 | |||
| Full name | Lorca Fútbol Club, S.A.D. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1 June 2003; 22 years ago (1 June 2003) (asLa Hoya Deportiva Club de Fútbol) | ||
| Dissolved | 2022 | ||
| Ground | Francisco Artés Carrasco Lorca, Murcia, Spain | ||
| Capacity | 8,120 | ||
| 2021–22 | Preferente Autonómica – Group 2, 15th of 15 (withdrew) | ||
Lorca Fútbol Club was aSpanish football team based inLorca, in the autonomous community of theRegion of Murcia. Founded in 2003, it last played inPreferente Autonómica de Murcia – Group 1, holding home games atEstadio Francisco Artés Carrasco, which has a capacity of 8,120.
The club was founded in 2003 asLa Hoya Deportiva Club de Fútbol by constructor Pedro Rosell, whose enterprise sponsored the team in its first years.
In 2010, the club changes its name toLa Hoya Lorca Club de Fútbol in 2010, after the promotion of the club toTercera División, but continues playing in La Hoya. Rossell resigned as president and Luis Jiménez replaced him. During these years, the team was nicknamed asEl Brócoli Mecánico (The ClockworkBroccoli) after the vegetable, a major local export. In 2011, La Hoya Lorca started playing its games atEstadio Francisco Artés Carrasco inLorca.
In 2013, La Hoya Lorca won promotion toSegunda División B viathe play-offs, defeatingSCR Peña Deportiva on away goals after a 4–4 aggregate draw.[1] The club previously finished theCopa Federación de España as runner-up, in the club's first success in national football.[2]
In successive seasons, the club attracted attention for their kit which had broccoli imprinted over the entire shirt and shorts.[3][4]
On 8 July 2016, the club changed its name toLorca Fútbol Club when it was bought by former Chinese international player and managerXu Genbao.[5] When Lorca playedFC Jumilla in November 2016 the match was broadcast live over the internet in China as Jumilla are also under Chinese ownership.[6]
On 27 May 2017, the club achieved promotion toSegunda División after a 0–0 away draw againstAlbacete Balompié inthe play-offs (1–1 on aggregate).[7] Three weeks later, rumours about a possible transfer of the club started to appear. Xu Genbao supposedly would sell the club and its place in the second division for €9 million and the owner ofHércules CF would be interested in refounding the club from this one, as his own had serious financial trouble.[8]
In the2017–18 season, Lorca were relegated with 33 points in 42 matches. During the summer, theRoyal Spanish Football Federation announced that the team would be banned for playing in the third tier the following season for not meeting the economic requirements.[9] At the same time, Xu decided to sell this team to a businessman.[10]
In the 2018–19 season the club finished third in Tercera División, Group 18 with 80 points.[11] However, they were eliminated in the first round byAlcobendas Sport, thus missing out on the opportunity for promotion. During the following summer, a controversy emerged when the Murcian team announced their search for players willing to play for free, receiving only the necessary essentials such as clothing and paid travel costs. The club owner stated that there was simply not enough money available.[12]
The idea of recruiting players at no cost proved to be ineffective, and by the winter break, the team found themselves six points away from the promotion spots.[13] On 4 December 2019, the club's entry into bankruptcy was approved after failing to reach an agreement to settle a debt of €700,000.[14][15] Subsequently, on 29 December,Walter Pandiani resigned as manager and was replaced by Uruguayan managerWalter Caprile.[13]
Following a disastrous2020–21 campaign, where the Lorca club finished bottom of Group 13 (B) of the Tercera División, they were relegated to thePreferente Autonómica after twelve seasons competing in national tiers. In order to revitalise the project for the 2021–22 season, club president Roberto Torres appointed Murcian coach Paco Montesinos to lead the Lorca squad.[16]
Eventually, on 4 February 2022, the club president announced their withdrawal from competition, marking their last game in the Preferente on 23 January 2022. Three weeks later, the Commercial Court nº 2 of Murcia dissolved the club due to non-compliance with the agreement made with creditors in November 2020, which was later modified in June 2021.[17] The club had declared bankruptcy in November 2019 with debts totaling around €700,000.[18]
| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Copa del Rey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | 6 | 1ª Terr. | 13th | |
| 2004–05 | 6 | 1ª Terr. | 4th | |
| 2005–06 | 6 | 1ª Terr. | 6th | |
| 2006–07 | 6 | 1ª Terr. | 3rd | |
| 2007–08 | 5 | Terr. Pref. | 10th | |
| 2008–09 | 5 | Terr. Pref. | 15th | |
| 2009–10 | 5 | Terr. Pref. | 1st |
| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Copa del Rey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | 4 | 3ª | 7th | |
| 2011–12 | 4 | 3ª | 4th | |
| 2012–13 | 4 | 3ª | 1st | |
| 2013–14 | 3 | 2ª B | 2nd | First round |
| 2014–15 | 3 | 2ª B | 13th | First round |
| 2015–16 | 3 | 2ª B | 6th |
| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Copa del Rey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | 3 | 2ª B | 1st | Second round |
| 2017–18 | 2 | 2ª | 21st | Second round |
| 2018–19 | 4 | 3ª | 3rd | Third round |
| 2019–20 | 4 | 3ª | 7th | |
| 2020–21 | 4 | 3ª | 11th /10th | |
| 2021–22 | 6 | Pref. Aut. | (R) |
The following Lorca player(s) have been capped atfull international level. Years in brackets indicate their spells at the club.
Jaime Moreno (2017)[19]
Federico Bikoro (2018)[20]
Deshorn Brown (2018)[21]
Ishan Pandita (2019–2020)[22][23][24]
