AS Reggina 1914 facts for kids
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| Full name | Associazione Sportiva Reggina 1914 | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Gli Amaranto (The Amaranth) | ||
| Founded | 1914, as US Reggio Calabria | ||
| Ground | Stadio Oreste Granillo | ||
| Capacity | 27,763 | ||
| Owner | Antonino Ballarino, Virgilio Minniti | ||
| Chairman | Virgilio Minniti | ||
| Manager | Bruno Trocini | ||
| League | Serie C Group C | ||
| 2018–19 | Serie C Group C, 7th of 19 | ||
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Associazione Sportiva Reggina 1914, usually called Reggina, is an Italian football club. It is based in Reggio Calabria, a city in Italy. The team plays its home games at the Stadio Oreste Granillo, which can hold 27,763 fans. Currently, Reggina plays in the Serie D league.
The club's nickname is Amaranto, which means "amaranth" (a dark red color). This is because of their official team colors. Over the years, the club has had several names. These include Reggina Calcio, A.S.D. Reggio Calabria, Urbs Reggina 1914, Reggina 1914, and LFA Reggio Calabria.
In the past, the club played in Italy's top league, Serie A, for nine seasons. This included a seven-year period from 2002 to 2009. During these years, Reggina often fought to stay in Serie A. They never finished in the top half of the league table. After a tough time, the club faced financial problems. They ended up playing in lower Italian football leagues. However, they made it back to Serie B in 2020.
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Club Names Through the Years
The club started on January 11, 1914, as Unione Sportiva Reggio Calabria. It changed its name many times over the years. Some of these names were Società Calcistica Reggio and Reggio Foot Ball Club. In 1986, it became Reggina Calcio.
After facing financial difficulties in 2015, the club started fresh as A.S.D. Reggio Calabria. Then, in 2016, it changed to Urbs Reggina 1914 S.r.l.. From 2019 to 2023, it was known as Reggina 1914 S.r.l..
In 2023, the club had to restart again. It was refounded as LFA Reggio Calabria. On May 29, 2024, the club got back the rights to its original name and history. On July 18, 2024, it officially became AS Reggina 1914 again.
A Look at Reggina's History
The club was founded on January 11, 1914. In 1986, Pasquale Foti became a key leader for the newly named Reggina Calcio. He became president in 1991.
Playing in Serie A (1999–2009)
From the late 1990s to the 2000s, Reggina often moved between Italy's top two football leagues. They reached the top division, Serie A, for the first time in 1999. Two years later, they lost a special playoff game to Verona. This meant they were moved down to Serie B.
However, Reggina finished third in Serie B in 2002. This earned them a quick return to Serie A. In 2003, they managed to stay in Serie A by winning another playoff against Atalanta. For the next seven years, they kept their spot in Serie A. They were finally moved down again after the 2008–09 season.
In 2006, Reggina faced a penalty of 15 points. This was due to an investigation in Italian football. The penalty was later reduced to 11 points. Despite this big points deduction, Reggina managed to avoid being moved down. They won against Milan on the last day of the season. They finished with 40 points, just one point above the teams that were moved down.
The team had a difficult start in the Serie A 2007-08 season. Their coach, Massimo Ficcadenti, was replaced by Renzo Ulivieri. Then, a third coach, Nevio Orlandi, took over. This change helped Reggina improve their results. They avoided being moved down again with important wins. Orlandi stayed on as coach for the next season.
Life in Serie B (2009–2014)
After being moved down from Serie A in 2009, Reggina had mixed results in Serie B. In the 2009–10 season, they had three different coaches. Even with talented players, they finished 13th, which was disappointing for a team just out of Serie A.
The 2010–11 season was one of Reggina's best in Serie B. They finished 6th and made it to the playoffs to try and return to Serie A. However, they lost to Novara in the final playoff games.
The 2011–12 season was not as good. They finished 12th and did not make the playoffs. The team had two different coaches during this season.
In the 2012–13 season, Reggina faced another points penalty. This was due to a match-fixing investigation. They were given a 4-point penalty, which was later reduced to 2 points. They were close to the playoff spots but finished 11th.
The 2013–14 season ended badly for Reggina. They won only six out of 42 games. They finished near the bottom and were moved down to Lega Pro. This season also marked the retirement of president Pasquale Foti.
