RCD Mallorca founded in 1916 has experienced 97 managerial changes in the club's 98 year history. A previous blog mentioned Jack Greenwell from Durham who in 1930-31 took charge of the team and another Englishman Luke Chopper Gray who was employed for a year in 1970. Michael Laudrup was also lucky enough to lead the club for a brief period in 2010-1, but mainly Spanish nationals have enjoyed being head coach on the island. Valerie Karpin, a Russian, is the latest recruit. The club has won the Segunda Division twice in 32 seasons and has its own plane to meet the various fixtures through the year on the mainland and on the Canary Islands. At home they play at the Iberostar Estadio, in Palma, which holds 23,000.
In 1931, Mallorca started competing in the national categories. On 22 September 1945, Es FortÃ, the club's new ground, was inaugurated, and the team first reached Segunda División in 1959, and La Liga just one season later, going on to appear in the top flight a further four times until 1975.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Mallorca bounced back and forth between the top and the second levels. In 2002–03, under Gregorio Manzano, the team finished ninth in the league, also winning the first Copa del Rey trophy in its history. In 1998–99, it reached the final of the last UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, losing to Italy's S.S. Lazio 1–2.
On 22 July 2008, it was announced that 96% of Mallorca's shares had been purchased for over GBP50 million by controversial English businessman Paul Davidson. In November, it was revealed that Davidson was unable to complete the deal due to lack of finances, raising questions as to whether his interest was little more than a publicity stunt. On 15 January 2009, Spanish businessman Mateo Alemany purchased the club from the Marti-Mingarro family, returning to the presidency three years after leaving.
In late May 2010, Mallorca declared bankruptcy and applied to the courts to enter voluntary administration with debts estimated between £42.5m and £51.3m. It was announced on 28 June 2010, that a consortium led by former club manager Lorenzo Serra Ferrer that included tennis superstar and Mallorca native Rafael Nadal had bought the club, and the sale was completed on 9 July 2010.
However, due to the poor financial situation at the club, UEFA decided on 22 July 2010 against granting Mallorca the licence to play in the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League, after the team had qualified to the competition after finishing fifth in the league. Despite the off-field upheavals and financial struggles, Mallorca managed to stay afloat in its 14th consecutive season in the top division, under new manager Michael Laudrup.
Despite that, in the 2012-13 season, after Laudrup's departure, they were relegated to division two, after 16 seasons, ending their tenure in La Liga. Last season the club came 17th.
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