Currently sat mid table in La Liga, Levante are a side who have been on the up this millennium having spent more time in Spain’s top flight since the year 2000 than they have out of it.
But it wasn’t always that way for the side who have spent their entire history largely in the shadow of their city rivals Valencia.
In the beginning
Levante formed in 1909, the same time as neighbouring club Gimnástico.
During the Spanish civil war, Levante’s ground was destroyed although the club’s players largely remained together.
By contrast, Gimastico had a ground but had lost most of their players and in 1939, the pair agreed to merge to become Levante Unión Deportiva.
Over the next 25 years, there was plenty of promotions and relegations until in the 1960’s, Levante made it to the big time.
La Liga debut
Levante ended the 1962/63 Segunda season in the runner-up spot and earned themselves a spot at the table of Spain’s top tier.
In their debut season, the Frogs finished respectable 10th but couldn’t build on that the following season and ended the campaign in 14th thus earning relegation back to the Segunda division.
It would be forty-years before Levante were back in La Liga.
2000 to present
After slipping to their lowest ebb in 1982 when the club dropped to the fourth tier, the Valencia based outfit started to get back to their best at the beginning of the Millennium.
After finishing fourth in the Segunda division in the 2003/04 season, Levante went better the following season and claimed the title to earn promotion back to La Liga.
Just the one season in the top flight followed before returning to the Segunda before bouncing straight back at the first attempt.
In the last ten years, Levante have been in Spain’s top flight for nine of the ten seasons and even finished 6th in 2012.
Currently 13th in the table, Levante appear to be going nowhere and have well established themselves as part of the furniture in La Liga.
