José Mejías

José Manuel 'Pepe' Mejías López (born 21 January 1959) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Mejías and the second or maternal family name is López.
Pepe Mejías
Personal information
Full name José Manuel Mejías López
Date of birth (1959-01-21) 21 January 1959
Place of birth Cádiz, Spain
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position(s) Attacking midfielder
Youth career
Cádiz
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1976–1977 Cádiz B
1977–1986 Cádiz 248 (60)
1977–1978 → Jerez Industrial (loan)
1986–1988 Zaragoza 60 (8)
1988–1989 Murcia 39 (10)
1989–1990 Rayo Vallecano 21 (3)
1990–1992 Cádiz 56 (6)
1992–1993 Elche 41 (9)
1993–1994 San Fernando
1994–1995 Conil
Total 465 (96)
National team
1985 Spain U21 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

His career was closely associated to Cádiz, for which he appeared in 304 games both major levels of Spanish football combined, scoring 66 goals.

In La Liga, Mejía also represented Zaragoza, Murcia and Rayo Vallecano, amassing competition totals of 263 matches and 43 goals over ten seasons.

Club career

Born in Cádiz, Andalusia, Mejías spent most of his 19-year senior career with Cádiz CF. After starting out with the B-team he was loaned to neighbouring amateurs Jerez Industrial CF, returning in January 1978 and going on to remain with his main club a further eight full seasons; he made his La Liga debut on 9 April 1978, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–4 home loss against RCD Español.[1]

During his first spell, Mejías constantly alternated between the top level and Segunda División, promoting three times to the former and being relegated to the latter in 1982 and 1984.[2] In the 1982–83 campaign he scored a career-best 15 goals, helping the Gaditanos return to the top tier.[3]

Mejías left Cádiz in the summer of 1986, joining fellow league side Real Zaragoza. He continued to compete in that level in the following years, with Real Murcia (also started 1989–90 with the club in division two) and Rayo Vallecano; he appeared with the first in the 1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup, netting once in seven games – the 2–0 win at Vitosha Sofia[4]– to help the Aragonese team reach the semi-finals.

After two more seasons with Cádiz in the second division, 33-year-old Mejías retired from professional football and moved to the lower leagues, retiring three years later.

Personal life

Mejías' younger brother, Salvador, was also a footballer. They coincided in several teams during their careers.[5]

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gollark: This happens a lot.

References
  1. "2–4: Dos positivos de oro para el Español" [2–4: Two golden positives for Español]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 10 April 1978. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  2. García, Sergio (22 November 2016). "Especialistas en descensos. Cap. 1: La Liga" [Specialists in relegations. Chap. 1: La Liga]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  3. "3–1: ¡Carranza fue una fiesta!" [3–1: Party at Carranza!]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 23 May 1983. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  4. "0–2: ¡El Zaragoza, a lo grande!" [0–2: Zaragoza, in style!]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 19 March 1987. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  5. Funcia, Carlos (23 November 1984). "Los hermanos Mejías, la alegría del Cádiz" [The Mejías brothers, the joy of Cádiz]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 September 2018.
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