Playing in Lega Pro
For the 2014–15 Lega Pro season, former captain Francesco Cozza started as head coach. After a tough start, the youth team coach, Giacomo Tedesco, took over. He helped the team avoid being moved down by winning a playoff against their rivals, Messina.
A Short Time in Serie D
Even though they avoided being moved down in 2015, Reggina could not register for Lega Pro. The club faced financial difficulties. A new club, "A.S.D. Reggio Calabria", was formed to play in Serie D for the 2015–16 season. They finished 4th but lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Back to Serie C
In 2016, the club was renamed "S.S.D. Urbs Sportiva Reggina 1914 a r.l.". Even though they lost in the Serie D playoffs, the club was allowed to join Lega Pro (which was later renamed Serie C) for the 2016–17 season. They finished 13th.
In January 2019, the club was sold to Luca Gallo, an Italian businessman. This happened during a difficult time when players were not being paid. On July 1, 2019, the club changed its name to "Reggina 1914 S.r.l.".
Return to Serie B
Reggina won its Serie C group in 2020. This earned them a promotion back to Serie B. The team for their Serie B return included experienced players like Jérémy Ménez and Germán Denis.
In the 2022-23 season, under coach Filippo Inzaghi, Reggina finished in a playoff spot. This was despite a five-point penalty for not paying taxes and player salaries on time. The penalty was first seven points but was reduced to five after an appeal.
Restarting in 2023
On July 1, 2023, Reggina was not allowed to play in Serie B for the 2023-24 season. This was due to financial issues. The club tried to appeal this decision many times, but it was confirmed.
On September 1, 2023, a new club was approved to play in Serie D. This club was taken over by a group led by Antonino Ballarino. It was named LFA Reggio Calabria. The new club was not allowed to use the Reggina 1914 name or logo at first.
On May 29, 2024, Ballarino and LFA Reggio Calabria bought the rights to the Reggina name and history. The club was officially renamed AS Reggina 1914 on July 18, 2024.
Club Achievements
Reggina has won several titles in lower Italian leagues:
- Serie C:
- 1964–65 (group C), 2019–20 (group C)
- Serie C1:
- 1994–95 (group B)
- Serie C2:
- 1983–84 (group C)
- IV Serie:
- 1955–56 (group H)
Team Rivalries
Reggina has strong rivalries with nearby teams. Their biggest rival is Messina. Messina is just a short ferry ride away. Twice each season, they play in the Derby dello Stretto, also known as the Strait of Messina Derby. In the 2014–15 season, Reggina beat Messina in a playoff. This sent Messina down to Serie D.
There is also a major derby in the Calabria region between Reggina and Crotone. However, these two teams have not played in the same league for a few years. Reggina also has a derby with another Calabrian team, Catanzaro, which is currently in Serie B.
Team Colors and Badges
Reggina used a logo with the letter R and a football. Some versions of the logo included the year 1986, when Reggina Calcio was founded. After the financial difficulties in 2015, a new owner introduced a new logo. This was because the old design was linked to the previous club.
When the club was renamed in 2016, a letter R was brought back into the logo. However, the football design on the 2016 logo was different from the old one. In 2019, the club went back to using the historical logo design.
Current Players
Team Squad
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Players on Loan
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Notable Players
Club Staff
| Position | Name |
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| Manager |  Rosario Pergolizzi |
| Athletic Training Coordinator | Paolo Albino |
| Athletic Trainer | Giuseppe Lazzaro |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Marco Cervino |
| Match Analyst | Danilo Polito |
| Team Doctor | Pasquale Favasuli |
| Owner | Nino Ballarino |
| President | Virgilio Minniti |
| Vice President | Fabio Vitale |
| Technical Director | Giuseppe Bonanno |
| General Manager | Giuseppe Praticò |
| General Secretary | Sergio Miceli |
| Labor Consultant | Francesca Serra |
| Treasurer | Marika Ballarino |
| Marketing Manager | Consuelo Apa |
| Communications Manager | Giuseppe Praticò |
| General Affairs | Amalia Nucaro |
| Photographer | Lillo D'Ascola |
| Graphic Designer | Pietro Nania |
| Videographer | Marco Verduci |
| Ticket Office Manager | Maurizio Albanese |
| Service Level Objectives | Pietro Casile |
| Referree Hospitality | Vincenzo Maglio |
See also
In Spanish: Reggina 1914 para niños
