On A Day Like Today: Valencia CF return to the top flight in 1986/87

The mid-80s were a tricky period for Valencia CF, who were relegated in the 1985/86 season and had the task of ensuring an immediate return to LaLiga the following year. They made their comeback at the first time of asking, 33 years ago, with three matches remaining of the campaign. Goals from Emilio Fenoll and Quique Sánchez Flores in a fixture against Recreativo de Huelva sealed promotion, as the club overcame the previous season’s setback to earn their spot in the Primera División.

Alfredo Di Stéfano led a competitive squad made up of youth team products and young new arrivals, joining other incorporations such as Miguel Ángel Bossio and Pedro Alcañiz. The latter, top scorer the previous season in the second tier, would strike 10 times for VCF.

Players like Robert Fernández, Miguel Tendillo, Ángel Castellanos, José Ramón Bermell and Wilmar Cabrera would leave the club, meaning that several positions had to be filled. However, Valencia CF began the season strongly. Nineteen wins, 8 draws and 7 losses -2 of which with promotion already secured- was an enviable record for the team, who would not find themselves lower than sixth in the table at any point in the campaign.

For the game against Recreativo, Di Stéfano lined up José Manuel Sempere, Ricardo Arias, Fernando Giner, Miguel Ángel Bossio, Javier Subirats, Fernando Gómez, Pedro Alcañiz, Quique Sánchez Flores, Salvador Revert, Carlos Arroyo and Emilio Fenoll in his starting XI, with Voro González and Paco Muñoz Pérez also featuring.

There was a magnificent turnout at Mestalla, which had been filled game after game. Attendance had at times been better than in the Primera División, and on that day more people gathered at Valencia CF’s ground than all of the other stadia in the division combined.

Valencia CF’s dominance was never in doubt, but it took until the hour mark for them to take the lead. Fenoll finished off an assist from Sánchez Flores, who went on to confirm the win with a goal of his own in the 89th minute.

The 2-0 victory took Valencia CF back to where the club belonged, and provided fans with the chance to celebrate after a tough year the previous season.