Gunshots, brothels and dodgy finances…the road to La Liga has been quite a ride for Xerez.

If Burnley’s journey to the Promised Land has been the archetypal football fairytale, then the story of their Spanish equivalents Xerez CD might have sprung from the pen of the Brothers Grimm. Having won a place in La Liga for the first time in their history, the Andalucian minnows should have spent the last few months on cloud nine. Instead, Xerez have found themselves saddled with a growing stack of problems before a ball has even been kicked.

Dark clouds were beginning to gather over Xerez even before promotion was secured. Back in March, the club’s table-topping form was knocked off the front pages by the exploits of club President Joaquin Bilbao, who was arrested for his alleged involvement in a shooting at a brothel. No charges were brought, but being caught at the local knocking-shop was enough to secure a hasty resignation slap-bang in the middle of the club’s push for the title. Fortunately, despite much embarrassment, manager Esteban Vigo was able to steady the ship, and the title was finally clinched with a draw at Celta on the last day of the season.

Vigo’s achievement in steering the club into the big time was a major coup, particularly given that Xerez had finished the previous season a disappointing fifteenth. A crying shame then that he won’t be in charge when the season kicks off. Contract talks between Vigo and the board apparently exposed a difference of opinion over the manager’s worth, and so in came ex-Osasuna boss Jose Angel Ziganda. With Ziganda himself having been given the boot by the Pamplona side back in October just six games into an atrocious start to the campaign, the jury most definitely remains out.

That said, with a new boss in place, Xerez could at least focus on preparation for life in La Liga. Except for the fact that arch-rivals Real Betis were making a big noise that they shouldn’t be allowed in the top flight in the first place. Pointing to media rumours of financial irregularities, Betis demanded an investigation be launched. Naturally, they spluttered, the club were simply acting in the interests of fair play, rather than desperately looking for a way to overturn their own relegation from the top division…. 

Happily for Xerez, Betis’ claims were eventually dismissed, leaving the league’s new boys free to work out how to deal with the likes of Messi, Ronaldo et al. However, a close season dominated by off-the-pitch worries has left scant time for strengthening a squad with precious little top-flight experience. Valencia keeper Renan Brito Soares has been brought in on loan and Cameroon striker Lionnel Franck should add goals but the suspicion remains that Xerez will be cannon fodder for the big boys. Nonetheless, after spending the summer clearing a string of problems from the Devil’s own obstacle course, they can be forgiven if they just feel happy to be there.