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DMITRI RADCHENKO
Date of Birth: 2 December, 1970
Nationality: Russia (international)
Period at Deportivo: 1995 - 1998
Transfer: 380 million pesetas (€2,3 million) (1995, from Racing de Santander)
Clubs: Mérida (1997-1998, on loan), Rayo Vallecano (1996-1997, on loan), Deportivo (1995-1996), Racing de Santander (1993-1995), Spartak Moscow (1990-1993), Zenit Leningrad (1989-1990), Dinamo Leningrad (1988-1989)
Sold: ? (1998, to Compostela)
Height: ??? cm
Weight: ?? kg
Position: Attacker (central)
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 The future looked bright for him when in 1995 DMITRI RADCHENKO, aged twenty-four, signed a contract at Deportivo. The club had just one its first ever trophy, the Copa del Rey, and were looking for a replacement for Claudio and Julio Salinas who had left. But despite his promising future Radchenko became one of those players who didn’t make it.
During the season 1990/1991 Spain came to know Radchenko when Spartak Moscow eliminated Real Madrid from the European Cup by two of his goals in the Bernabéu. He was an enormous talent when in 1993 he earned a €1,2 million transfer to Irureta’s Racing de Santander.
His debut in Spain he made on 5 September, 1993 during a 1-0 home win against Rayo Vallecano. His first goal didn’t came at the least of places as he gave his club a first half lead during their match at the Bernabéu before late goals of Butragueño and Michel kept the points there. Radchenko also hit the target against Cruyff’s Barcelona (1-1) and scored a reasonable amount of eleven Liga goals in thirty-six matches. He had become an important part of Irureta’s team finishing eigth in the Primera División. Radchenko commented on this season that “under Irureta we played counter-attacking football with me as only striker. And because of it we won a lot of points”.
Under new coach Vicente Miera, Irureta had moved to Bilbao, he achieved similar numbers during the season 1994/1995 after playing the World Cup 1994 in Russia. Racing’s highlight that season must have been their 5-0 home win against Barcelona in February, 1995 with Radchenko hitting the two final goals. Champions Real Madrid were also beaten in Santander that season as two other goals of Radchenko gave them a 3-1 win in March, 1995. During thirty-six matches speedy Radchenko scored ten goals and kept Racing de Santander at a safe twelfth Liga place.
His move to Deportivo in the summer of 1995 coincided with the arrival of controversial coach John Toshack at the club. He offered Radchenko just one starting place during the first eigth Liga matches of the season and the Russian striker hit his first Liga goal during a 2-1 defeat at Real Sociedad, while he scored two UEFA Cup goals in Riazor against little Apoel Nicosia (8-0). But Deportivo had a difficult time after three years of glory and were mid-table during the whole season. The campaign was not much different for Radchenko as he faced tough competition of Beguiristain and Manjarín while the place of Bebeto was undisputed. The fast Asturian striker was given preference and Radchenko only started thirteen Liga matches that campaign. But still he hit some vital goals, including one at the Nou Camp against Barcelona (1-1), a late equalizer against champions Atlético (2-2) and an injury-time winner against Rayo Vallecano (1-0). Combined with his goal against Sporting de Gijón (1-0) he reached a total of five Liga goals.
 Toshack and Lendoiro were not convinced though after a disappointing season and Radchenko became a victim of the big renovation that summer. Offensive players like Rivaldo and Madar arrived while signing Wiltord was loaned out to Rennes. These were to occupy the place of Bebeto who left Deportivo that summer after four excellent years. In the summer of 1996 a loan deal, no sale, with Rayo Vallecano was made after some large negotiations as Lendoiro still assumed Radchenko could become valuable for Deportivo .
Back then Radchenko commented on his move that “I wanted to play football and Rayo is a good place to do it”. His former club Racing de Santander also wanted him back but the offer of Rayo was simply better. The Russian striker indicated he wanted to score “around fifteen goals” during the season 1996/1997 but again his performances were disappointing. He played thirty-one matches for the Madrid-based club but most of them as a substitute. Because he scored just one goal in these there was no will at Rayo, who narrowly escaped relegation, to keep him.
The succesfull season of Deportivo, they finished third, and the poor performances of Radchenko caused another loan out of the player for the season 1997/1998. This time he went to little Mérida, but played only ten Liga matches there without scoring a single goal. Mérida went down that season and the career of Radchenko seemed over. Just six goals in three seasons of Primera División football ment that there was no much interest anymore for the player aged twenty-seven.
Deportivo allowed him to sign for cheap at neighbours Compostela and since then he travelled around the world playing in Japan and Croatia. In 2002 he returned to Spain to play at little Bergantiños and looked back to his time at Deportivo: “I am proud and lucky to have played at this great club. When I was there they only were starting to grow bigger. But there were problems, and everything was different compared how things are now. Galicia can be proud of them, and I have become friends with Elduayen, Donato, Mauro Silva and Fran”. About his own performances he said that “my time at Deportivo. wasn´t very good. Still, my first year was alright when Toshack was there”.
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