Spezia Calcio
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Full name | Spezia Calcio | ||
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Nickname(s) |
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Founded | 10 October 1906 | (as Spezia FBC)||
Ground | Stadio Alberto Picco | ||
Capacity | 11,466[contradictory][citation needed] | ||
Owner | Robert Platek | ||
Chairman | Philip Raymond Platek Jr. | ||
Manager | Luca D'Angelo | ||
League | Serie B | ||
2022–23 | Serie A, 18th of 20 (relegated) | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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Spezia Calcio is an Italian professional football club based in La Spezia, Liguria, currently competing in the Serie B. Spezia Calcio was founded in 1906 by the Swiss banker Hermann Hurni (or Hurny in some documents), who played for the early Crystal Palace amateur teams in London during his time there as a student.
The first Spezia playing kit, light blue and white, was a second-hand amateur Crystal Palace kit donated to Hurny when he returned to La Spezia. In 1911, following the decision of Alberto Picco and others to honour Pro Vercelli as an example of a small team able to beat the big teams, a plain white shirt was adopted with black shorts and black socks, which is still in use today. In the 1920s prior to the creation of Serie A, Spezia played several top league games against the giants[tone] of Italian football, including Inter, Juventus and Milan. The club has participated in all tiers of the Italian football system.
Spezia won the 1944 Campionato Alta Italia which was officially recognized by FIGC (the Italian Football Federation) in 2002 after a long dispute and the use of a special permanent badge was authorized. The tricolour badge is exhibited on the official jerseys during games and has a different shape and size compared to the ordinary Scudetto.
Following its fall from Serie B in 1951, Spezia was destined to languish[tone] in the third and fourth division for 55 years. The 2000s saw a return to Serie B in 2006, bankruptcy and then rebirth, the club re-establishing itself as a regular Serie B team once again. In 2020, exactly 100 years from its first appearance at the top level, Spezia finally returned to Serie A as the winner of the promotion play-offs, securing a second Serie A term for the 2021–22 season.
History
Early history (1906–1944)
Spezia Calcio was founded in 1906 by the Swiss banker Hermann Hurny (or Hurni in some documents), who played for the reserves of Crystal Palace in London during his time there as a student.[citation needed] Allegedly the first Spezia kit, light blue and white, was a second hand Crystal Palace kit donated to Hurny when he returned to La Spezia.[citation needed] He played for Crystal Palace again (in its revived form) in 1909.[citation needed]
In 1926, they won the Seconda Divisione and were promoted to the Prima Divisione, which was at that time the second-highest level of Italian football.[citation needed] In 1929 Spezia won the Prima Divisione but the league was demoted to become the third division in Italy so the team remained at the second level, playing in Serie B.[citation needed]
For the 1929–30 season, the club played in the first season of the newly formed Serie B and changed their name to AC Spezia.[citation needed] Spezia remained at this level before suffering relegation in 1935, only to swiftly return for the 1936–37 season.[citation needed]
In 1944, because of
The first match, played in Bologna, was suspended because of incidents[clarification needed] after the 1–0 goal of Spezia by the Bologna supporters; Spezia was awarded a 2–0 win because of that.[citation needed] The return match, scheduled to be played in La Spezia, was first moved to Carpi, because of the heavy bombings in the Ligurian city during the period, then cancelled because of protests by Bologna chairman Renato Dall'Ara, so Spezia was admitted to the final without playing the return match.[citation needed]
The finals, held in
On 16 July, Spezia challenged the Grande Torino, with Vittorio Pozzo as coach and Silvio Piola as striker.[citation needed] The match ended in an epic[tone] 2–1 victory for Spezia.[citation needed] After the third match, in which Torino beat Venezia in a 5–2 win, Spezia was declared champion.[citation needed]
The title was officially recognised by FIGC in 2002 as decoration.[clarification needed][citation needed]
Following the decision of FIGC in 2002, Spezia is authorized by the Italian Federation to exhibit a tricolour badge on the official jerseys which is unique, being the only example of a permanent one in Italy.[citation needed] The badge has a different shape and size compared to the ordinary Scudetto.[citation needed]
