Ascoli Calcio 1898 FC facts for kids
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| Full name | Ascoli Calcio 1898 F.C. S.p.A. | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Il Picchio (The Woodpecker) | |||
| Founded | 1898 | |||
| Ground | Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca, Ascoli Piceno, Italy |
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| Capacity | 12,461 | |||
| Owner | Massimo Pulcinelli 39%, North Sixth Group 31%, Distretti Ecologici 20%, Rabona 10% | |||
| President | Carlo Neri | |||
| Head coach | Domenico Di Carlo | |||
| League | Serie B | |||
| 2018–19 | Serie B, 13th of 19 | |||
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Ascoli Calcio 1898 FC, often just called Ascoli, is an Italian football team. It is based in Ascoli Piceno, a city in Marche, Italy. The club started in 1898. They currently play in Serie C, which is one of Italy's professional football leagues.
The team's traditional uniform has black and white stripes.
Contents
History of Ascoli Football Club
Early Years and Name Changes
The club began in 1898 with the name "Candido Augusto Vecchi". Over the years, its name changed several times. In 1905, it became Ascoli Vigor. Then, in 1921, it was called U.S. Ascolana. After World War II, in 1945, it changed to A.S. Ascoli.
In 1955, a rich publisher named Cino Del Duca bought the team. He saved it from going out of business. He combined it with his own team, creating "Del Duca Ascoli". The team's home stadium is still named after him and his brother. In 1959, the team returned to Serie C for the first time since before World War II.
Rise to Serie A
In 1971, Costantino Rozzi became the club's chairman. He had bought the team three years earlier. Under his leadership, the team changed its name to the one we know today: Ascoli Calcio 1898. That same year, with Carlo Mazzone as coach, Ascoli quickly moved up. They earned two promotions in a row. First, they went to Serie B, and then, for the very first time, to Serie A. Serie A is Italy's top football league. The team stayed in Serie A for two seasons before going back down to Serie B.
Ascoli returned to Serie A in 1978. They stayed in the top league for seven years. During this time, they did amazingly well. They finished 4th in 1980 and 6th in 1982. These were surprising results for a team from a smaller city. After going down to Serie B in 1985, the club quickly bounced back. They stayed in Serie A for four more years. They also returned to Serie A in 1991, but only for one season.
Challenges and Comebacks
After almost getting promoted for two years, the club faced a tough time. They were moved down to Serie C1 in 1995. They stayed there for seven seasons. In 2002, they won the Serie C1/B championship and returned to Serie B.
In 2005, something unusual happened. Two other teams, Genoa and Torino, were removed from Serie A due to rule breaking. Ascoli, who had done well in Serie B, was chosen to take their place in Serie A. They finished a good 12th place that season.
Ascoli was the first team to be moved down to Serie B for the 2007–08 season. This happened after they lost to Torino F.C. on May 7, 2007. They finished the season in 19th place.
Club Successes
Even though Ascoli is from a small city of about 50,000 people, they have achieved a lot. They have played 16 seasons in Serie A since 1974. Their best finishes were 4th in the 1979–80 season and 6th in 1981–82.
Ascoli has also won the Serie B championship twice. They won in 1977–78 and again in 1985–86. In the 1977–78 season, they set a record by earning 61 points. Ascoli has played in Serie B 13 times and has been promoted to a higher league 5 times.
The club has also won Serie C (or C1B) twice, in 1971–72 and 2001–02.
One amazing success for Ascoli is their record home attendance. About 36,500 fans once came to a game. This is more than 70% of the city's population! This happened in Serie A against Juventus. In the 1982–83 season, Ascoli avoided being moved down to a lower league in the very last game. Today, the stadium can hold between 21,000 and 24,000 people. Filling it up is still a great achievement for a small city.
Ascoli has also won other trophies, like the Mitropa Cup in 1986–87. They were also finalists in the Anglo-Italia Cup in 1994–95.
Under the great president Costantino Rozzi, Ascoli played 14 of their 16 Serie A seasons. This was a huge success for a club that once played in regional leagues. Rozzi also helped young players from Ascoli's own youth teams become first-team players. These included Giuseppe Iachini, Domenico Agostini, Giuseppe Carillo, and Lorenzo Scarafoni.
