CD Mensajero

Club Deportivo Mensajero is a Spanish football team based in Santa Cruz de la Palma, in the autonomous community of Canary Islands. Founded on 6 January 1922, it plays in Segunda Federación – Group 5, holding home games at Nuevo Estadio Silvestre Carrillo, with a capacity of 6,000 spectators.

Mensajero
Full nameClub Deportivo Mensajero
Nickname(s)Mensa
Rojinegros
Plumas Rojas
Los del Barranco de los Dolores
Founded1 June 1922; 102 years ago (1922-06-01)
GroundSilvestre Carrillo,
Santa Cruz, La Palma, Canary Islands,
Spain
Capacity6,000
PresidentVíctor Francisco
Head coachMingo Oramas
LeagueSegunda Federación – Group 5
2022–23Tercera Federación – Group 12, 1st of 16 (champions)

History

Mensajero's history can be traced to 1922 when a group of friends in Santa Cruz de la Palma formed a youth team. It was not until 1939 that a senior club was established but, with a formation date in 1922, after an excision of players from Tenisca. The first president was Silvestre Carrillo, with two team stadia eventually being dedicated to him.

The club spent roughly 70 years playing at regional level, with various degrees of success. It won the fourth division title for the Canary Islands in 1985, arriving at the national stage seven years later, after winning promotion to the third level.

During the following ten seasons, Mensajero appeared twice in the playoffs: in the 1994–95 campaign, after 22 wins in the regular season, the promotion group consisted of Córdoba CF, CD Castellón and Sestao Sport Club; after a 6–1 home win against the second team, it entered the last round with chances of being promoted, but lost 1–3 at the Andalusians.

In 1999–2000, Mensajero finished fourth after winning 19 out of 38 in the first stage, the highlights being home wins against Caudal Deportivo (7–0, home) and Sporting de Gijón B (5–1, away). In the playoffs, it could only collect one point in six matches, against Burgos CF, Granada CF and Real Murcia.

The expense of running a relatively small club at a national level began to take its toll and with dramatic cuts in funding, Mensajero was relegated at the end of the 2001–02 season, 11 points behind the penultimate team, CD Onda, and 18 points from the safety zone. Two years later, they dropped down to the regional leagues, vacated Silvestre Carrillo grounds and set up home at the Municipal Estadio Bajamar, sharing it with neighbouring SD Tenisca.

After its grounds' improvements were finished, Mensajero returned home for the end of the 2006–07 season, before gaining promotion back to level four in June 2008 and later back to level three in June 2015. In the 2015-16 season the club managed to retain its place in Tercera División, finished 13th, 4 points away from relegation zone.[1]

Season to season

SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey
1948–4952ª Reg.3rd
1949–5052ª Reg.3rd
1950–5152ª Reg.
1951–5252ª Reg.4th
1952–5352ª Reg.1st
1953–5452ª Reg.1st
1954–5541ª Reg.4th
1955–5641ª Reg.2nd
1956–5741ª Reg.(R)
1957–5841ª Reg.1st
1958–5941ª Reg.1st
1959–6041ª Reg.3rd
1960–6141ª Reg.1st
1961–6241ª Reg.2nd
1962–6341ª Reg.1st
1963–6441ª Reg.4th
1964–6541ª Reg.8th
1965–6641ª Reg.5th
1966–6741ª Reg.5th
1967–6841ª Reg.8th
SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey
1968–6941ª Reg.6th
1969–7041ª Reg.6th
1970–7141ª Reg.2nd
1971–7241ª Reg.6th
1972–7341ª Reg.6th
1973–7441ª Reg.5th
1974–7541ª Reg.9th
1975–7641ª Reg.12th
1976–7752ª Reg.3rd
1977–7872ª Reg.2nd
1978–7961ª Reg.12th
1979–8061ª Reg.1st
1980–815Reg. Pref.2nd
1981–82418th
1982–835Reg. Pref.2nd
1983–8442nd
1984–8541stFirst round
1985–8643rdThird round
1986–8745thSecond round
1987–8846thSecond round
SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey
1988–8947th
1989–90412th
1990–9142nd
1991–9242ndSecond round
1992–9332ª B11thSecond round
1993–9432ª B9thThird round
1994–9532ª B2ndThird round
1995–9632ª B7thFirst round
1996–9732ª B8thFirst round
1997–9832ª B16th
1998–9932ª B6th
1999–200032ª B4th
2000–0132ª B10thRound of 64
2001–0232ª B20th
2001–02411th
2003–04416th
2004–05411th
2005–06419th
2006–075Int. Pref.8th
2007–085Int. Pref.2nd
SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Rey
2008–0944th
2009–1045th
2010–11413th
2011–12413th
2012–1345th
2013–1443rd
2014–1541st
2015–1632ª B13thSecond round
2016–1732ª B17th
2017–1842nd
2018–1942ndFirst round
2019–20412thSecond round
2020–2141st / 1st
2021–2242ª RFEF14thFirst round
2022–2353ª Fed.1st
2023–2442ª Fed.First round

Current squad

As of 13 March 2017

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos. NationPlayer
MF  ESPRayco
MF  ESPMatías Dumpiérrez
MF  ARGVianney Nieto
MF  ESPOmar Fleitas
MF  MARKamal
FW  ESPYeray
FW  ESPÁlex Cruz
FW  ESPBorja Rubiato
FW  ESPNacho Rodríguez
FW  ESPAle González
FW  ESPDylan Hernández

Stadium

Silvestre Carrillo Stadium

Mensajero play at Nuevo Estadio Silvestre Carrillo. Lying at the head of a valley close to the centre of Santa Cruz de la Palma, the stadium was extensively rebuilt from 2003 to 2007. Due to the steep valley-side to the south side of the pitch and the sheer drop to the north, the majority of the seating has always been found at either end of the stadium. Prior to the redevelopment in 2003, there was a covered stand at the east end of the ground. A narrow strip of terracing ran along the north side of the pitch, which joined the terrace behind the west end goal.

Following redevelopment, the basic orientation of the stadium remained unchanged. There is however, a more substantial area of seating behind the east goal and this now arcs around to the north side. The east end no longer features a roof, something, which the original redevelopment plan included, but due to the financial difficulties that the club experienced, the project was scaled down. The north terrace tapers away to a single line of seating as you head to the west. The West terrace remains relatively unaltered from the original stadium. The players changing facilities are found in a single storey building on the south side of the pitch.

Local derbies

Mensajero's historic rival is SD Tenisca. Since the reorganisation of Tercera División in 1977, the clubs have met in the league on 28 occasions, with six wins for each side and 16 draws.

In 1983, both teams played a league match that was considered to be one of the most violent in the history of Spanish football.[2]

References