Curro and Cervero, heroes of Oviedo

Two years after their relegation from the Primera Liga in 2001, Real Oviedo were demoted to the Tercera Division, the labyrinth fourth tier of Spain’s football structure.

The club had faced severe financial difficulties and had been unable to pay players- a fate visited on a number of Spanish clubs through time.

One of two major Asturian clubs – the other being Sporting Gijo n- Oviedo enjoyed extended spells in the Primera, quite often finishing in the top half.

Amidst this ugly demise, a band of reserve players stayed loyal to the club, rebuilding it from the rubble in the Tercera.

Spain’s lower league structure is even more of a labyrinth than that of Italy or Germany.

England has five national levels (from Premiership to Conference National), Italy has regionalised Serie C1 (two groups), C2 (three groups) and D (nine groups), while Germany has introduced a new national third tier for this season.

Spain has a four-group Segunda Division B, and an 18-group Tercera Division, promotion from which has to be achieved through a series of play-offs.

It’s a long way from the glamour and gloss of the Primera Liga.

The quality of facilities and pitches can leave much to be desired- and the standard of play and players, as in all European lower leagues, varies.

Of course, you can find something outstanding here if you look hard enough. But Oviedo are effectively a giant in a small pond.

One of that band of players was young Diego Cervero, an Oviedo born-and-bred striker who was one of the first to sign up for the journey in the Fourth.

His love of his local club endeared him to the diehard supporters who’ve stuck by the club. Cervero scored the goals that saw Oviedo win their Tercera group two years running- and in 2005 they won the play-offs through to the Segunda B.

They seemed to be on their way back.

But in 2006, Cervero would leave Oviedo – for a trial in England with Oldham Athletic, for whom the concept of a Spanish lower division striker seemed to generate excitement among the fans.

It was not to be, and Cervero spent the season with two other Spanish lower league clubs, while Oviedo were relegated back to the Tercera.

Back in the Tercera, Oviedo rediscovered that winning touch in 2007-08 with local hero Cervero returning to up front and become top scorer, and their captain and playmaker Curro being one of the division’s outstanding players.

Real Oviedo won their group once more, but lost out in the play-offs.

This season, they’ve continued winning.

They’re leading Tercera Division Group 2 by a massive margin. Diego Cervero is still scoring goals. And should they climb up, who’s to say they won’t be on their way back up the ladder?

Curro and Diego Cervero are true lower league heroes for what they’ve given in what have been dark times for a one-time Primera Liga club.

In a football world dominated by greed and glamour, this is definitely a fairytale story in the making.

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