# Zigor Aranalde

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**Zigor Aranalde Sarasola** (born 28 February 1973) is a Spanish former professional [footballer](/source/Association_football) who played as a [left-back](/source/Left-back).

## Playing career

### Early years

Born in [Ibarra](/source/Ibarra,_Spain), [Gipuzkoa](/source/Gipuzkoa), Aranalde began his career at lowly [CD Hernani](/source/CD_Hernani), going on to spend eight of his nine professional seasons in his country in the [Segunda División](/source/Segunda_Divisi%C3%B3n).[1]

In [1996–97](/source/1996%E2%80%9397_La_Liga), he was first choice at [Sevilla FC](/source/Sevilla_FC) in [La Liga](/source/La_Liga), but the [Andalusians](/source/Andalusia) finished third-bottom so they were relegated.[2]

### England

Aranalde joined [Football League Second Division](/source/Football_League_Second_Division) club [Walsall](/source/Walsall_F.C.) on a two-year contract, just before the start of [2000–01](/source/2000%E2%80%9301_in_English_football).[3] He spent just under five seasons at the [Bescot Stadium](/source/Bescot_Stadium), winning promotion via the play-off final in his first year and being a regular member until he was surprisingly released by manager [Paul Merson](/source/Paul_Merson), in March 2005; he moved on to [Sheffield Wednesday](/source/Sheffield_Wednesday_F.C.) immediately following his release, but was [sent off](/source/Ejection_(sports)) in only his second game for the side and never appeared for them again.[4]

In the summer of 2005, Aranalde signed for [Carlisle United](/source/Carlisle_United_F.C.),[5] who went on to [win the championship and promote](/source/2005%E2%80%9306_in_English_football) from [League Two](/source/EFL_League_Two). He scored five goals during the campaign, and was part of a squad which included two other former Walsall players, [striker](/source/Forward_(association_football)#Striker) [Karl Hawley](/source/Karl_Hawley) and future [Preston North End](/source/Preston_North_End_F.C.) manager [Paul Simpson](/source/Paul_Simpson_(footballer)); on 1 October, he netted [Bristol Rovers](/source/Bristol_Rovers_F.C.)' 5000th ever goal in a 1–3 loss, in [his own net](/source/Own_goal).[6]

## Coaching career

On 16 May 2008, it was announced that Aranalde was being released from Carlisle alongside [Paul Arnison](/source/Paul_Arnison) and Grant Carson.[7] Two years later, after playing some amateur football in his country,[8] he returned to England in April 2010 when he was named chief [scout](/source/Scout_(sport)) at [Brighton & Hove Albion](/source/Brighton_%26_Hove_Albion_F.C.) in [League One](/source/EFL_League_One).[9] He subsequently held the same position at [West Bromwich Albion](/source/West_Bromwich_Albion_F.C.), later being part of the coaching staff of [Albacete](/source/Albacete_Balompi%C3%A9).[10]

Aranalde was named assistant manager at [Premier League](/source/Premier_League) team [Watford](/source/Watford_F.C.) in January 2018, following the appointment of his compatriot [Javi Gracia](/source/Javi_Gracia).[10] Both were fired on 8 September 2019,[11] continuing to work together at [Valencia CF](/source/Valencia_CF),[12] [Al Sadd SC](/source/Al_Sadd_SC)[13] and [Leeds United](/source/Leeds_United_F.C.).[14]

## Honours

**Walsall**

- [Football League Second Division play-offs](/source/Football_League_Second_Division_play-offs): [2001](/source/2001_Football_League_play-offs#Second_Division)[15]

**Carlisle United**

- [Football League Two](/source/EFL_League_Two): [2005–06](/source/2005%E2%80%9306_Football_League)
- [Football League Trophy](/source/Football_League_Trophy) runner-up: [2005–06](/source/2005%E2%80%9306_Football_League_Trophy)[16]

## References

1. [El futbolista olvidado (The forgotten footballer)](https://elpais.com/diario/2007/11/19/deportes/1195426818_850215.html); [El País](/source/El_Pa%C3%ADs), 18 November 2007 (in Spanish)

1. [¿Qué pasó con Zigor Aranalde? (What happened to Zigor Aranalde?)](https://www.estadiodeportivo.com/sevilla/2017/08/13/paso-zigor-aranalde/114358.html); [Estadio Deportivo](/source/Estadio_Deportivo), 13 August 2017 (in Spanish)

1. [Walsall sign Spaniard](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/walsall/874844.stm); [BBC Sport](/source/BBC_Sport), 10 August 2000

1. [Owls not contesting Aranalde card](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_wed/4414283.stm); BBC Sport, 5 April 2005

1. [Carlisle sign Spaniard Aranalde](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/carlisle_united/4652897.stm); BBC Sport, 5 July 2005

1. [Carlisle 1–3 Bristol Rovers](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_3/4277868.stm); BBC Sport, 1 October 2005

1. [Ward releases three at Carlisle](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/carlisle_united/7405515.stm); BBC Sport, 16 May 2008

1. [La Gineta está a punto de cerrar la contratación de Zigor Aranalde (La Gineta about to close Zigor Aranalde deal)](http://www.eldigitalcastillalamancha.es/articulo.asp?idarticulo=9534&deportes=1); El Digital Castilla-La Mancha, 16 June 2009 (in Spanish)

1. [Brighton appoint Zigor Aranalde as new chief scout](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/8620358.stm); BBC Sport, 14 April 2010

1. [Coaching staff confirmed](https://www.watfordfc.com/teams/first-team/news-coaching-staff-confirmed); Watford FC, 23 January 2018

1. [Watford fired head coach Javi Gracia amid fears Spaniard had 'gone flat'](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/09/08/watford-fired-head-coach-javi-gracia-amid-fears-spaniard-had/); [The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph), 8 September 2019

1. [El Valencia destituye a Javi Gracia, el entrenador que quiso irse en octubre y se va siete meses tarde (Valencia dismiss Javi Gracia, the manager who wanted to go in October and leaves seven months later)](https://elpais.com/deportes/2021-05-03/el-valencia-destituye-a-javi-gracia.html); El País, 3 May 2021 (in Spanish)

1. [Ex-Blues: Former Carlisle United star Zigor Aranalde now assistant boss at Qatar club Al Sadd](https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/20034140.ex-blues-former-carlisle-united-star-zigor-aranalde-now-assistant-boss-qatar-club-al-sadd/); [News and Star](/source/News_and_Star), 31 March 2022

1. [Leeds confirm Javi Gracia’s backroom staff as head coach’s visa approved](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4248070/2023/02/24/leeds-manager-javi-gracia-staff/); [The Athletic](/source/The_Athletic), 24 February 2023

1. ["Reading v Walsall, 26 May 2001"](https://www.11v11.com/matches/reading-v-walsall-26-may-2001-7325/). *11v11*. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 1 June 2026.

1. ["Carlisle 1–2 Swansea"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/4865270.stm). BBC Sport. 2 April 2006. Retrieved 17 March 2024.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Zigor Aranalde](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zigor_Aranalde) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zigor_Aranalde?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.