Quinocho, the thread binding Celta and Castellón, and a life cut short | OneFootball

CD Castellón visit Balaídos tonight, and few figures bind the clubs like Joaquín Fernández Santomé, Quinocho.

El Periódico Mediterráneo notes he served both as player and executive, his tragic end cementing that bond.

Born in Pontevedra in 1933, he debuted for Celta at 20 after a loan to Racing de Ferrol. He stayed nine seasons, six in the top flight, an uncompromising centre-half.

Castellón signed him in 1963 while chasing promotion from the third tier. He linked captains Alcañiz and Cela, and in 1966 helped win promotion after an epic Eldense tie, finishing with a broken nose and a red card.

After two Segunda seasons, injuries and relegation led him in 1968 to accept president Emilio Fabregat’s offer to move upstairs. As general manager and technical secretary, he helped assemble the 1970s Castellón that rose in 1972, finished fifth and reached the 1973 cup final under Lucien Muller.

He remained until 1974, then returned to Celta. There, in October 1988, two hooded men raided the offices during preparations for a trip to San Sebastián, he threw an ashtray and was fatally stabbed.

The robbers were later caught and convicted, escaping with around 150,000 pesetas, about 900 euros. One planner was a former Celta youth, and Quinocho, aged 55, left a wife and daughter. Celta’s match at Real Sociedad was postponed, a huge crowd attended his funeral, he received the Consejo Superior de Deportes’ Silver Medal for Sporting Merit posthumously, and the club later created the Memorial Quinocho Trophy.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo

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