Josep Espada

Josep Espada

Personal information
Full name	Josep Espada i Virgós
Date of birth	(1912-06-07)7 June 1912
Place of birth	Palafrugell, Catalonia, Spain
Date of death	7 October 1989(1989-10-07) (aged 77)
Place of death	Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1926–1928	Palafrugell
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1928–1934	Palafrugell
1934–1937	Espanyol
1940	UE Llevant-Gimnàstic
1940–1943	Girona
1943–1945	Espanyol
1944–1945	→ Constància (on loan)
1945–1947	Reus Deportiu
International career
1934–1935	Catalonia	4	(0)
Managerial career
1947–1949	Espanyol
1950–1951	CD Alcoyano
1952–1953	Girona
1955–1957	Espanyol
1957–1959	Tenerife
1959–1961	Terrassa
1961–1962	Club León
1966	Espanyol
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Josep Espada Virgós (7 June 1912 – 7 October 1989) was a Spanish footballer who played as a midfielder for Palafrugell and Espanyol. He was also international with the Catalan national team during the 1930s.

After retiring, he became a coach, taking charge of the likes of Espanyol, Girona, and Terrassa.

Playing career

Club career

Born on 7 June 1912 in Palafrugell, Espada began playing football in the youth ranks of his hometown club FC Palafrugell in 1926, aged 14, before making his senior debut two years later, in 1928. He stayed loyal to Palafrugell for six years, playing in the first-tier Catalan championship in the early 1930s. He soon stood out, becoming a highly valued player sought after by the big clubs, including FC Barcelona. In 1934, he signed for Espanyol, remaining at the club until the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936.

After the War, Espada played for Levante-Gimnástico (1940) and Girona FC (1940–43), before returning to Espanyol for two more seasons between 1943 and 1945. In total, he played 103 official matches for Espanyol, including 9 goals in 49 La Liga games. He then moved to CE Constància, where he was relegated to the Tercera Division in 1945. He played his last season of football at Reus Deportiu in 1946–47, doing so as a player-coach.

International career

On 29 June 1934, Espada made his debut for the Catalan national team in a charity match against Athletic Bilbao, scoring once to help his side to a 5–1 win. During this match, Espada's performance impressed Oliveras de la Riva, who took him to Espanyol.

Managerial career

As a coach, he managed Espanyol twice, for two seasons in 1947–1949, and then again in 1955–1957. During the 1954–55 season, he was the second-in-command of Ricardo Zamora. His last stage on the Espanyol bench was in 1966, forming this time a tandem with Alfredo Di Stéfano, and managing to save the team from relegation. In addition to Espanyol, he was coach of CE Alcoià, CD Tenerife, Girona FC, Terrassa FC, and Club León in Mexico.

Including the entire institution of RCD, he spent 24 years linked to the club as a player or coach.

Later life and death

On 29 April 1988, Espada received the Medal of Sports Merit from the Generalitat de Catalunya.

Espada died in Barcelona on 7 October 1989, at the age of 77.