Sometimes it's good to see how far you've come. Take a look at this clip from our 6-0 home defeat to Hercules, exactly 20 years ago. Yes this is El Madrigal--but compare the current stadium to this one, and compare the state of this pitch to our modern one now! Players are slipping and sliding all over the place, even in October the areas in front of the goal are awful.
I do like the advertising hoardings--now replaced by electronic flashing thingies of course--but could you have imagined 20 years ago Villarreal would be where it is now? I doubt it.
The result was flattering to the away side, I suppose, but wasn't a bad reflection of where the two clubs ended up. Hércules were the Segunda champions that year; Villarreal ended up two points above relegation, finishing 15th.
Not surprisingly, perhaps, coach Fidel Uriarte got the chop after this match, though it has to be said we didn't get a whole lot better under David Vidal, who took over.
Hercules are now in the Segunda B, same level as our B team.