CF Torre Levante (Spain)

CF Torre Levante

Ground: Campo de Fútbol Orriols

Capacity: 1,000

Club Founded: 1976

League: Liga Nacional Juvenil - Youth Football (current level)

Club de Fútbol Torre Levante Orriols is an amateur football club based in Valencia that had a senior team for many seasons before concentrating on youth football.

Club Background

The Early Years

Torre Levante's adult team started life in Tercera División Valenciana, the fourth level of the local game and the eighth tier of Spanish football, before progressing to Primera Regional in 1989-90 at Campo Municipal Orriols.

Another promotion arrived in 1994-95 as Torre collected the divisional title, rising to Regional Preferente de la Comunidad Valenciana, the top flight of regional football. The side suffered relegation before regaining their status in 2002-03 with a group league title.

Gradual Progression

After finishing in the top five over several seasons, CF Torre Levante won promotion in 2012-13 to the Tercera División, after defeating UD Horadada and Burjassot CF in the play-offs. Around this time, coach Fernando Gómez Colomer played a big part in the success, with José Arastey taking over first-team affairs in December 2015.

Meanwhile, a long-standing arrangement with Atlético de Madrid helped the development of the club's youth sides. Gerardo Reyes top-scored for the adult side, which was relegated to Preferente Valenciana under manager Cristian Castells.

Gradual Decline and Concentration on Youth

2020-21 was a transitional season in the lower leagues as they were restructured. As a result, Torre Levante were placed in Primera FFCV, which had now dropped down a level to the sixth tier of the national setup.

The team was relegated at the end of the 2021-22 campaign. They would continue for another couple of seasons until the club decided to prioritise their youth section and drop their adult side.

My visit

Tuesday 9th January 2018

I’d arrived on an early morning flight from Luton to Valencia and was ready to explore the city and visit some of the smaller football clubs. The number 3 Metro took me directly from the airport to Machado, where I alighted to be greeted by bright sunshine.

Within a couple of minutes, I’d found my bearings and was walking down Carrer d’Alfauir, where I came to Campo de Futbol del Torre Levante. The ground was locked, but I got good photo opportunities through the wire fence.

It wasn’t the biggest of Tercera venues, but it was adequate and ideally located in the heart of the community. Three steps of open terrace stood behind the near goal and along one side, either side of the most impressive team benches. I’d seen smaller stands on my travels.

Two small covered stands occupied the opposite touchline, along with a clubhouse and changing rooms in the north west corner. The end bordered by Carrer de Santa Genoveva Torres was open flat standing.

Once done, I cut through Parque Orriols to take a look at the Ciutat de València stadium of the La Liga club, Levante UD. Unfortunately, the stadium was fully locked, so I could only guess what it looked like inside. I headed off to the suburb of Paterna.