Carlo Mazzone was a key figure for Ascoli. He played for the team for 9 seasons. Later, he became their manager for about 10 seasons. Mazzone led Ascoli from Serie C all the way to Serie A. He also coached them to their 6th-place finish in 1981–82.
Bankruptcy and Re-birth
During the 2013–14 Lega Pro Prima Divisione season, the club faced serious financial problems. A court declared the club bankrupt. However, a new company called Ascoli Picchio F.C. 1898 bought the club's assets. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) allowed this new company to continue playing in the league without being moved down.
In 2015, Ascoli was originally second in their league group. But the team that finished first, Teramo, was found to be involved in a scandal. Because of this, Teramo was moved down, and Ascoli was declared champions of their group. This meant Ascoli was promoted!
On June 14, 2018, the club's president, Francesco Bellini, sold the club. A businessman from Rome, Massimo Pulcinelli, bought it. On July 18, 2018, the club officially changed its name back to Ascoli Calcio 1898 F.C. S.p.A.
In 2021, a company from New York called North Sixth Group bought a 31% share in Ascoli Calcio. They have a plan to help Ascoli grow even more around the world. They also made a special deal with Italian Football TV. This means Ascoli Calcio is the only Italian football club with an exclusive content partnership for fans in North America.
Ascoli Supporters
Rivalries
Football teams often have rivalries with other clubs, especially those nearby. These games are called "derbies" and are very exciting for fans.
The biggest derby for Ascoli is against Sambenedettese (often called Samb or Samba). Sambenedetto del Tronto is a city very close to Ascoli Piceno. The rivalry is strong because of local pride, even though they haven't played each other in a league season since 1986.
The derby with Ancona is also very important. Ancona and Ascoli have been the two most successful clubs in the Marche region. This rivalry comes partly from Ancona being the capital of Marche. However, Ascoli (Asculum) was the capital of the ancient Picenun area. Fans from both cities want their team to be known as La Regina Delle Marche, which means "The Queen of Marche".
Fermana is another important rival for Ascoli. Both teams are located near each other. Even though Fermana has usually been a weaker team than Ascoli, their matches are still very important to the fans.
Ascoli also has rivalries with other teams like Livorno, Verona, Pescara, and Inter.
Ascoli's Stadium
Ascoli plays its home games at the Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca. This stadium can hold 12,461 people. It is located just outside the city of Ascoli Piceno.
Current Squad
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Players on Loan
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Coaching Staff
Updated August 15, 2022
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Massimo Carrera |
| Assistant coach | Mirko Savini |
| Technical collaborator | Fabio Giampieretti |
| Technical collaborator | Andrea Mazzantini |
| Goalkeeper coach | Andrea Aquilanti |
| Fitness coach | Iuri Bartoli |
| Fitness coach | Vincenzo Paradisi |
| Kinetotherapist | Nazzareno Salvatori |
Club Honours (Trophies)
- Serie B:
- Winners (2): 1977–78, 1985–86
- Serie C:
- Winners (3): 1971–72, 2001–02, 2014–15
- Mitropa Cup:
- Winners (1): 1986–87
- Supercoppa di Serie C:
- Winners (1): 2002
Where Ascoli Has Played (Divisional Movements)
This table shows which leagues Ascoli has played in over the years. "Serie A" is the highest league, and "Serie D" is a lower one.
| Series | Years Played | Last Season Here | Promotions (Moved Up) | Relegations (Moved Down) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 16 | 2006–07 | – |  5 times (1976, 1985, 1990, 1992, 2007) |
| B | 25 | 2023–24 |  5 times (1974, 1978, 1986, 1991, 2005) |
2 times (1995, 2013) |
| C | 32 | 2014–15 | 3 times (1972, 2002, 2015) |
2 times (1933, 1948) |
| Ascoli has played 73 out of 90 years in Italy's professional football leagues since 1929. | ||||
| D | 15 | 1958–59 | 3 times (1930, 1938, 1959) |
1 time (1955) |
| E | 2 | 1956–57 | 1 time (1957) |
never |
Partnerships
The club works with Young Blasters & Sporthood. This partnership helps young footballers in the YBSA network get great coaching and training.
Club Records
- Highest finish in league: 4th place in Serie A, 1979–80 season
- Biggest league victory: 4–1 against Avellino, 1983–84 season
- Biggest league defeat: 7–0 against Juventus, 1983–84 season
See also
In Spanish: Ascoli Calcio 1898 FC para niños
