José Ignacio Pérez Frías, born on 27 April 1955 in Madrid as part of a big family, one of whom – one of his brothers – Juan Carlos, was also a CD Málaga player and who is currently the first team’s doctor, and his son Nacho was in addition a Málaga CF player.
For work reasons the Pérez Frías family relocated to Málaga at the end of the 60s, soon enrolling Nacho in the youth categories of Puerto Malagueño, where they were then based.
His skills with the squad catapulted him to the Spanish national youth team where he was later signed by Real Madrid’s Amateur side, but an injury forced him to be ruled out from playing there.
In 1975 he decided to return to Málaga to do duty with Atlético Malagueño (reserves of CD Málaga), where he played one season, whilst he completed his medical studies.
The following season, 1976/77, he made the jump to the first team. Milorad PAvic, the then CD Málaga manager, debuted him on 6 March 1977 at Zaragoza’s La Romareda stadium in a First Division clash that ended in a 3-1 defeat for CD Málaga.
The two following seasons galvanised Nacho as a major player, despite his youth, and in 1979 he was named captain of the Matricos outfit.
On 29 April 1984, the league match with Sporting de Gijon (2-0) marked a total of 223 official matches (69 in First Division, 120 in Second, 33 in the Copa del Rey and 1 in the Copa de la Liga) that Nacho played in a Blue and Whites strip – making him the 15th player with most matches played for CD Málaga.
With CD Málaga he achieved two promotions to the First Division, in 1979 and in 1982. After departing the Malaguistas, he was signed by Real Avilés where he played 25 league matches in the 1984/85 season. Afterwards he moved to Atlético Marbella and CD Mijas, from where he ultimately retired from playing.
But this retirement didn’t end his relationship with Málaga. He moved to form a part of the youth squads as a coach with the ‘Benjamines’, which moved to third at the beginning of 1996/97.
He was also coordinator of Fútbol Base and manager in charge of analysing rivals for the first team in the 1997/98 season, when under the charge of Ismael Díaz, managed promotion to Second Division.
His incorporation into the Medical Services of the organisation occurred with the promotion of Málaga CF 'B' to 2nd Division B in 2001/02. From then until last year, he was the doctor of the second team and responsible for the youth categories.
Rest in peace.
