It’s official. Following their 9th place finish in Preferente Division last season, CD Thader have been promoted to the newly formed Lliga Comunitat (Community League). This division is 1 step away from 3rd RFEF, and a step up from Preferente Div football. Club president and captain, Lloyd Dummett, told me that everyone involved is over the moon, at the challenge of playing football at a higher-level next season. So, what will the composition of this new 16 team div be, you may well ask? Well, it is basically made up of the top 9 teams from last season’s Preferente Div group 4 (Thader’s group), 6 from group 3, plus Hercules CF ‘B’, who were relegated from 3rd RFEF. There will be more longer journeys for the men in blue and white stripes, as only Callosa and Redovan remain from the Vega Baja region. For the die hard Thader anoraks, there are a host of new grounds to visit. Starting with Alicante based Hercules ‘B’, there will also be Olimpic Xativa, Tavernes, Denia, Javea, Calpe & L’Olleria. Also promoted from group 4 are Eldense ‘B’, Benidorm, CFI Alicante, Santa Pola, Crevillente & La Nucia ‘B’.
Age has caught up with some of last season’s players, forcing them to hang up their boots. Miguel & Ruben have fallen into this category, although Ruben is staying on as director of football. Also leaving the club is manager Adrian Pastor, who has handed over the reins to Noe Gracia Martinez. Noe previously spent 5 seasons as a player at Thader, and arrives having taken club Costa City to the play off with the u19 team. Both Noe & Ruben have been working hard towards signing new, and renewals of existing players, of which goalkeeper Chema is the first to sign on the dotted line. They have also recruited 27-year-old Alberto Sagarzazu from Catral. Alberto is a versatile player, who can play on either wing in both midfield and defence, whom fans may recognise, as he also played for the club before.
