Mallorca B

The early years

Founded on 5 March 1916, what would later become RCD Mallorca was registered at the Spanish Football Federation under the name of Alfonso XIII Foot-Ball Club.

Weeks after its establishment, the club wasted little time forming the directors of Alfonso XIII FBC, headed by engineer Adolfo Vázquez Humasqué and eight other football fans.

Their first stadium, the Buenos Aires field, was inaugurated with a competitive fixture against FC Barcelona just 20 days after registering further fast-tracked development.

Despite the fixture ending in a disappointing 8–0 defeat, it was not long before King Alfonso XIII himself requested the royal adoption of ‘Real’ in the team's title, therefore becoming Real Sociedad Alfonso XIII Foot-Ball Club.

In 1917, the Catalan Federation granted Real Sociedad Alfonso XIII admission into the second-tier league championship as an unofficial champion of the Balearic Islands. Booking a place in the final, Los Bermellones went on to record their first title with a resounding 3–1 victory over Futbol Club Palafrugell, in Barcelona.

Until the 1930s, the board of directors managed to organise fixtures against peninsular clubs such as RCD Espanyol and Real Murcia, while also hosting rare exhibitions against foreign sides including: Ajax in 1923, Uruguay's national team in 1925, Chilean outfit Colo-Colo in 1927 and one of the Czech Republic's oldest teams, Prague Meteor, in 1930, the latter under coach Jack Greenwell, and with Antolín Arnau, Felipe Ferrer, and Pedro Pizá among its players.

In 1931, following the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic which prohibited any form of reference to monarchy, the club was renamed to Club Deportivo Mallorca.

Although major fixtures and competitions across Spain were soon interrupted by the outbreak of the Civil War in 1936, the squad enjoyed a highly successful spell by winning every possible championship they entered into, as football on the island remained resistant to the deferral experienced throughout the country.

When the war finally ended, matches with teams from the Peninsula were quick to resume and the Second Division was inaugurated, based on five groups of eight teams each.

It was during a period in the Second Division that, on 22 September 1945, the time had come to wave goodbye to Buenos Aires Field and up sticks to Es Fortí, a 16,000-maximum capacity stadium which would be called home for over half a century and undergo several expansions.

A line-up featuring forward Sebastián Pocoví, defender Saturnino Grech and goalkeeper Antoni Ramallets beat Jerez 3–0 on the opening game of the new campaign the following day, with Carlos Sanz scoring Es Fortí's first goal in front of packed-out terraces.

The title Es Fortí was short-lived however, with the board later changing the name of the stadium to Lluís Sitjar, in honour of the man who had driven the construction of the field.

During the 1949–1950 season, the Balearic club recovered their "Real" title, becoming Real Club Deportivo Mallorca

1960–1990

On 17 April 1960 Mallorca beat Levante 2-1 which confirmed promotion to La Liga for the first time in the clubs 44 year history.

In their first season in the Spanish First Division, the 1960/61 season, Mallorca finished 9th out of 16 teams, on 28 points just 2 points Oviedo in the relegation playoffs. They were knocked out of the Copa Del Rey in the round of 16 to Sevilla 4-3 across two legs.

Mallorca were then relegated back down to the Segunda Division after finishing 13th in the 1962/63 season, losing to Espanyol in the playoffs.

After finishing first in the 1964/65 Segunda Division season they were relegated again in the 1965/66 La Liga season after finishing a disappointing 15th, tied on points with Sabadell in 14th and Real Betis in 16th.

Mallorca would spend a few more seasons which saw them finish in the top 5 every season but were not promoted until the 1968/69 season which saw them finish 3rd, just 3 points off of first place Sevilla.

Despite this, Mallorca once again were relegated immediately, ending the 1969/70 La Liga season in 15th, only above Pontevedra who finished on just 13 points.

Mallorca would then sit in the lower half of the Segunda Division until the 1974/75 season which saw them finish a lowly 17th and ultimately being relegated to the Tercera División for the 1975/76 season, in which they finished 8th in their group.

Mallorca would then fall further down the Spanish football divisions being relegated to the 4th division for the 1978/79 season.

These tough times would not last however, as Mallorca would get back-to-back promotions, finishing first in the 1979/80 fourth division season and then again in the 1980/81 Tercera División.

Mallorca continued this streak of form with another promotion back to La Liga after finishing third in the 1982/83 Segunda Division.

These good times would end as Mallorca would end up relegated again after finishing the 1983/84 La Liga season in 17th on a mere 21 points.

Once again, Mallorca would come back after finishing the 1985/86 Segunda Division in 3rd, gaining promotion to La Liga for the 1986/87 season.

1990s and 2000s: Peak

In 1990–91, despite finishing the season 15th, Mallorca reached the Copa del Rey final for the first time, losing by one goal to Atlético Madrid.

Argentine Héctor Cúper was hired as manager in 1997. In his first season, the club reached the 1998 Copa del Rey Final, and lost on penalties to FC Barcelona after a 1–1 draw in Mestalla.

However, as Barcelona also won the league, Mallorca were their opponents in the 1998 Supercopa de España and won 3–1 on aggregate for their first major honour.

Barcelona's double also meant Mallorca entered the 1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, the final staging of the tournament – they lost the final with a 2–1 score to Lazio at Villa Park.

In 1999, Mallorca also finished a best-ever 3rd and qualified for the first time to the UEFA Champions League, but were eliminated on the away goals rule by Molde FK of Norway before the group stage. Luis Aragonés matched 3rd place in 2001, before leaving for an Atlético Madrid still in the second tier.