AC Ancona facts for kids
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| Full name | Associazione Calcio Ancona S.p.A. |
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| Nickname(s) | I Dorici (The Dorians) I Biancorossi (The Red and Whites) |
| Founded | 1905 (Ancona Calcio) 2004 (AC Ancona) |
| Dissolved | 2010 |
| Ground | Stadio del Conero |
| Capacity | 23,967 |
Associazione Calcio Ancona, often called Ancona, was an Italian football club. It was based in the city of Ancona, in the Marche region. The club first started in 1905 as Unione Sportiva Anconitana. Later, in 1982, its name changed to Ancona Calcio.
In 2004, a new club called AC Ancona was formed. This happened after the original 1905 club faced financial problems. Sadly, AC Ancona also went out of business in 2010. After that, other clubs tried to keep the spirit of Ancona football alive. These included U.S. Ancona 1905 and A.C. Anconitana.
The team's nicknames were i Dorici (The Dorians) and i Biancorossi (The Red and Whites). These names refer to the city's history and the team's red and white colors.
Contents
Club History
Early Years and Promotions
Ancona played in Serie B, which is Italy's second-highest football league, before and after World War II. They returned to this league in 1988. Under coach Vincenzo Guerini, the team quickly improved.
In 1992, Ancona was promoted to Serie A, the top Italian league. They only stayed there for one year. However, they played exciting games, like a 3–0 win against Inter. Players like Lajos Detari, Fabio Lupo, and Massimo Agostini helped the team score many goals.
Cup Final and Return to Serie A
The year after their Serie A season, Ancona reached the Coppa Italia final. This is a big national cup competition. They lost to Sampdoria in the final.
Ancona had some close calls for promotion in the following years. They were relegated to lower leagues in 1996 and 1998. But they made it back to Serie B in 2000. In 2003, they earned another promotion to Serie A.
Their second season in Serie A was very tough. They had a long streak without winning any games. The team finished the season with only 13 points. After this difficult season, the club faced serious financial problems and went out of business. It was then sent down to Serie C2, a lower division.
AC Ancona's Journey
A new club, AC Ancona, was formed in 2004. In the 2005–2006 season, they finished 5th. They lost in the promotion play-offs but were still promoted. This happened because other teams had financial problems and were removed from the league.
In the 2006–2007 season, Ancona played in Serie C1/B. They finished 16th and had to play in a relegation play-off. Ancona won this play-off 4–2 and stayed in Serie C1.
Vatican Connection
In 2007, there was an interesting report about AC Ancona. A group called Centro Sportivo Italiano (CSI) bought a large part of the club. CSI is run by lay Catholics and is connected to the Vatican.
The Archbishop of Ancona, Edoardo Menichelli, said this was a way to make football more ethical. He wanted to bring good values back to the sport. The CSI president, Edio Costantini, also said they wanted to invest in the true meaning of sport. They hoped to show that football could be about education, not just money.
The Vatican Secretary of State and even the Pope seemed to support this idea. They said it was designed to "bring out the human and spiritual values in sport." Pope Benedict XVI received a team shirt from the club. The club's home stadium, Stadio del Conero, was even visited by Pope John Paul II twice.
Promotion and Final Years
The club was promoted back to Serie B in the 2007–2008 season. They won their promotion play-off games. Ancona finished 19th in Serie B the next season. They won their play-out games against Rimini and stayed in Serie B.
The Club's End
Ancona played in Serie B during the 2009–10 season. They finished 17th, even with a penalty of 2 points due to financial issues. This meant they avoided being relegated. However, the club later declared bankruptcy. This made it impossible for them to join any professional leagues.
The club tried to join Terza Categoria, the lowest level of Italian football. Their application was accepted. But they couldn't find enough players or a manager. Because of this, they had to give up their first four games. According to FIGC rules, this led to the club being removed from the league. The club then officially closed down.
Notable Former Players
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Former Managers
- See Category:AC Ancona managers.
Supporters and Rivalries
The main rivals of Ancona was Ascoli.
Phoenix Clubs
After AC Ancona closed, new clubs formed in the city to continue its football legacy:
- U.S. Ancona 1905, which existed from 2010 to 2017.
- U.S. Anconitana A.S.D., which started in 2017.
