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JUAN GARRIDO CANALES
Date of Birth: 22 November, 1966
Nationality: Spain
Period at Deportivo: 1991 - 1996 (december)
Transfer: (1991, from Logroñés)
Clubs: Eldense, Las Palmas (1996-1999), Deportivo (1991-1996), Logroñés (1990-1991), Castilla (1988-1990), Real Madrid (1984-1988)
Sold: (1996, to Las Palmas)
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 78 kg
Position: Goalkeeper
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 Goalkeeper CANALES was born in the Albacete province, but enjoyed his preparation for a professional career in the youth system of Real Madrid. On 9 September, 1984 he made his Liga debut for them at the age of just seventeen (!) and earned a point at Sporting de Gijón (1-1). But there remained the competition of goalkeepers like Miguel Ángel (at the club since 1969), Ochotorena, Agustín and later Buyo. Last mentioned joined the club in 1986, signing from Sevilla, and would defend their goal until 1996.
So there was no room for young and inexperienced Canales. Because of lacking opportunities, he played from 1988 until 1990 at Castilla (a club which was related to Real Madrid). The season 1990/1991 he was loaned out to Logroñés, and after his thirty Liga performances at this he club finished tenth in the Primera División with them. And then Deportivo stepped into his life, signing him in the summer of 1991.
Canales (25-years old at the time), with impressive reflexes, was supposed to become the first goalkeeper of the Galicians. But he immediately sustained an injury when the season hadn't even started. So Deportivo needed another goalkeeper, and quickly signed 27-year old Francisco Liaño. He would start the season 1991/1992; the first of Deportivo in the Primera División after eighteen long years without it. Liaño played the first ten matches from finish to start, until Canales was declared fit and on 24 November, 1991 made his debut against Albacate (2-2).
But in his first match after his reappearance, bad luck struck again as he limped off injured at Espanyol after fifty-six minutes with the score 0-1. Liaño, his replacement, also kept a clean sheet and the Galicians took an impressive 0-3 victory home. So now it was time again for Liaño. He defended the goal of Deportivo in the next six matches, but this position seemed cursed that campaign because he also limped off injured during a Liga match. It concerned a home match against Valencia, and third goalkeeper Josu (28-years old, but without experience at the highest level) took over. Unfortunately the Galicians couldn't fix the 0-1 score of that moment and lost that match.
Josu played eleven matches after the Valencia defeat, before Canales made his second come-back of the season. It took place on 26 April, 1992 and this time he stayed fit until the end of the campaign. Deportivo narrowly escaped relegation after winning play-off matches against Betis Sevilla, but the glorious years were about to start.
Not for Canales though, as he seemed born to be unlucky. In the summer of 1992 it was between him and Liaño for the place of goalkeeper at Deportivo. But during the pre-season he was hit by a door from a truck, and once again ended up in the hospital. So it was Liaño who started the Liga season once again and played thirty-seven matches for Deportivo, while Josu added one match to his tally. Liaño won the Zamora trophy for his performances that campaign.
In the summer of 1993 third goalkeeper Josu was replaced by Elduayen, and so Canales got another competitor for the starting position at the club. But in the meantime things had turned around. Liaño had been part of the team which finished third in the Liga during the season 1992/1993, had leaked least goals in the Primera División, and was given the confidence for the next campaign. There would be no rivalry until 1994, because Liaño played all thirty-eighth matches from finish to start and only leaked eighteen goals this campaign. It mad him winning the Zamora trophy for the second time in a row, although Deportivo lost the title on the final day of the season.
Of course Liaño started the season 1994/1995, but at the end of September, 1994 suffered an injury against Espanyol near the end of this match. He was replaced by Canales, who would be first goalkeeper of the team until 3 December, 1994. With the score 1-0 for Barcelona in the Nou Camp, Canales once again limped off injured (a muscle injury in his right leg) and was replaced by Liaño. And Liaño would play all matches until 30 April, 1995. Until during a 0-0 draw at Valladolid, Elduayen had to replace Liaño because now both first choices suffered injuries.
 Elduayen kept a clean sheet that match, he repeated this against Cruyff's Barcelona (1-0) and also did so during thirty-three minutes at Sevilla. Then it was his turn to sustain an injury... Elduayen was replaced by Canales, but in the next three matches Liaño took over again. Canales was given a new opportunity during the final home match of the season, when Deportivo already were without options to win the title. But Liaño played the final match of the campaign at Albacete (2-8 win), with Molina defending the goal of the opposing side, and also was present when the club won their first ever title: the Copa del Rey.
So, in 1995, Canales had a total of fifty-four Primera Division matches behind his name: thirty with Logroñés, twenty-three with Deportivo in four seasons, and that legacy of having played one match at Real Madrid at the age of seventeen. But for 28-year old Canales the clock started to tick, and maybe the arrival of John Toshack at the club would change his situation. At least Lendoiro had appreciated his dedication to the club, because after his unfortunate injury of December, 1994 he was given a contract renewal of three years and now was attached to Deportivo until 1998.
In fact, Canales was the first goalkeeper of Deportivo during the first seven matches of the season 1995/1996. But after having leaked ten goals in those matches, two times Zamora winner Liaño took over again and kept his place in the team until the end of the campaign. He played thirty-five Liga matches during that season, and again didn't leave much minutes for Canales and Elduayen. In fact, Elduayen didn't play at all that Liga season while Canales didn’t play since matchday seven of the season.
In 1996 much changed concerning the goalkeepers, as Deportivo also reformed this part of the squad that summer. At the age of thirty-one, Liaño moved to Sporting de Gijón. But there were new additions in Jacques Songo'o (32) and Peter Kouba (27), with the African goalie winning the fight for first position. Canales dropped one spot, and now was third goalkeeper at the club. Kouba played just four matches in the season when Songo'o won the Zamora trophy, while Canales played just one: a 0-0 home draw against Tenerife on 10 November, 1996.
It proved to be his final match at Deportivo, because after five-and-a-half at Deportivo he signed a contract at Las Palmas in the Segunda División. It was December, 1996 and Canales had just turned thirty when he started his new adventure on the island, despite a contract running until 1998. At Las Palmas he signed a contract running until 1999. After Las Palmas he joined Eldense, where still plays in 2004.
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