente | David Guerra |
| Director of Football | Gerardo García |
| Club Ambassador | Joaquín Alonso |
Club Budgets
| Season | Division | Budget (€) |
|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | Segunda | 14,099,300.00 |
| 2014–15 | Segunda | 11,884,180.00 |
| 2015–16 | La Liga | 31,278,634.45 |
| 2016–17 | La Liga | 43,785,450.00 |
| 2017–18 | Segunda | 23,286,465.00 |
| 2018–19 | Segunda | 24,138,980.00 |
| 2019–20 | Segunda | 23,772,801.00 |
| 2020–21 | Segunda | 20,851,230.00 |
Club Leaders (Presidents)
Until 1992
- Anselmo López Sánchez (1905–1915)
- Fernando Fernández Quirós Suárez (1905–1917)
- Manuel Ignacio González Rivera (1917–1919)
- Enrique Martínez (1919–1921)
- Ismael Figaredo Herrero (1921–1928)
- Roberto González de Anda(1928–1930)
- Pedro Portillo (1930–1934)
- Emilio García (1934–1935)
- Félix García (1935–1938)
- Pedro González del Río (1938–1940)
- Secundino Fernández (1940–1945)
- Juan Velasco (1945–1946)
- Jesús Fernández Hernández (1946–1947)
- José María Fernández Álvarez (1946–1947)
- Secundino Fernández (2) (1948–1949)
- Paulino Palacios (1949–1954)
- Joaquín Alonso Díaz (1954–1955)
- Eustaquio González (1955–1957)
- Alejandro Vidal (1957–1959)
- Ramón Gómez Lozano (1959–1960)
- Aurelio Menéndez González (1960–1961)
- Francisco Quirós Rodríguez (1961)
- Víctor Manuel Suarez Díaz (1967–1968)
- Antonio Ruiz (1967–1968)
- Carlos Méndez Cuevas (1968–1973)
- Ángel Vallejo (1973–1977)
- Manuel Vega-Arango Alvaré (1977–1986)
- Ramón Muñoz Fernández (1986–1989)
- Plácido Rodríguez Guerrero (1989–1992)
Since 1992 (as a Sports Company)
- With Fernández family as owners
- Eloy Calvo Capellín (1992–1994)
- Manuel Calvo Pumpido (1994)
- José Fernández Álvarez (1994–1997)
- Ángel García Flórez (1997–1998)
- Germán Ojeda Gutiérrez (1998–1999)
- Juan Manuel Pérez Arango (1999–2002)
- Manuel Vega-Arango Alvaré (2) (2002–2013)
- Antonio Veiga Suárez (2013–2016)
- Javier Fernández Rodríguez (2016–2022)
- With Orlegi Sports as owners
- Alejandro Carlos Irarragorri Gutiérrez (2022–present)
Women's Team
Sporting Gijón's women's team started in 1995 as EF Mareo. It officially became part of the club in 2016. The team currently plays in the third division, called Segunda Federación.
Other Sports Sections
In the past, Sporting Gijón also had teams for athletics, handball, and rugby union.
See Also
In Spanish: Real Sporting de Gijón para niños
- Sporting de Gijón B – Sporting de Gijón's farm team.
- Trofeo Villa de Gijón
Images for kids
-
Logo during Real Gijón era.
-
Quini, Sporting's all-time top scorer, was one of the club's best players during their golden years.
-
Football players celebrate with their fans the club's return to top-flight, 15 June 2008
-
Deportivo de La Coruña vs. Sporting de Gijón.
-
Chart of Sporting Gijón league performance 1929-2023
