Francisco Vidagany Hernández (born 19 October 1940) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a left back.

Francisco Vidagany
Personal information
Full name Francisco Vidagany Hernández
Date of birth (1940-10-19) 19 October 1940 (age 83)
Place of birth Valencia, Spain
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Left back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1961–1964 Mestalla 42 (1)
1964–1974 Mestalla 181 (1)
1974–1975 Castellón 6 (0)
Total 229 (2)
International career
1969 Spain 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He spent the great majority of his career with his hometown club Valencia in La Liga, playing 245 matches across all competitions.[1] He won the league title in 1970–71. Vidagany played four games for Spain, all in 1969.

Club career

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Born in Valencia, Vidagany began his career at local Valencia CF, playing first for the reserve team Mestalla in the Segunda División. He made his first-team debut in La Liga on 16 February 1964 in a 1–0 home win over Elche.[2] On 24 June he played the final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, which his team lost 2–1 to compatriots Real Zaragoza at the Camp Nou.[3]

Vidagany's only two goals for the Che team came in 1964–65. On 8 October he scored in a 3–1 loss away to Belgium's RFC Liège in the first round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, a minute either side of goals by opponent Henri Depireux.[4] On 27 December he scored his only top-flight goal, the game's only at home to Deportivo de La Coruña.[5]

On 2 February 1966, in the last 16 of the Fairs Cup away to Leeds United, Vidagany was involved in a fight with opponent Jack Charlton which resulted in both defenders being sent off.[6]

Vidagany was part of the Valencia squad that won the league title in 1970–71 under manager Alfredo Di Stéfano.[7] He then played in the Copa del Generalísimo final, which his club lost 4–3 to Barcelona after extra time.[8]

In August 1974, Vidagany transferred to second-tier Castellón also in the Valencian Community, where he played the final season before his retirement.[9]

International career

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Vidagany earned four caps for Spain, all in 1969. His debut on 26 March was a 1–0 friendly win over Switzerland at his home ground of the Mestalla Stadium.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Parejo iguala a Kempes con 245 partidos oficiales con la camiseta del Valencia" [Parejo equals Kempes with 245 official matches in the Valencia shirt]. Marca (in Spanish). 12 October 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Valencia, 1 - Elche, 0". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 17 February 1964. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  3. ^ Hernández, José (26 October 2011). "Valencia, Zaragoza y una Copa de Ferías" [Valencia, Zaragoza and a Fairs Cup] (in Spanish). Valencia Deporte. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Liegeois 2, - Valencia, 1". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 9 October 1964. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Valencia, 1 - Coruña, 0". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 28 December 1964. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Jack Charlton obituary". The Times. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  7. ^ Valle, Conrado (18 April 1971). "La Liga que ganó el Valencia en Sarriá cumple 50 años" [The league title that Valencia won at Sarriá turns 50]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  8. ^ Torres, David (25 May 2019). "Todas las finales que el Valencia CF le ganó al Barça" [All the finals that Valencia beat Barça in] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Llegó a Castellón el argentino Ciotti" [Argentine Ciotti arrived in Castellón]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 2 August 1974. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  10. ^ Pardo, Carlos (27 March 1969). "Mestalla frío y desangelado con no más de 8.000 espectadores" [Cold and lifeless Mestalla with no more than 8,000 spectators]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 August 2024.
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