AC Ancona facts for kids
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| Full name | Associazione Calcio Ancona S.p.A. |
|---|---|
| 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 of Italy. The club was first founded 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. However, AC Ancona also went bankrupt in 2010. After that, other clubs in Ancona tried to continue the city's football legacy. One of these was U.S. Ancona 1905, which also stopped playing in 2017. A new club, A.C. Anconitana, was then started. This club later joined with S.S. Matelica Calcio 1921 to form Ancona-Matelica. They hoped to change their name back to just "Ancona" in 2022.
The team had two main nicknames: i Dorici (The Dorians) and i Biancorossi (The Red and Whites). These names refer to the city's history and the club's red and white colors.
Contents
Ancona's Football Journey
Early Years and Promotions
Ancona played in Serie B, Italy's second-highest football league, before and shortly after World War II. They did not return to this level until 1988. Under coach Vincenzo Guerini, the team improved very quickly. They finished 5th in 1990 and earned promotion to Serie A two years later.
Even though they were relegated after just one year in Serie A, Ancona played in some exciting, high-scoring matches. One memorable game was a 3–0 home win against Inter. Players like Lajos Detari, Fabio Lupo, and Massimo Agostini helped Ancona score many goals. However, they also let in a lot of goals.
Cup Final and Relegations
The year after their Serie A season, Ancona reached the final of the Coppa Italia, a major Italian cup competition. But they lost badly to Sampdoria. After this, they came close to promotion a few times. However, they were relegated from Serie B in 1996 and again in 1998.
Ancona returned to Serie B in 2000. In 2003, they achieved another promotion, reaching Serie A once more.
Tough Times in Serie A
Their second Serie A season was very difficult. Ancona had a record-tying 28-game streak without a win from the very start. They finished the season with only 13 points. This poor performance led to the club going bankrupt. As a result, they were sent down to Serie C2, a much lower league.
AC Ancona's Path
After being reformed as AC Ancona, the club finished 5th in the 2005–2006 season. They lost in the promotion play-offs against Sassuolo. However, they were still promoted because other teams, Gela and Sassari Torres, faced financial problems and were removed from the league.
In the 2006–2007 season, Ancona finished 16th in Serie C1/B. They had to play in a relegation play-off against Teramo. Ancona won 4–2 over two games and stayed in Serie C1.
Vatican Connection
In October 2007, there were reports that Centro Sportivo Italiano (CSI) had bought 80% of the club. CSI is a group run by lay Catholics, meaning regular members of the Catholic Church, not priests.
Ancona Archbishop Edoardo Menichelli said this was a way to "bring some ethics" to football. He wanted to show that football could be about "education" and not just money. The Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, also supported the project. He said it was meant to "bring out the human and spiritual values in sport." Even Pope Benedict XVI encouraged the team. He received a team shirt with his name on it.
The club had other connections to the Pope. Pope Benedict XVI blessed the "Project Soccer" idea. Also, Pope John Paul II visited Ancona's home stadium, Stadio del Conero, twice.
Return to Serie B and Final Years
The club was promoted back to Serie B after winning the promotion play-offs in the 2007–2008 season. They beat Perugia and then Taranto with a 2–1 total score.
In the next season, Ancona finished 19th in Serie B. They played against Rimini in play-outs to avoid relegation. Ancona won 2–1 over two games and managed to stay in Serie B.
The Club's End
Ancona played the 2009–10 season in Serie B. They finished 17th, even with a 2-point penalty for financial issues. This meant they avoided being relegated. However, the club soon went bankrupt and could not join any professional leagues.
They tried to join Terza Categoria, the lowest level of Italian football. Their application was accepted in September 2010. The city gave them a playing field. But the club still lacked players and a manager. They had to give up their first four games of the season. According to FIGC rules, this led to the club being removed from the league. The club then officially closed down.
Famous Former Players
This list includes players who were important to the team or became well-known in football.
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Former Managers
To learn more about the people who managed AC Ancona, see Category:AC Ancona managers.
Team Supporters and Rivals
Ancona's main football rival was Ascoli.
New Clubs in Ancona
After AC Ancona closed, two new clubs were formed in the city:
- U.S. Ancona 1905, which played from 2010 to 2017.
- U.S. Anconitana A.S.D., which started in 2017.
