Calcio Foggia 1920 facts for kids
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| Full name | Calcio Foggia 1920 S.r.l. |
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| Nickname(s) | Rossoneri (The Red and Blacks) Satanelli (The Little Satans) Dauni (The Daunians) |
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| Founded | 1920 as US Foggia | |||
| Ground | Stadio Pino Zaccheria, Foggia, Italy |
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| Capacity | 25,085 | |||
| Owner | Corporate Investments Group S.r.l. (80%) Davide Pelusi (20%) |
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| Chairman | Nicola Canonico | |||
| Manager | Ezio Capuano | |||
| League | Serie D Group H | |||
| 2018–19 | Serie B, 17th of 19 (resigned) | |||
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Calcio Foggia 1920, often called Foggia, is an Italian football team. It is based in Foggia, a city in Apulia, Italy. The club plays in Serie C, which is the third level of Italian football. Foggia was last in Serie A, the top league, in 1995.
The team's best times were in the 1960s, 1970s, and especially the early 1990s. During the 1990s, they played four seasons in Serie A. They were known for their fast and attacking style of play. This made them famous across Europe.
On April 23, 2017, Foggia returned to Serie B after 19 years. But just two years later, the club had problems and had to restart. They began again in Serie D in 2019 as Calcio Foggia.
Contents
History of Foggia Football Club
How Foggia Started
The club began in 1920 as Foggia Calcio. For many years, the team played in lower football leagues. They won a championship for amateur teams in 1933.
In 1957–58, two teams, Foggia Calcio and Foggia Incedit, joined together. They formed Unione Sportiva Foggia. In 1961–62, a new president, Domenico Rosa Rosa, took over. Coach Oronzo Pugliese helped the team get promoted to Serie B.
Reaching the Top League (Serie A)
A big moment happened in the 1963–64 season. Foggia reached Serie A for the first time ever. This was thanks to President Rosa Rosa and coach Oronzo Pugliese. From 1964–65, Foggia played in the top league for three years in a row.
On January 31, 1965, Foggia won a famous match 3–2 against Inter Milan. Inter was a very strong team at that time. Two Foggia players, Micelli and Nocera, were even called to play for the Italian national team. Italy won 4–1 against Wales, and Nocera scored a goal. After this, coach Pugliese left to coach Roma.
A new coach, Egizio Rubino, took over. Foggia stayed in Serie A for another year, but it was harder. The next year, Foggia was relegated. They had a tough season, scoring only 24 goals in 10 matches. Rubino was replaced, but the team still went down to a lower league. President Rosa Rosa also left the club.
Foggia was relegated in 1967. They returned to Serie A in 1970–71 with coach Tommaso Maestrelli. He later won the Serie A title with Lazio. The team was relegated again. They came back to Serie A in 1973–74. But they were relegated again after losing 6 points. This was due to a problem with a referee in a game against Milan. Foggia played two more seasons in Serie A in 1976–77 and 1977–78. Then they were relegated back to Serie B.
The "Zemanlandia" Years
After being relegated to Serie B, Foggia faced another setback. They went down to Serie C. The 1980s were hard for Foggia. Many of their local rivals were playing in higher leagues.
In 1989, a Czech coach named Zdeněk Zeman joined the club. This started the best period in Foggia's history. Zeman's team played exciting, attacking football. They used a 4–3–3 formation. Their style was known for high pressure and quick movement. This unique style was called Zemanlandia.
First, the club returned to Serie B. Then, in the 1990–91 season, they easily won Serie B. They were back in Serie A.
When they returned to Serie A in 1991–92, Foggia was called Foggia dei Miracoli (Foggia of Miracles). They could compete with any team. People loved their attractive football. The team had star players like Giuseppe Signori, Francesco Baiano, Roberto Rambaudi, and Russian player Igor Shalimov. That season, Foggia scored and conceded 58 goals.
Foggia then lost many of its best players. They had to bring in young talent. The club finished in the middle of the Serie A table for three seasons. In 1993–94, Foggia's style continued, but the team was not as strong. They were relegated back to Serie B in 1995.
Zeman left to join Lazio after that season. This was the end of Zemanlandia. The club also started having money problems. Foggia's glory days were over.
Decline and Comebacks
After being relegated, Foggia spent two seasons in Serie B. They finished in the middle of the table. But then they were relegated again at the end of the 1997–98 season. Things got worse in Serie C1, and they were relegated again to Serie C2.
Playing in Italy's fourth league was very different from the Zemanlandia days. But the club started to climb back up in 2002–03. Coach Pasquale Marino and players like Roberto De Zerbi helped them get promoted back to Serie C1.
After the 2003–04 season, Foggia faced money problems again. They lost their coach and best players.
A new company took over in 2004. It kept the team's historic name, Unione Sportiva Foggia. The club managed to stay in the league.
For the next two seasons, Foggia finished in the middle of the table. There were many coaching changes. The club's owner was criticized for not paying players. This caused problems. Later, a group of local business people took over the club.
The club spent the next few years in C1. They almost got promoted to Serie B in 2006–07. They lost in a playoff against Avellino. The next season, 2007–08, they reached the playoffs again. But they lost to Cremonese.
In June 2010, Pasquale Casillo, who was chairman during the glory years, bought the club again. He brought back Zdeněk Zeman as manager and Giuseppe Pavone as director. Even with talented young players like Lorenzo Insigne and Marco Sau, Foggia did not make the playoffs.
After the 2011–12 season, Foggia was not allowed to join Lega Pro Prima Divisione. This meant they were out of professional football.
In the summer of 2012, a new club called A.C.D. Foggia Calcio was started. It continued the city's football history. The club began in Serie D. They were quickly promoted to Lega Pro Seconda Divisione.
Over the next five seasons, the club climbed from Serie D (fifth level) to Serie B (second level). This was thanks to coaches Pasquale Padalino, Roberto De Zerbi (who won a Serie C Italian cup), and Giovanni Stroppa.
After the 2018–19 season, Foggia was again not allowed to enter Serie C. So, they were out of professional football once more.
In the summer of 2019, a new club named Calcio Foggia 1920 was founded. It continued the city's football story. The club started in Serie D and was soon promoted to Serie C.
Foggia Supporters
Football is very popular in Foggia. This has been true especially since the "Zemanlandia" years. Foggia fans, known as I Satanelli, also have support from all over the Province of Foggia.
Foggia fans have a special friendship with the supporters of Cagliari. This is mainly with their "Sconvolts 1987" fan group. Individual fans also have friendships with supporters from Monza, Latina, and Budapest Honvéd.
Nonno Ciccio, a 93-year-old Foggia fan, has been going to matches since 1937. He only missed games during wartime. Nonno Ciccio is known as the oldest "ultra" (super fan) in Italy. He still goes to Foggia matches, both at home and away.
Current Squad
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Club Officials
Board of Directors
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Current Coaching Staff
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Club Achievements
- Winners: 1990–91
- Winners: 1932–33, 1959–60, 1961–62, 2016–17
- Serie C2
- Winners: 2002–2003
- Winners: 2019–2020
- Coppa Italia Serie C
- Winners: 2006–07, 2015–16
- Supercoppa di Serie C
- Winners: 2017
Images for kids
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1973–74 Foggia team
See also
In Spanish: Calcio Foggia 1920 para niños
