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First Steps
Villarreal C.F. was founded on 10th March 1923, “in order to promote all sports, and specifically soccer”, as was specified in its founding letter. The first board of directors were formed by the chemist José Calduch Almela, as President; the bank employee José Martínez Aguilar, as Secretary, the post administrator Carlos Calatayud Jordá, as Treasurer, and members Juan Nebot, Alfonso Saera, Manuel Calduch, Pascual Arrufat Catalá, Vicente Cabedo Meseguer and Manuel Amorós Fortuño.
First decisions: stadium, tickets and equipment
  One of the first decisions undertaken by the club directors on 24th April 1923 was to rent the stadium for the price of 60 pesetas per month (approximately 0.36 Euro). Once the stadium was acquired ticket prices could be set. It was determined that the adult entrance would be 0, 5 pesetas (0,005 Euro), and half price for children. Women would receive free entrance. At the same meeting it was decided to buy the first kit, which would be white shirts and black shorts. These were the first colours of Villarreal C.F. and they remained so until 1946, when they switched to the current yellow and blue colours.
The beginning
The Villarreal pitch was inaugurated June 17th 1923 with a match between C.D. Castellón and Cervantes, two of the most important teams of the provincial capital Castellón. Four months later, October 21st 1923, Villarreal C.F. team played for the first time in their new stadium. A friendly match against the RED and STAR, from Castellón.
The team begins to walk
 The first important date for Villarreal C.F. took place during the 1934-1935 season, when Villarreal C.F. had the chance to gain promotion to the 2nd Division against Cartagena (at that time the current 2nd Division B and 3rd Division did not exist). Sadly, Villarreal C.F. failed to gain promotion. However a year later Villarreal C.F. came first in the 1st Regional Division Championship, but the unfortunate breakout of the Spanish Civil War ended all sporting competitions.
War ends – Football returns.
After the end of the Spanish Civil War football returned to El Madrigal stadium (named in 1925). Between 1939 and 1950, Villarreal C.F. played in the 2nd Regional category, which comprised of three different groups I, IV, V. At the end of the 1950-1951 season Villarreal C.F. gained promotion to the 1st Regional category after winning the 2nd Regional category.
The 1950’s
 Villarreal played in the 1st Regional category from 1952 to 1956. During those seasons the team won the Championship, finished 4th twice and 7th. The success of the last campaign, finishing as Champions, saw the team promoted to the National 3rd Division where they remained until the 1960-1961 season whereby after finishing 14th they were relegated.
The 1960’s
Following relegation from the National 3rd Division Villarreal C.F began the 1960’s in the 1st Regional category. During the first two seasons the team struggled to gain promotion. For the following two years Villarreal C.F. went agonisingly close to promotion finishing third on both occasions. They were not to be denied and at the end of the 1966-1967 season promotion was guaranteed as they finished as Champions. Villarreal C.F. consolidated for the next few seasons in the National 3rd Division until 1970 when the success continued and they were promoted to the National 2nd Division.
The 1970’s
The 1970’s was a poor decade for Villarreal C.F. In their first season in the National 2nd Division the “yellow team” avoided the drop by the skin of their teeth, something they could not manage the following year, in which they ended in 17th position and were subsequently relegated back to the National 3rd Division.
During the next few years Villarreal C.F. occupied the middle to lower part of the table until the 1975-1976 season when they were relegated to the Regional Preferente category. They rapidly achieved promotion the following year and remained in the National 3rd Division until the end of the decade.
The 1980’s
Spain was getting ready to host the football World Cup in 1982, and during that time, Villarreal was trying to achieve stability. From the beginning of the 1980’s they remained in the National 3rd Division until the 1986-1987 season whereby they were promoted to the National 2nd Division B. The following two years saw Villarreal C.F. occupy positions in the upper part of the table but in the 1989-1990 season they finished in 18th position and once again were relegated to the National 3rd division. |