Josep Espada
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Josep Espada i Virgós | ||
| Date of birth | 7 June 1912 | ||
| Place of birth | Palafrugell, Catalonia, Spain | ||
| Date of death | 7 October 1989 (aged 77) | ||
| Place of death | Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1926–1928 | Palafrugell | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1928–1934 | Palafrugell | ||
| 1934–1937 | Espanyol | ||
| 1940 | UE Llevant-Gimnàstic | ||
| 1940–1943 | Girona | ||
| 1943–1945 | Espanyol | ||
| 1944–1945 | → Constància (on loan) | ||
| 1945–1947 | Reus Deportiu | ||
| International career | |||
| 1934–1935 | Catalonia | 4 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1947–1949 | Espanyol | ||
| 1949–1951 | CD Alcoyano | ||
| 1951–1952 | Granada | ||
| 1952–1953 | Girona | ||
| 1955–1957 | Espanyol | ||
| 1957–1959 | Tenerife | ||
| 1959–1961 | Terrassa | ||
| 1961–1962 | Club León | ||
| 1966 | Espanyol | ||
| 1969–70 | Olot | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Josep Espada Virgós (7 June 1912 – 7 October 1989) was a Spanish footballer who played as a midfielder for Palafrugell and Espanyol.[1][2][3] He was also international with the Catalan national team during the 1930s.[1]
After retiring, he became a coach, taking charge of the likes of Espanyol, Granada, Girona, and Terrassa.[1][4]
Club career
Born on 7 June 1912 in Palafrugell, Espada began playing football in the youth ranks of his hometown club FC Palafrugell in 1926, aged 14, before making his senior debut two years later, in 1928.[5] He stayed loyal to Palafrugell for six years, playing in the first-tier Catalan championship in the early 1930s.[3] He soon stood out as a right midfielder, thanks to his great skill and dribbling, thus becoming a highly valued player sought after by the big clubs, including FC Barcelona,[6] but in the end, however, he signed for Espanyol,[1][3][7] remaining there until the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936.[1]
After the War, Espada played for Levante-Gimnástico (1940)[1][8] and Girona FC (1940–43), before returning to Espanyol for two more seasons between 1943 and 1945.[1] In total, he played 103 official matches for Espanyol, including 9 goals in 49 La Liga games.[1][3]
In 1944, Espanyol decided to loan him to CE Constància, where he was relegated to the Tercera Division,[2] and then in 1945, they loaned him to Reus Deportiu as a player-coach, where he would keep a close eye on promising players such as Abraham Carnicero, Antonio Segarra, Diego, and José Artigas, all of whom ended up in the first Espanyol team.[1][5][9]
International career
On 29 June 1934, Espada made his debut for the Catalan national team in a charity match against Athletic Bilbao, scoring once to help his side to a 5–1 win.[10] During this match, Espada's performance impressed Oliveras de la Riva, who took him to Espanyol.[10] A few months later, on 1 January 1935, Espada started for Espanyol in a match against Catalonia, scoring a late equalizer to seal a 3–3 draw.[11]