José Suárez González

José Suárez González, better known as Peral (10 April 1911 – 28 May 1967) was a Spanish footballer who played as a defender for Real Betis between 1929 and 1944. After retiring, he became a manager, taking over Betis on several occasions throughout the 1940s.

He played a crucial role in the great Betis team of the early 1930s, which reached the 1931 Copa del Rey final, and then won the 1931–32 Segunda División and the 1934–35 La Liga, the only league title in the club's history.

Career Club career Born in Andalusian town of Sevilla on 10 April 1911, Peral began his football career at Triaca, a club based in the , from which he joined Real Betis Cantera in August 1927, aged 16, making his debut with the first on 27 October 1929, in a friendly match against Sporting Córdoba, which ended in a 1–0 defeat. A few months later, on 11 February 1930, he made his official debut for the team in a Segunda División match against Iberia at the Patronato stadium, which ended in a 1–1 draw.

Together with Rosendo Romero, Adolfo Martín, Andrés Aranda, Peral was a member of the Betis team that reached the 1931 Copa del Rey final at Chamartín, which ended in a 3–1 loss to Athletic Bilbao. The following season, he scored one goal in 17 matches as Betis won the 1931–32 Segunda División, thus achieving promotion to La Liga for the first time. Three years later, he played in all 22 matches of Betis' title-winning 1934–35 La Liga campaign, the first (and only) league title in the club's history. This victory qualified the club for the 1935 Iberian Cup, which ended in a 4–2 loss to the Primeira Liga champions FC Porto. Despite all of this success, the departure of president Antonio Moreno Sevillano coupled with the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War dismantled the champion team, with the only survivors being Peral, Pepe Valera, and Saro.

Once the conflict was over, Peral returned to Betis in 1939, which was relegated to the Second Division in 1940, but he then helped his side return to the top flight by winning the 1941–42 Segunda División. Despite rumours that he was going to retire in the summer of 1942, he ultimately renewed his contract with Betis and played another season back in the top flight, which ended with another relegation.

During his time at Betis, he scored a total of 2 goals in 69 Andalusian Championship matches, 2 goals in 60 Copa del Rey matches, but only one goal in 164 league matches, He also played for the likes of Calavera and (currently known as Recreativo de Huelva).

The following February, Peral started in two friendlies in North Africa, before he returned to the rearguard. This was the first of three occasions on which Peral replaced a coach after their resignation or dismissal, with his second stint consisting of only the last matchday of the 1946–47 season, when relegation to the Tercera División was already confirmed; Betis faced Racing de Santander, then coached by Pedro Areso, a former Betis teammate.

Later life Peral fiercely defended his club on football talk shows until the mid-1960s; for instance, in 1958, on the occasion of Betis's promotion to the top flight, he stated that "Betis is felt deep within, and there are times I wish I were younger so I could hear its name on the loudspeakers when a match is about to be played".

Death and legacy Peral died in Seville on 28 May 1967, at the age of 56. A few months later, on 10 August, the Betis president, Pascual Aparicio, requested that the Real Betis Gold Medal be awarded to him posthumously.

Honours Real Betis Andalusian Regional Championship Runner-up (4): 1929–30, 1930–31, 1939, and 1939–40

Copa del Rey Runner-up (1): 1931

Segunda División Champions (1): 1931–32

La Liga Champions (1): 1934–35

Iberian Cup Runner-up (1): 1935