| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Delfín Álvarez Yáñez | ||
| Date of birth | (1936-07-14)14 July 1936 | ||
| Place of birth | A Veiga, Spain | ||
| Date of death | 29 August 2015(2015-08-29) (aged 79) | ||
| Place of death | Madrid, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –1956 | Banco Obrero | ||
| 1956–1960 | Plus Ultra | 43 | (0) |
| 1960–1962 | Granada | 41 | (2) |
| 1962–1965 | Real Murcia | 44 | (2) |
| 1965–1966 | Espanyol | 22 | (0) |
| 1966–1968 | Pontevedra | 17 | (0) |
| Total | 167 | (4) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1977–1979 | Ourense | ||
| 1980 | Badajoz | ||
| 1980–1981 | Racing Ferrol | ||
| 1981–1982 | Pontevedra | ||
| 1982–1983 | Guadalajara | ||
| 1983–1986 | Logroñés | ||
| 1986–1987 | Elche | ||
| 1987–1988 | Racing Santander | ||
| 1989 | Alzira | ||
| 1989–1990 | Celta | ||
| 1990 | Ourense | ||
| 1992–1994 | Xerez | ||
| 1995 | Atlético Marbella | ||
| 1998 | Elche | ||
| 1998–1999 | Guadalajara | ||
| 1999–2000 | Pontevedra | ||
| 2000–2001 | Pontevedra | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Delfín Álvarez Yáñez (14 September 1936 – 29 August 2015) was a Spanishfootball manager andmidfielder.
Álvarez amassed 74 matches and only one goal inLa Liga, including 91/3 inSegunda División. As a manager, he only reached the top tier while in charge ofCelta de Vigo, but spent seven seasons with clubs in the second level.
Born inA Veiga,Ourense,Galicia, Álvarez made his senior debut at Venezuelan clubBanco Obrero, after moving to the country at the age of 15. In 1956 he moved toReal Madrid, being assigned tofarm teamAD Plus Ultra; he made his professional debut on 15 September 1957, in aSegunda División 1–3 away loss againstReal Betis.[1]
In 1960 Álvarez moved toLa Liga sideGranada CF, making his debut in the competition on 11 September in a 0–1 loss atReal Sociedad.[2] He scored his first goal as a professional on 23 April 1961, netting his team's second in a 5–1 home routing ofRacing de Santander.[3]
Aftersuffering relegation, Álvarez moved toReal Murcia in the second level in 1962, andachieved promotion back to the top tier at first attempt. He left theMurcians in 1965, after suffering another drop.
Shortly after leaving Murcia Álvarez joinedRCD Espanyol also in the main category, but left the club in 1966. He subsequently representedPontevedra CF before retiring at the age of 31, in 1968.[4]
Álvarez started his managerial career with lower clubs in his native region, had a spell atCD Guadalajara,[5] taking the side back toTercera División at first attempt. He was subsequently appointed atCD Logroñés in 1983, winning promotion to the second level in his first season and nearly repeating the feat in his second.[6]
Álvarez was subsequently appointed in charge of second tier clubsElche CF,Racing de Santander[7] andUD Alzira in the following campaigns, suffering relegation with the latter. In December 1989 he was named manager of top level clubCelta de Vigo, only winning one match out of 12 before being sacked.
After subsequent spells atCD Ourense andXerez CD, Álvarez was appointed at the helm ofCA Marbella in April 1995, only lasting three matches (all defeats). After another short period at Elche (two matches) and a second spell at Guadalajara,[5] he was appointed manager of Pontevedra in October 1999.
After resigning in July 2000, Álvarez returned to theGranotes on 16 October of that year.[8] He resigned in January 2001, and subsequently retired from football due to a recurrentback injury.[9]
On 29 August 2015, Álvarez died due to a long illness, aged 79.[10]