Nino Lema

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Nino Lema

| image =

| fullname = Benigno Lema Mejuto

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|9|12|df=y}}

| birth_place = Vigo, Spain

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{convert|1.82|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| position = Right-back

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = 1972–1984 | youthclubs1 = Celta

| years1 = 1984–1988 | clubs1 = Celta | caps1 = 64 | goals1 = 1

| years2 = 1984–1985 | clubs2 = → Arosa (loan) | caps2 = 29 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1987–1989 | clubs3 = Mallorca | caps3 = 3 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1988–1989 | clubs4 = → Tenerife (loan) | caps4 = 35 | goals4 = 1

| years5 = 1989–1990 | clubs5 = Español | caps5 = 29 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 1990–1996 | clubs6 = Rayo Vallecano | caps6 = 148 | goals6 = 0

| totalcaps = 308 | totalgoals = 2

| manageryears1 = 1998–1999 | managerclubs1 = Torrellano

| manageryears2 = 1999–2002 | managerclubs2 = Santa Pola

| manageryears3 = 2004–2006 | managerclubs3 = Ciempozuelos

| manageryears4 = 2006–2007 | managerclubs4 = Pego

| manageryears5 = 2007 | managerclubs5 = Jove Español

| manageryears6 = 2007–2008 | managerclubs6 = Dénia

| manageryears7 = 2008 | managerclubs7 = Alicante

| manageryears8 = 2009–2012 | managerclubs8 = Dénia

| manageryears9 = 2012–2013 | managerclubs9 = Orihuela

| manageryears10 = 2013–2014 | managerclubs10 = Ontinyent

| club-update =

}}

Benigno 'Nino' Lema Mejuto (born 12 September 1964) is a Spanish retired football right-back and manager.

Playing career

Born in Vigo, Province of Pontevedra, Lema played since the age of 8 with local giants RC Celta de Vigo. He made his La Liga debut on 31 August 1985 in a 1–1 away draw against Real Sociedad, and finished his debut season with 27 games and one goal as the Galicians suffered relegation with only 14 points; during his contract, he also served a loan in the lower leagues with Arosa SC.{{cite web|url=http://www.yojugueenelcelta.com/2009/08/lema.html|title=Benigno Lema|publisher=Yo Jugué en el Celta|language=es|date=16 August 2009|access-date=5 July 2012}}

Lema left Celta in June 1987 after winning promotion, and played in both the top tier and the Segunda División for the remainder of his career, representing RCD Mallorca, CD Tenerife, RCD Español and Rayo Vallecano. He totalled 279 matches across both major levels of Spanish football over 11 seasons, and achieved five promotions.{{cite web|url=http://www.golsmedia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4262:nino-lemaqjugue-seis-temporadas-en-segunda-a-y-logre-cinco-ascensos-a-primera-division&catid=153:cd-denia&Itemid=1637|title=Nino Lema: "Jugué seis temporadas en Segunda A y logré cinco ascensos a Primera División"|trans-title=Nino Lema: "I played six seasons in Segunda A and won five promotions to the First Division"|publisher=Golsmedia|language=es|date=29 November 2011|access-date=12 April 2012}}

Coaching career

After retiring as a player, Lema settled in Alicante and worked with amateur teams in the Valencian Community, his first appointment being with Torrellano CF. In his beginnings, he also worked as a radio commentator in local matches.

In 2007–08, Lema signed for what would be his main club the following years, CD Dénia, leading it through its first season ever in the Segunda División B and helping to a 12th-place finish.{{cite news|url=https://www.levante-emv.com/alacant/2008/05/13/tecnico-nino-lema-deja-denia-13437070.html|title=El técnico Nino Lema deja el Dénia tras lograr la permanencia|trans-title=Manager Nino Lema leaves Dénia after achieving survival|newspaper=Levante-EMV|first=Guillem|last=Ivars|language=es|date=13 May 2008|access-date=31 October 2022}} Subsequently, he moved to the professionals with Alicante CF (division two), but would only be in charge of the team for five games as one of four managers during the 2008–09 campaign, which ended in relegation.{{cite news|url=https://www.informacion.es/deportes/2008/12/09/ficho-alicante-7411808.html|title="Si lo sé, no ficho por el Alicante"|trans-title="If i only knew it, i don't sign for Alicante"|newspaper=Diario Información|first=Víctor M.|last=Victoria|language=es|date=9 December 2008|access-date=31 October 2022}}

Returned to Dénia in summer 2009, Lema led the side to the fifth position in the first year in his second spell, just five points shy of the promotion playoffs. At the end of the 2011–12 season he decided to leave after their relegation, even though permanence was achieved on the pitch.{{cite news|url=https://www.lasprovincias.es/v/20120214/marina/nino-lema-estamos-cinco-20120214.html|title=Nino Lema: "Estamos a cinco partidos de cumplir el objetivo de la permanencia"|trans-title=Nino Lema: "We are five matches away from meeting goal of survival"|newspaper=Las Provincias|first=Javier|last=Zamora|language=es|date=14 February 2012|access-date=31 October 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://alaves.elcorreo.com/noticias/2012-07-03/palencia-desciende-impagos-junto-20120703.html|title=El Palencia desciende por impagos junto a Badajoz, Denia, Puertollano y Ceuta|trans-title=Palencia relegated due to unpaid wages alongside Badajoz, Denia, Puertollano and Ceuta|newspaper=El Correo|first=Fernando|last=Ruiz de Esquide|language=es|date=3 July 2012|access-date=31 October 2022}}

Lema was appointed at Orihuela CF on 24 October 2012, following the dismissal of Sergio Inclán.{{cite news|url=http://www.diarioinformacion.com/deportes/2012/10/24/nino-lema-llega-rescate-orihuela/1307782.html|title=Nino Lema llega al rescate del Orihuela|trans-title=Nino Lema comes to the rescue of Orihuela|newspaper=Diario Información|first=Jesús|last=Zerón|language=es|date=24 October 2012|access-date=25 October 2012}}