- Pontevedra CF
Infobox Football club
clubname = Pontevedra
fullname = Pontevedra Club de Fútbol SAD
nickname = "Pontevedriña, Ponte, Granates"
founded = 1941
ground = Pasarón
Pontevedra , Galicia
capacity = 7,500 at present (12,500 planned)
opened =1956 -2007
chairman = flagicon|Spain Saturnino Mirón
mgrtitle = Manager
manager = flagicon|SpainRafa Sáez
league = 2ªB - Group 1
season = 2007-08
position = 2ªB - Group 1 2nd
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=
leftarm1=660000|body1=660000|rightarm1=660000|shorts1=00529F|socks1=660000
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=CDC9C9|body2=CDC9C9|rightarm2=CDC9C9|shorts2=CDC9C9|socks2=00529FPontevedra Club de Fútbol is a professional football team based in Pontevedra (Galicia). It was founded in 1941. The club currently plays in the Spanish Segunda División B - Group 1. Having enjoyed its heyday in the 1960s - even reaching the Spanish First Division - Pontevedra C.F. has been playing in the lower divisions for years.
The stated main goal of the club at present is to promote to the Second Division. Last time Pontevedra C.F. played in the so-called "Silver Category" was in the 2004/05 season. Since then it has qualified for the promotion playoffs for the last three consecutive seasons, always failing to go through.
History
The "Pontevedra Club de Fútbol" was founded in 1941 following the merge of the two top teams in the city at that moment: the "Eiriña" and the "Alfonso C.F." The first president of the new club was Fernando Ponte Conde.
Pontevedra C.F. promoted to the First Division in 1963, but was relegated a year after. Still, it managed to play again in the top flight between 1965 and 1970. This is the time when the fans coined the motto "Hai que roelo",The closest English idiom for "Hai que roelo" would possibly be "you have to bite the bullet". That is to say, "you have to bite the bullet if you want to defeat Pontevedra". A literal translation would be "one has to gnaw it".] in reference to the difficulties rival teams had when playing this strong Pontevedra side. In those years Pontevedra achieved a famous 7th place in 1966 and 8th in 1968. Midfielder Martín-Esperanza and forwards Neme and Roldán were among the stars of this era. The years after that saw Pontevedra relegated and struggling in lower categories, until today.
On 23 January 2007, the club was transformed into a "Sociedade Anónima Deportiva" (Sporting
Joint stock company ), as required by Spanish law. This was a general measure introduced in order to revitalise the financial situation of professional football clubs. Yet, some risked disappearance as they could not face the cost involved in this transformation from "private" to "stock company". ["Ley del Deporte 10/1990", 15 October 1990] ["Real Decreto 1251/1999", 16 July 1999, on "Sociedades Anónimas Deportivas"] In the case of Pontevedra C.F. this was made possible after the current president, Nino Mirón, had purchased 52 per cent of the stock options. Since then the club added the letters "S.A.D." to its official name.Colours and crest
The traditional colours of Pontevedra C.F. are burgundy shirt, blue shorts and burgundy socks. However, during certain periods white shorts and blue socks were also used, and even a blue and burgundy ribboned shirt for a short period of time. The current colours are the traditional: burgundy shirt, blue shorts and burgundy socks, with the crest of the club on the left upper part of the shirt. The name of the sponsor (if any) is normally placed in the centre of the shirt.
The crest is a fusion between the coat of arms of the city of
Pontevedra and a football ball, displaying the name of the city/club and the letters "CF".The club has an official mascot called Roélio, a walking bone dressed in the club colours. The bone is a reference to the "Hai que roelo" motto ("roer" literally means "to gnaw").
tadium
Pontevedra C.F. plays at the
Estadio Municipal de Pasarón , or simply "Pasarón". It was built in 1956 and was partially refitted for the1982 FIFA World Cup celebrated in Spain. Pasarón did not hold any actual games of the World Cup, but it benefited from the general funds allocated to the refurbishment of football stadiums. The stadium used to have a capacity for 16,500, including standing spectators. However, new sporting regulations dictate that all attendants must be seated and, therefore, the stadium is currently under re-construction. Regardless, Pasarón was also in need of a general refurbishment, overdue since 1982. The works are expected to be completed by mid 2009. At the moment it temporarily hosts only 7,500. It is planned that when finished it will seat 12,500 people.The playing field measures 105x66 metres.
Pasarón is located in the north side of the city (north to
Lérez River ), namely at Rua de Luis Otero s/n, 36005Pontevedra . The stadium is owned by the local city council, the [http://www.pontevedra.eu Concello de Pontevedra] .Current squad
Seasons
*2003/2004:
Segunda División B "1st" - Play-Off - Promoted to Second Division
*2004/2005:Segunda División "22nd - Relegated"
*2005/2006:Segunda División B "2nd - Play-Off - Not Promoted"
*2006/2007:Segunda División B "1st - Play-Off - Not Promoted"
*2007/2008:Segunda División B "2nd - Play-Off - Not Promoted"
*2008/2009:Segunda División B ------------------
*6 seasons in "La Liga "
*9 seasons in "Segunda División "
*27 seasons in "Segunda División B "
*22 seasons in "Tercera División "Achievements
*
Segunda División : Champions twice in the 1962/63 and 1964/65 seasons
*Segunda División B : Champions twice in the 2003/04 and 2006/07 seasons
*Tercera División : Champions seven times: 1946/47, 1947/48, 1959/60, 1975/76, 1981/82, 1982/83, 1983/84
* Copa RFEF: Champions in 2007
* Best results inLa Liga : 7th in 1966 and 8th in 1968.Famous Players
"see also cl|Pontevedra CF footballers"
External links
* [http://www.pontevedracf.com Pontevedra C.F. Official Website]
* [http://www.pontevedracf.net/ Unofficial site] , dedicated to the Pontevedra C.F.
* [http://foro.pontevedracf.net/ Unofficial Pontevedra C.F. forum]
* [http://furyagranate.blogspot.com/ Blog of "Furya Granate"] (Pontevedra C.F. "ultras ")
* [http://www.furyagranate.com/index.php Main site of "Furya Granate"]Notes
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