Villarreal mourn the passing of Paco Calduch Ibáñez, part of the club’s living memory | OneFootball

Villarreal are mourning the death of Paco Calduch Ibáñez, a long-serving figure whose devotion spanned the stands and the boardroom.

According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, he played a key role in the club’s development during the late 1970s and early 1980s, years of quiet work that helped consolidate Villarreal.

His yellow allegiance was rooted in family tradition, with his father-in-law, Pascual Rubio Climent, serving as club president, a link that strengthened a lifelong bond with the team.

Calduch later joined the board in different periods, working alongside presidents including Pascual Font de Mora, Pedro López, Manolo Almela, Pepe Coloma and Ernesto Girona, contributing to the institution’s growth.

His sons, Paco and Sergio, recalled a man who did everything, from tending the pitch at El Madrigal to ferrying Ángel Pedraza from the Castellón military barracks during the player’s season at Villarreal.

They said his dedication cost him a small business, and that he preferred to remain in the background rather than the front row.

His passing removes a piece of Villarreal’s living memory, and of a generation whose graft and sense of belonging underpinned the club’s rise.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo