Javier Sánchez Broto

Francisco Javier Sánchez Broto (born 25 August 1971) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Javier Sánchez Broto
Personal information
Full name Francisco Javier Sánchez Broto
Date of birth (1971-08-25) 25 August 1971
Place of birth Barcelona, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1985–1990 Zaragoza
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1993 Zaragoza B 68 (0)
1993–1994 Zaragoza 4 (0)
1994–1997 Villarreal 33 (0)
1997–1998 Castellón 25 (0)
1998–2000 Málaga 4 (0)
2000–2001 Airdrieonians 23 (0)
2001–2003 Livingston 47 (0)
2003 Celtic 8 (0)
2003–2004 Murcia 9 (0)
2004–2005 Getafe 20 (0)
2005 Hércules 0 (0)
Total 241 (0)
National team
1993 Spain U21 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

After eight years in his country where he appeared almost exclusively as a backup, playing for four clubs, he headed to Scotland, where he represented Airdrieonians, Livingston and Celtic.

Club career

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Sánchez Broto joined the Real Zaragoza academy at 14, where his failure to make an impression as a forward led to his being used as a goalkeeper. In the 1992–93 edition of La Liga, he appeared in four games for the Aragonese's first team, and subsequently moved to the second division, playing for Villarreal CF and Málaga CF and winning a championship medal with the latter (he only played four league matches over two seasons, however).[1]

In 2000, Sánchez Broto moved to Scottish club Airdrie on a Bosman transfer.[2] During his first year, his team won the Scottish Challenge Cup after the player saved three penalties in the shootout against Livingston.[3] When they ran into financial problems he joined Livingston in March 2001, being an important member of the Scottish First Division-winning side in 2001, while earning himself the SPFA Player of the Season Award.

In January 2003, Sánchez Broto joined Celtic, who required a goalkeeper following injuries to Rab Douglas and Magnus Hedman.[4] Broto was cup-tied for Celtic's run to the 2003 UEFA Cup Final.[5] He left the club at the end of the campaign, citing a desire to return home, and signed with Real Murcia in the top division for the following season, appearing rarely in an eventual relegation.

Sánchez Broto signed with newly promoted Getafe CF – the club's first ever appearance in the top flight – in 2004–05. Not an undisputed starter for the Madrid side, he did appear in 20 league matches out of 38, his performances resulting in Marca rating him the third-best goalkeeper in Spain for that season;[6] during his tenure, after losing a bet, he donated a pair of goalkeeper gloves to every goalkeeper in Spain's lower divisions.[7]

After one sole season, 34-year-old Sánchez Broto signed with Hércules CF in the second level, but retired from professional football shortly after due to injuries. He expressed regret at having to retire so young, and despite his popularity throughout his career, remained self-effacing when looking back. In a 2006 interview given to Diario Equipo, he remarked that he had "enjoyed soccer as a little person of the game and would like to thank everyone who has made it all possible".[8]

Honours

Málaga

Airdrie

Livingston

References
  1. "The man with no game puts the team first". The Scotsman. 11 May 2003. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
  2. "FOOTBALL: Archibald kicks off Spanish revolution; BARCA LINK FOR AIRDRIE". Daily Record. 21 July 2000. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
  3. "Airdrie lift Challenge Cup". BBC Sport. 19 November 2000. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
  4. "Safety first as O'Neill gets Broto on board". The Scotsman. 24 January 2003. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
  5. "Broto to leave Celtic". BBC. 5 July 2003. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  6. McHugh, Joe (13 March 2005). "Broto: My horror at Parkhead's stingy pay offer". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
  7. Lowe, Sid (18 April 2005). "Hands up if you love Getafe". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
  8. Sánchez Broto: " Pasión es el mundo del portero" (Sánchez Broto: "Pasión is the goalkeeper's world"); Diario Equipo, 1 June 2006 (in Spanish)
  9. "Livvy wrap up the title". BBC. 28 April 2001. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
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