THE CAPTAIN'S GOODBYE Thursday 19th May, 2005 Francisco Javier Gonzalez Perez 'Fran' has been an important part of Deportivo for the last fifteen years. 434 games in the Primera, 32,264 minutes played and 44 goals scored are his impressive numbers in the Spanish first division. But the importance of Fran's participation with the club goes beyond that. The leadership that he projects and his Galician origin have left a mark on the fans. It's the end of the Deportivo captain's career here and the beginning of his legacy. He is Deportivo's longest-serving player, having spent over 15 seasons with the Galician squad. He joined Depor when they were in the second division in 1988, playing on the inside left, but he gradually shifted to the left wing. However, this slightly built midfielder is no peripheral figure. As well as being the club captain, Fran is also a gifted performer with quick feet and an eye for a killer pass. Fran lifted the Spanish Cup in 1994/95 - Deportivo's first trophy - and repeated the feat seven years later. In between those years, he appeared 21 times for the club during its maiden championship campaign of 1999/00. The No. 10 proved his worth once again in 2002/03, playing 28 Primera Division games and another ten in the UEFA Champions League. O neno's participation in the starting lineup was unquestionable in his early seasons with Deportivo. He only missed three matches in his first four years in the Primera, but he subsequently lost his place due to the signings of other players like Luque. In the last three seasons he has only started 15 games, but his classy skills were what coach Javier Irureta looked for when he needed a solution from the bench. Fran’s participation in Europe is also historic. He's the only active player remaining from Deportivo's debut in European competition during the UEFA Cup in 1993/94. He scored two Champions League goals, one against Leeds in the 2000/01 quarterfinal and the other in the impressive 4-0 comeback against AC Milan in last season's quarterfinal - Deportivo's last goal in Europe to this day. But his history also has negative moments like the failed transfer to Real Madrid CF in 1991 or the conflict with president Lendoiro at the beginning of the present season, a confrontation that still has repercussions today. Fran's participation with the national team of Spain is also limited, as he only played 16 times for his country. He scored twice, with his last appearance coming in a UEFA EURO 2000 group match against Yugoslavia. No matter what, his influence at Deportivo isn't debatable. It's the end of his career, but it's also the beginning of his legacy. --

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