Alfonso Subero Calvo

Alfonso Subero Calvo (born 18 January 1970 in Calahorra, La Rioja), commonly known as Tito Subero, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and later worked as a coach. A youth product of local club Logroñés, Tito went on to play 18 games in La Liga for Deportivo Alavés during the 1998–99 season.

Playing career Early career

Subero began his career in the youth teams of local side Logroñés, who were at their peak, playing in La Liga in the second half of the 1980s. Subero joined the B team, Logroñés Promesas, for the 1988–89 Tercera División campaign, and was called up to the first team squad by coach José Luis Romero the following season. Subero was third choice, behind Argentina international Luis Islas and Jesús Angoy, who had previously represented Real Zaragoza in the top flight, but Subero was able to usurp him. Subero played 22 league matches that year Overall, he made 26 appearances that season, but it was a difficult year for Sestao, who went through three different head coaches, and were relegated after finishing second-bottom. He was immediately first choice, ahead of Xabier Mancisidor, and part of a successful side that also included Lluis Codina, Joseba Agirre, and future Spanish international Iván Campo. where Jaén visited Mendizorrotza, Alavés managed a 2–1 victory, which was enough to top the group and earn promotion. Nevertheless, Subero appeared in every single league game that season, and all but four the following year. These new additions helped Alavés to an excellent 7th-place finish, just one point outside the promotion places. Pedro Riesco from Deportivo La Coruña, Pedro from Sevilla, Mario Meštrović from Hajduk Split, Jorge Azkoitia from Sestao Sport, and Bruno Alicarte from Bastia. Nevertheless, Alavés slipped to 13th in the table that season, which led to Aranguren being dismissed in February, following a 3–2 home defeat by Mallorca, and replaced by Marco Antonio Boronat. He came on as a substitute for the injured Raúl Arribas with 17 minutes to play, with Leganés already leading through Antonio López. In 2000–01, Arribas continued to be first choice,

Coach Quique Martín, who had taken over midway through Subero's first season, left Leganés in 2001 to join second tier rivals Burgos. He was followed by a number of his former Leganés colleagues, including Joyce Moreno, José Mari, Ángel Merino, and Subero himself. Subero played every league game that year, alongside a strong team which also included Dragan Isailović, Pepe Gálvez, Eduardo Conget, Dmitri Cheryshev, Manu, Carlos Merino, Dani Pendín and Jon Cuyami. However, they could only manage 16th place in the league 2001–02, and were administratively relegated at the end of the season thanks to their dire financial situation. This led to Subero packing his bags and joining another Segunda División side, Compostela. Remarkably, Subero scored a goal towards the end of his Burgos tenure, netting from the penalty spot in a 3–2 away win over Badajoz at Estadio Nuevo Vivero on 14 April.

Compostela, under the management of Luis Ángel Duque, were hardly in a better situation, and were also locked in a bitter dispute with the city of Santiago de Compostela. The Compostela side at that time included Fabiano, Pablo Pinillos, Stéphane Pignol, Maikel, David Cabarcos, Manuel Castiñeiras, Jesús Torres, and new arrival Juan Pablo Vojvoda, who joined from Newell's Old Boys. Despite this, their financial woes meant hopes were not high for 2002–03. However, the team performed well in the circumstances, and managed 9th place in the league. Subero, who faced strong competition from fellow keeper Oliver, played 25 matches,

Mirandés

In a depressing reprise of the previous season with Burgos, Compostela's failure to pay their players, and other assorted debts, led to their administrative relegation to Segunda División B. Subero departed, and returned to the province of Burgos with third tier Mirandés. The following season was Subero's last as a professional, as Mirandés finished as runners-up in their Tercera División group, and missed out on promotion after losing to Cobeña in the promotion play-offs. He retired in 2006 at the age of 36. a post which he held until the summer of 2011. He later left football to work in a computer repair and sales business.

Honours Deportivo Alavés Segunda División B: 1994–95 Segunda División: 1997–98

Career statistics

1. Appearances in the 1994 Segunda División B play-offs 2. Appearances in the 1995 Segunda División B play-offs 3. Appearances in the 2004 Segunda División B play-offs 4. Appearances in the 2005 Segunda División B relegation play-offs