La Liga Rundown - Rayo Vallecano

• City: Vallecas
• Province: Madrid
• Founded: 5/29/1924
• Stadium: Campo del Fútbol de Vallecas
• Years in La Liga: 20
• Champions: 0
• Runner Ups: 0
• Nickname: Franjirojos

Rayo Vallecano, known as Franjirojos for their mixture of colors, and the iconic red stripe that runs through their shirt, has been around since 1924. The "Red Stripe" was actually from an agreement with Atletico Madrid, known as the 'Acuerdo de Ayuda Mutua'. It basically stated that Atletico Madrid would lend players to Rayo on the condition that they changed their uniform and added a red detail instead of sporting an all white kid (a kin to Real Madrid). And inspired by the iconic River Plate uniforms from Argentina, the stripe was born. 

Rayo are known in the Liga as an historical "yo-yo" club, meaning they more often than not, ascend and descend between the first and second divisions of Spanish football/futbol. They first made their first division appearance in 1977 and stayed for three consecutive years up to 1980. Then they would for the 1980 decade perennially stay in La Segunda (second division), where then from the 1989-90 seasons to the 2003-2004 seasons they would see themselves "yo-yo" back and forth with 9 La Liga seasons and 6 Segunda seasons. 

However from there, they entered what some may called Rayo's modern economic dark years, where from 2004-2008 they would be relegated to La Segunda B (or Spanish Football's third tier). They were able to be promoted in 2008, and returned to the top flight in 2011, where they then experience their second "yo-yo" term. For five consecutive seasons they maintained themselves in the top flight, but then the next five consecutive years, they were only able to maintain top flight football for only one of those years.

It wasn't until this recent La Liga campaign, that they experienced their fourth best finish in La Liga (they finished 12th, where the other three best finishes were 9th, 10th, and 11th) and were first time Semi-Finalist for the Copa del Rey.