Post-war era to bankruptcy (1944–2008)
After the war, the Italian football system once again consisted of national leagues, as opposed to regional rounds, and Spezia returned to Serie B from 1946 to 1951.[citation needed] Relegation in the 1950–51 season led to a rapid fall through the divisions, as the club was relegated in three consecutive seasons back into the local Promozione Ligure in 1953.[citation needed] The club's name was changed to A.C. Spezia-Arsenal in 1954, only to change again to Football Club Spezia 1906 just a year later.[citation needed]
Promotion back to Serie C in 1958 marked the beginning of a period in which the club bounced[tone] back and forth between the third and fourth levels of Italian football, a cycle that would continue until finally returning to Serie B in the 2000s.[citation needed] The most consistent spell in a single division was Spezia's run in Serie C from 1966 to 1979, when the club finished in 17th position and was again relegated to the fourth-division Serie C2.[citation needed] Spezia returned the next year with another promotion but again fell back down in 1981.[citation needed] Another spell in Serie C was to follow from 1986 to 1997, when the club returned to the fourth tier once more.[citation needed] The name of the club was changed to its current name Spezia Calcio in 1995.[citation needed]
In 2002, the club reached an agreement with Internazionale,[1] making the club Inter's feeder club, with the Milan club holding a percentage in Spezia ownership shares. The team signed Goran Pandev, Aco Stojkov, and Alex Cordaz in the first season. In the second season, Cristian Lizzori, Luca Ceccarelli and Nicola Napolitano were signed. In 2004–05 season, Spezia received Antonio Rizzo from Fiorentina and Paolo Castelli from Internazionale.
Players like Alex Cordaz, Riccardo Meggiorini and Paolo Hernán Dellafiore joined the team directly from Inter to boost the team in January 2005. The season ended with winning Coppa Italia Serie C against Frosinone.[2] After the season, Inter sold most of its shares in Spezia.[3] The next season (2005–06) started with the arrival of a new owner, Giuseppe Ruggieri, and a new manager, Antonio Soda.[citation needed] After a long battle for the first position with rivals Genoa, Spezia were crowned Serie C1 champion and promoted to Serie B after 55 years of absence.[citation needed] The squad included Vito Grieco, Massimiliano Guidetti, Giuseppe Alessi, Massimiliano Varricchio and Roberto Maltagliati.[citation needed]
Life in Serie B with traditional Italian powerhouses
However, in the next season, with the team led by players such as
In 2008, due to financial difficulty and following their relegation from Serie B, the club was forced to declare bankruptcy.[4] In June 2011 FIGC sanctioned a number of former board members of the bankrupted Spezia for sports fraud.[5]
Refoundation and Serie A (2008–present)
The team was refounded in 2008 as A.S.D. Spezia Calcio 2008 by Gabriele Volpi, the owner of water polo team of Pro Recco and Croatian side HNK Rijeka, winner of numerous scudetti and admitted to the non-professional Serie D, thanks to Article 52 NOIF of FIGC.[6]
Upon promotion in
During the 2011–12 season, the club secured a Lega Pro treble for the first time; finishing as champions of Lega Pro Prima Divisione/B and being promoted to Serie B, winning the Coppa Italia Lega Pro, and also winning the Supercoppa di Lega di Prima Divisione.[citation needed] A 3–0 victory against Latina on 6 May 2012 secured promotion, Spezia's third in four seasons as part of a rise from the fifth to the second level of the national football system.[citation needed]
After returning to Serie B, the club enjoyed[
In the 2019–20 season, Spezia finished in third place, only behind the automatically promoted
After clinching[
Ahead of Spezia's second season in Serie A, the club lost coach Italiano, who was appointed by Fiorentina. He would be replaced by Thiago Motta.[15] The club was also hit by the news that it had been subjected to a two-year transfer ban by FIFA, active from January 2022, due to a breach of national immigration law through illegally signing 13 underage players from Nigeria,[16] that was later reduced to a one-year partially suspended sentence on appeal.[17]
Players
Current squad
- As of 1 February 2024[18]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Directors and backroom staff
Owner | Robert Platek |
President | Philip Platek Jr. |
