Rubén Palazuelos García (born 11 April 1983) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Gimnástica de Torrelavega as a defensive midfielder.

Rubén Palazuelos
Palazuelos as a Yeovil Town player
Personal information
Full name Rubén Palazuelos García
Date of birth (1983-04-11) 11 April 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth Santander, Spain
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Gimnástica
Youth career
Racing Santander
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2004 Racing B 52 (7)
2004–2005 Lanzarote 20 (1)
2005–2006 Palencia 28 (0)
2006–2007 Gimnástica 0 (0)
2006–2007Aris (loan) 21 (0)
2007–2011 Heart of Midlothian 114 (3)
2011–2012 Alavés 16 (3)
2012 Botev Plovdiv 14 (0)
2013 Honka 30 (3)
2014 Yeovil Town 9 (0)
2014–2015 Ermis 7 (0)
2015 Ross County 5 (0)
2015–2016 Guijuelo 27 (2)
2016–2017 Avilés 28 (10)
2017– Gimnástica 87 (23)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 March 2020

After only playing lower league football in his country, he spent most of his career in Scotland, mainly with Hearts for which he appeared in 125 official matches. He also competed professionally in Greece, Bulgaria, Finland, England and Cyprus.

Club career edit

Born in Santander, Palazuelos began his career with hometown club Racing de Santander, but never made it past the reserves. Released in 2004, he spent his first professional seasons in Segunda División B with UD Lanzarote and CF Palencia, before moving to Gimnástica de Torrelavega in 2006 (also in that level).

However, Palazuelos did not represent the Cantabrian neighbours in one single official game, and joined Greek side Aris Thessaloniki F.C. on loan for the 2006–07 campaign. In the following summer, on 31 July, he signed for Heart of Midlothian after a protracted process,[1] as the player reportedly paid for his release from his Gimnástica contract.[2]

Palazuelos made his debut for his new team in the 1–1 draw with Aberdeen at Pittodrie on 12 August 2007,[3] and scored his first goal on 29 December of that year against Falkirk, but in a 1–2 away loss.[4] He added another two in 2008–09, against Motherwell in a 2–1 home win[5] and at Rangers in which he netted the final 2–2 equaliser.[6]

Palazuelos signed for Bulgarian club PFC Botev Plovdiv in July 2012, leaving in the following transfer window. On 5 April 2013, he switched teams and countries again, joining Finland's FC Honka;[7] he made an immediate impact with the latter, being selected to the Team of the Month in the Veikkausliiga for the months of July and August.[8][9]

On 18 February 2014, after being linked with a move back to Scotland with Partick Thistle,[10] Palazuelos signed with Football League Championship side Yeovil Town until the end of the season.[11] He was hampered by injury during his spell, his team suffered relegation and he was released in May.[12]

On 30 January 2015, following a brief spell in Cyprus, Palazuelos joined Ross County.[13] He was one of 14 players released by the club at the end of the season.[14]

References edit

  1. ^ Reuben signs; Heart of Midlothian, 31 July 2007
  2. ^ Palazuelos pays for Hearts move; BBC Sport, 12 July 2007
  3. ^ "Aberdeen 1–1 Hearts". BBC Sport. 12 August 2007. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Frail rues early wasted chances". BBC Sport. 29 December 2007. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  5. ^ "Hearts 2–1 Motherwell". BBC Sport. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  6. ^ "Rangers 2–2 Hearts". BBC Sport. 21 March 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  7. ^ Rubén Palazuelos FC Hongan uusin vahvistus (Rubén Palazuelos the last confirmed at FC Honka); FC Honka, 5 April 2013 (in Finnish)
  8. ^ Maanoja heinäkuun pelaaja Veikkausliigassa (Maanoja player of July in the Veikkausliiga); Yle, 3 August 2013 (in Finnish)
  9. ^ Hongan Abdoulaye Méïté Veikkausliigan elokuun pelaaja (FC Honka's Abdoulaye Méïté player of August in the Veikkausliiga); Veikkausliiga, 3 September 2013 (in Finnish)
  10. ^ "Former Hearts midfielder Ruben Palazuelos turns down chance to join Partick". Sky Sports. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  11. ^ "Ruben Palazuelos: Yeovil Town complete deal for midfielder". BBC Sport. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  12. ^ "Yeovil Town: Jamie McAllister released as five offered deals". BBC Sport. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  13. ^ "Ross County add Ruben Palazuelos and Raffaele De Vita". BBC Sport. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  14. ^ "Ross County to release 14 players at end of season". BBC Sport. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.

External links edit