Manel (footballer, born 1973) explained

Manel
Fullname:Manel Martínez Fernández
Birth Date:3 November 1973
Birth Place:Ripollet, Spain
Position:Centre-forward
Youthclubs1:Sabadell
Years1:1992–1995
Years2:1995–1999
Years3:2000–2003
Years4:2001
Years5:2002–2003
Years6:2004
Years7:2004–2006
Years8:2006–2007
Years9:2007–2008
Years10:2008
Clubs4:Sporting Gijón (loan)
Clubs5:Sporting Gijón (loan)
Clubs8:Sabadell
Clubs9:Ibiza-Eivissa
Clubs10:Lorca Deportiva
Caps1:35
Caps2:164
Caps3:20
Caps4:19
Caps5:33
Caps6:15
Caps7:34
Caps9:18
Caps10:15
Totalcaps:353
Goals1:15
Goals2:77
Goals3:3
Goals4:11
Goals5:3
Goals6:3
Goals7:6
Goals9:3
Goals10:5
Totalgoals:126

Manel Martínez Fernández (born 3 November 1973), known simply as Manel, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a centre-forward.

During his extensive career, he was mainly associated to Logroñés.[1]

Club career

Born in Ripollet, Barcelona, Catalonia, Manel started his career with local CE Sabadell FC, signing for CD Logroñés in 1995 and scoring 27 Segunda División goals in his first year, with La Liga promotion. In the following season the Riojan side were relegated again, but he proceeded to add a further 44 goals over the next three second-tier campaigns, being one of the club's all-time best.[1]

Manel then moved between RCD Espanyol (appearing rarely) and Sporting de Gijón in the following seasons.[1] He also had a brief spell abroad with Derby County,[2] scoring three times in 16 competitive games including twice in a 5–1 home rout of Preston North End in the Football League Championship.[3] [4]

Returning home in May 2004,[5] Manel successively represented CF Badalona, Sabadell, UD Ibiza-Eivissa and Lorca Deportiva CF. After retiring in 2009, having totalled 239 matches in the two top divisions of Spanish football with 96 goals, he joined UE Sant Andreu – also in his native region – as a youth coach.[1]

Notes and References

  1. News: Qué fue de… Manel: aquel último año del Logroñés en Primera. What happened to… Manel: that last year of Logroñés in Primera. 20 minutos. Edu. Casado. es. 27 August 2015. 1 October 2017.
  2. Web site: Burley boosted by Manel. BBC Sport. 23 February 2004. 19 May 2010.
  3. Web site: Derby 5–1 Preston. BBC Sport. 17 April 2004. 19 May 2010.
  4. Web site: Feature: A recent history of Spanish Rams. Derby County F.C. 29 July 2015. 12 July 2018.
  5. Web site: Derby duo sign contracts. BBC Sport. 12 May 2004. 19 May 2010.