Club Polideportivo Mérida was a Spanish football team based in Mérida, in the autonomous community of Extremadura.

Mérida
Full nameClub Polideportivo Mérida
Nickname(s)Romanos
Pecholatas
Founded1912
Dissolved2000
GroundRomano, Mérida
Capacity14,600
1999–2000Segunda División, 6th

Having played twice in La Liga (1995–96 and 1997–98), the club was dissolved in 2000,[1][2] due to serious economic debts. Its successor was renamed Mérida UD.[3]

History

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The team founded in 1912 under the name Sportiva Emeritense. It became one of the first teams from Extremadura to play professional football. The club first began playing football in 1943, when it was admitted to Tercera Division. They spent four years there, after which the team was relegated to regional leagues for two years. Merida returned to Tercera division in 1949. Following 12 years in the third tier, Merida was again demoted to the fourth tier in 1961, but only for one year. Until 1980, the team kept bouncing between the third and fourth tiers.

In 1980, Merida first promoted to the newly created Spanish third tier - the Segunda Division B. They returned to Segunda B in 1989, where they stayed for two seasons. The period from 1990 is generally considered the "golden age" in Merida's history.

The team was promoted to Segunda Division for the first time ever in 1991, when they finished fourth in Segunda B. Three strong seasons were followed by another, even better, when the team managed to win Segunda Division and promote to La Liga for the first time in 1995. The 1995-96 La Liga season was difficult and ended in relegation for Merida. They, however returned to the elite one season later, for the 1997-98 La Liga season. However, the team could not avoid relegation again, and were demoted to Segunda once more.

Following two decent seasons in Segunda, the owners of Merida declared bankruptcy and the team folded in 2000. A successor club, named Merida UD. This was mainly done by fans of the original club, who wanted to preserve the legacy and traditions of the old club, since the city was left without a professional club.

As of 2023, CP Merida and CF Extremadura are the only two teams from Extremadura to have played football in La Liga.

Club background

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  • Sportiva Emeritense — (1912–20)
  • Club Catalanes — Club MZA — (1920–21)
  • Club Emerita — (1921–36)
  • Spanish Civil War – No team — (1936–39)
  • SD Emeritense — (1939–66)
  • Mérida Industrial CF — (1966–85)
  • CP Mérida — (1985–2000)
  • Mérida UD — (1990–2013)
  • Mérida AD — (2013–present)

Seasons

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Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1942–43 3 1ª Reg. 4th
1943–44 3 4th
1944–45 3 8th
1945–46 3 10th
1946–47 3 7th
1947–48 4 1ª Reg.
1948–49 4 1ª Reg.
1949–50 3 16th
1950–51 3 9th
1951–52 3 4th
1952–53 3 9th
1953–54 3 4th
1954–55 3 2nd
1955–56 3 3rd
1956–57 3 1st
1957–58 3 4th
1958–59 3 11th
1959–60 3 4th
1960–61 3 15th
1961–62 4 1ª Reg. 1st
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1962–63 3 9th
1963–64 3 11th
1964–65 3 9th
1965–66 3 9th
1966–67 3 6th
1967–68 3 4th
1968–69 3 10th
1969–70 3 7th
1970–71 3 17th
1971–72 4 1ª Reg. 2nd
1972–73 4 1ª Reg. 3rd
1973–74 4 1ª Reg. 6th
1974–75 4 Reg. Pref. 3rd
1975–76 4 Reg. Pref. 1st
1976–77 3 15th
1977–78 4 8th
1978–79 4 4th
1979–80 4 1st
1980–81 3 2ª B 18th
1981–82 4 2nd
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1982–83 4 6th
1983–84 4 6th
1984–85 4 4th
1985–86 4 7th
1986–87 4 12th
1987–88 4 2nd
1988–89 4 1st
1989–90 3 2ª B 8th
1990–91 3 2ª B 4th
Season Tier Division Place Copa del Rey
1991–92 2 7th
1992–93 2 9th
1993–94 2 9th
1994–95 2 1st
1995–96 1 21st
1996–97 2 1st
1997–98 1 19th
1998–99 2 10th
1999–2000 2 6th

References

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