In the 1980's and early 1990's the club spelled in the Segunda. However, the appointment of Jesús Gil y Gil, a familiar of legendary Atlético supremo Vicente Calderón, to the club's board of directors would change all that. Born March 11, 1933 in the sleepy Sorian town Burgo de Osma, the would-be veterinarian (reportedly too squeamish to wield a scalpel) eventually found his way to property development after a stint in auto sales.

His success (and failure), not to mention his massive personality, solidified his media position. Gil, in his spare time, founded a pro-business political party Grupo Independiente Liberal (GIL) in June 1991 and became mayor of seaside Mediterranean Marbella in 1995; propelling the revitalization of the local economy with a one-two of Gil-backed redevelopment and tourism. He also adorned the town hall, funding construction of a Generalissimo Franco bust, who pardoned the fledgling magnate for his role in a 1969 construction disaster. A modern day Alcibiades-clad in businessman's get-up and wielding statistics, the incidents in his life of playing both ends against the middle in the name of self gain, while colorful, are far too vast in occurrence to even attempt listing in so modest a framing.