Director of Football | Eduardo Macia |
Director of Operations | Nicolò Peri |
Head of the Academy | Giovanni Invernizzi |
Head of Commercial Area | Luca Scafati |
Press Officer | Gianluca Parenti |
Updated to match played 14 February 2020
Source: Spezia Calcio Website
Current coaching staff
Position | Staff |
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Manager | Massimiliano Alvini |
Assistant Manager | Fabrizio Lorieri |
Technical Coach | Stefano Daniel |
Athletic Coach | Simone Lorieri |
Athletic Coach | Gianni Brignardello |
Head of Medical | Vincenzo Salini |
Physiotherapist | Robert Kindt |
Physiotherapist | Damiano La Cognata |
Physiotherapist | Nicolò Salati |
Source: [citation needed]
Colours, stadium and supporters
Spezia's official club colours are white and black. The home kit traditionally consists of a plain white shirt with black trim, black shorts and black socks.[citation needed] White shorts and socks are also commonly used in the event of kit clashes with opponents.[citation needed] Away kits typically feature either an all-black design for shirts, shorts and socks, or the reverse of the home kit, but may also feature a variety of different colours, often changing each season.[citation needed] The club's nickname is Gli Aquilotti ("The Eagles").[citation needed]
The club hosts its matches at the 10,336-capacity[contradictory] Stadio Alberto Picco, which has been the club's home stadium since 1919.[citation needed] For the 2020–21 season, Spezia was forced to play many of its home matches at the Stadio Dino Manuzzi in Cesena, which has a capacity of just under 24,000, because its home stadium did not meet Serie A requirements.[citation needed] However, Spezia was eventually able to return to the Alberto Picco in the latter stage of the season after undergoing renovations.[citation needed]
Spezia's fanbase is almost exclusively based in the city of
Recent seasons
The recent season-by-season performance of the club:
Season | Division | Tier | Position |
1975–76
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Serie C (Group B) | III | 13th |
1976–77
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Serie C (Group B) | 3rd | |
1977–78
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Serie C (Group B) | 7th | |
1978-79 | Serie C1 (Group A)
|
17th ↓ | |
1979–80 | Serie C2 (Group A)
|
IV | 3rd ↑ |
1980-81 | Serie C1 (Group A) | III | 17th ↓ |
1981–82 | Serie C2 (Group A) | IV | 10th |
1982–83 | Serie C2 (Group A) | 16th | |
1983–84 | Serie C2 (Group A) | 14th | |
1984–85 | Serie C2 (Group A) | 13th | |
1985–86 | Serie C2 (Group A) | 2nd ↑ | |
1986–97 | Serie C1 (Group A) | III | 12th |
1987–88 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 6th | |
1988–89 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 3rd | |
1989–90 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 12th | |
1990–91 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 6th | |
1991–92 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 8th | |
1992–93 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 15th | |
1993–94 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 16th | |
1994–95 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 8th | |
1995–96 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 15th | |
1996–97 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 18th ↓ | |
1997–98 | Serie C2 (Group B) | IV | 5th |
1998–99 | Serie C2 (Group A) | 5th | |
1999–2000 | Serie C2 (Group A) | 1st ↑ | |
2000–01 | Serie C1 (Group A) | III | 5th |
2001–02 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 2nd | |
2002–03 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 6th | |
2003–04 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 6th | |
2004–05 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 7th | |
2005–06 | Serie C1 (Group A) | 1st ↑ | |
2006–07 | Serie B | II | 19th |
2007–08 | Serie B | 21st ↓ | |
2008–09 | Serie D (Group A) | V | 2nd ↑ |
2009–10 | Lega Pro Seconda Divisione (Group A) | IV | 2nd ↑ |
2010–11 | Lega Pro Prima Divisione (Group A) | III | 6th |
2011-12 | Lega Pro Prima Divisione (Group B) | 1st ↑ | |
2012–13 | Serie B | II | 13th |
2013–14 | Serie B | 8th | |
2014–15 | Serie B | 5th | |
2015–16 | Serie B | 7th | |
2016–17 | Serie B | 8th | |
2017–18 | Serie B | 10th | |
2018–19 | Serie B | 6th | |
2019–20 | Serie B | 3rd ↑ | |
2020–21 | Serie A | I | 15th |
2021–22 | Serie A | 16th | |
2022–23 | Serie A | 18th ↓ |
- Key
↑ Promoted | ↓ Relegated |
Notable players
World Cup players
The following players have been selected by their country in the World Cup Finals, while playing for Spezia.
