Santiago Wanderers

Beginnings

Santiago Wanderers was officially established on 15 August 1892 in Barrio Puerto at Valparaíso. Because the presence of a team called Valparaíso Wanderers, the name Santiago was adopted by the club founders to distinguish the new team to the already existent.^[]

Until 1936, the club played at an amateur level until officially joining the league competition in 1937 as soon as the Chilean Football Federation began organising championships in the center and the south of Chile since 1933. In their first season at professional league, after finishing in the bottom of the table – seventh place – without points, Wanderers decided to leave the Asociación de Fútbol de Santiago (federation's official entity that organized the professional football tournament; current ANFP) and return to the local football association. However, in 1944, Wanderers definitely joined the professional league and completed regular campaigns during the late 1940s and early 1950s.^[]

1955–2007

Wanderers' first successful era started when José Pérez was made manager in 1955. In 1958, his third season in charge, the club won their first league title and in 1959 its first ever Copa Chile where beat 5–1 win to Deportes La Serena in the final. In 1961, Wanderers again reached the Cup title defeating Universidad Católica in the aggregate. For the remainder of the 1960s, after finishing fifth and eighth the following seasons, in 1968, Wanderers reached its second league title and closed a cycle where saw the emergence of players like Elías Figueroa.

However, the success did not continue during the 1970s; José Pérez left the club and Wanderers were relegated to second division in 1977, following a permanent internal turmoil at the board and bad campaigns. Nevertheless, the club was promoted at the first attempt after winning the championship, just two points clear of Naval from Talcahuano. Once in top-tier Wanderers did not highlighted and generally finished on mid-table or the last places.

Wanderers were relegated for the third time in 1984 and did not return until 1989, after beating 4–1 to Unión San Felipe in the promotion playoffs. However, in 1991, Wanderers were relegated again to second division and celebrated its 100th anniversary close to fall to the third division, only five points from relegation. Following four seasons at second-tier, Wanderers finally returned to top level in 1995.

After spending between the second division and the first division between 1997 and 1999, once definitely settled at top-level, in 2001, Wanderers led by Jorge Garcés achieved its third League title following thirty three years without won an honour, after winning 4–2 to Audax Italiano during the tournament's final matchday at Estadio Nacional in Santiago with 50,000 supporters that travelled from Valparaíso.

The ups and downs: 2007–present

Following relative good seasons, in 2007, the club back to Primera B after finishing in the annual table's penultimate place. However two seasons later, the club returned once again to top-tier following a victory in both promotion playoffs legs to San Luis Quillota. After a 2010 season on mid-table, the incoming year the team shook off the relegation against Naval.

In 2014, Wanderers realized an impressive Torneo Clausura finishing runner-up behind giants Universidad de Chile after beating Colo-Colo and advance to the second place. However the club qualified to an international tournament following a twelve-year absence, reaching the 2015 Copa Sudamericana, despite obstreperously losing 6–1 as home with Palestino in the final of the playoffs for qualify to the continental tournament.

In 2017, the club won its third Copa Chile title after beating to Universidad de Chile in the final held in Estadio Ester Roa Rebolledo at Concepción.