Honours
League
- Divisione Nazionale
- Winners (1): 1944 (honorary)[citation needed]
- Serie C1(Level 3)
- Winners (3): 1935–36 (Group B),[citation needed] 2005–06 (Group A),[a][citation needed] 2011–12 (Group B)[b][citation needed]
- Runners-up (1): 2001–02 (Group A)[a][citation needed]
- Serie C2(Level 4)
- Winners (1): 1999–2000 (Group A)[citation needed]
- Runners-up (3): 1979–80 (Group A),[citation needed] 1985–86 (Group A),[citation needed] 2009–10 (Group A)[c][citation needed]
- IV Serie(Level 4)
- Winners (1): 1957–58[citation needed]
- Runners-up (1): 1955–56 (Group E)[citation needed]
- Serie D (Level 4)
- Winners (1): 1965–66 (Group A)[citation needed]
- Runners-up (1): 2008–09 (Group A)[citation needed]
- Serie B (Level 2)
- Play-off winners (1): 2019–20[citation needed]
Cup
- Prima Divisione (forerunner of present-day Serie B)
- Winners (1): 1928–29[citation needed]
- Supercoppa di Serie C
- Winners (2): 2006,[citation needed] 2012[citation needed]
- Coppa Italia Serie C
- Winners (2): 2004–05,[citation needed] 2011–12[d][citation needed]
- Scudetto Serie D
- Winners (1): 1957–58[citation needed]
- Coppa Ottorino Mattei
- Winners (1): 1957–58[citation needed]
Notes
- ^ a b Serie C1
- ^ Lega Pro Prima Divisione
- ^ Lega Pro Seconda Divisione
- Coppa Italia Lega Pro
References
- ^ "INTER AND SPEZIA MAKE AN AGREEMENT: COMMON TECHNICAL STRATEGY, AND 30% OWNERSHIP TO NERAZZURRI". inter.it. 16 July 2002. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
- ^ "Spezia, la Coppa è tua!". Citta della Spezia (in Italian). 5 May 2005. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
- ^ "INTER SELL SPEZIA MAJORITY SHAREHOLDING". inter.it. 8 July 2005. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
- ^ "Calcio, è ufficiale: Spezia in Serie D" (in Italian). Il Vostro Giornale. 21 July 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
- ^ "(319) – DEFERIMENTO DELLA PROCURA FEDERALE A CARICO DI: ROBERTO QUBER, ATTILIO PAOLO GARBINI, ANGELO MOLINARI, STEFANO CARZOLA, MARCO FRIONE, GIUSEPPE SCIUMBATA, CRISTINA CAPPELLUTI, MILO CAMPAGNI, MAURO GUSBERTI, GIUSEPPE RUGGIERI, ROCCO RUSSO, ACCURSIO SCORZA, PIERO AUSILIO e FRANCESCO MERIGGI (Fallimento Società Spezia Calcio 1906 Srl) ▪ (nota N°. 5456/117pf09-10/AM/ma dell'11 February 2011).
(319-bis) – DEFERIMENTO DELLA PROCURA FEDERALE A CARICO DI: GIUSEPPE RUGGIERI (Fallimento Società Spezia Calcio 1906 Srl) ▪ (nota N°.8996/117pf09-10/AM/ma dell'24 May 2011)" (PDF). FIGC (in Italian). 22 June 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012. - ^ "Modifica dell'art. 52 delle Norme Organizzative Interne della FIGC (Titolo sportivo)".
- ^ "Spezia Calcio SRL" (in Italian). Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
- ^ Sport, Sky. "Storico Spezia, prima volta in A. Out il Frosinone". sport.sky.it (in Italian). Retrieved 20 August 2020.
- ^ "Diretta Spezia-Sassuolo 1-4, tutto facile per gli emiliani" (in Italian). repubblica.it. 27 September 2020.
- ^ "Highlights: Udinese 0-2 Spezia". Football Italia. 30 September 2020.
- ^ "Robert Platek's Spezia takeover continues US investment in Serie A". SportsProMedia. 12 February 2021.
- ^ "Spezia 2020/21 season review". Football Italia. 27 May 2021.
- ^ "Spezia 4-1 Torino: Spezia guarantee Serie A status". Football Italia. 15 May 2021.
- ^ "Roberto Mancini names 38 man Italy squad for World Cup qualifiers". Get Italian Football News. 19 March 2021.
- ^ "OFFICIAL: THIAGO MOTTA NEW SPEZIA COACH". Twitter. 8 July 2021.
- ^ "Spezia: Serie A club given two-year FIFA-imposed transfer ban". Sky Sports. 16 July 2021.
- ^ "Spezia free to sign players after appeal to CAS against transfer ban". Times of India. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ "Prima Squadra". Spezia Calcio. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
External links
- Official website (in Italian)
- Spezia Calcio on Twitter