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Ascoli

Full name	Ascoli Calcio 1898 SpA
Nickname(s)	Picchio (Woodpecker), Bianconeri (White-blacks)
Founded	1898
Ground	Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca, Ascoli Piceno, Italy (Capacity: 20,000)
Chairman	Roberto Benigni
Head Coach	Alessandro Pane
League	Serie B
2008–09	Serie B, 16th
Home colours Away colours

Ascoli Calcio 1898 is an Italian football club based in Ascoli Piceno, Marche. The club was formed in 1898 and currently plays in Italian Serie B, having returned to it after two seasons spent in Serie A. Ascoli played in Serie A between periods of 1974-1976, 1978-1985, 1986-1990, 1991-1992, and 2005-2007.

The team's colours are black and white.

[edit] History

Founded in 1898 as "Candido Augusto Vecchi", the team changed his denomination to Ascoli Vigor in 1905, U.S. Ascolana in 1921, and A.S. Ascoli in 1945. In 1955, the team was acquired and saved from bankruptcy by publishing magnate, Cino Del Duca, who merged it with his own team to make the "Del Duca Ascoli". The stadium still bears his and his brother's name. In 1959 the team finally returned in Serie C for the first time since before the beginning of World War II. In 1971, under the chairmanship of Costantino Rozzi, who had acquired the team three years before, the team changed his denomination to the current one, finally being known as "Ascoli Calcio 1898". From that same year, the team, led by Carlo Mazzone as coach, gained two consecutive promotions, being promoted in Serie B, and then Serie A, for its first time. The team stayed in Serie A for two seasons before being once again relegated to Serie B.

Ascoli returned to Serie A in 1978 and enjoyed a seven-year tenure in the top league, during which time they managed to finish a surprising 5th in 1980 and 6th in 1982. Some of the most notable players under the management of Mazzone and Giovan Battista Fabbri included Adelio Moro, Alessandro Scanziani, Gianfranco Bellotto, Walter Novellino and Andrea Mandorlini, as well as Walter De Vecchi and Giuseppe Greco. After relegation in 1985, the club immediately bounced back and stayed for four more years. Another return to Serie A followed in 1991 but this lasted only one season. After just missing out on promotion for two year's running, the club went into decline and were relegated to Serie C1 in 1995. They would remain there for seven seasons, returning to B as Serie C1/B champions in 2002.

In August 2005, after the sentence of relegation from Serie A for both Genoa and Torino respectively due to fraud and financial troubles, Ascoli, who obtained a place in the Serie B promotion playoffs the previous season under coach Marco Giampaolo, have been arbitrarily admitted to Serie A as replacements, finishing a highly credible 12th. After the end of the season, Giampaolo, who gained a reputation as one of the finest young Italian coaches, resigned, for being replaced by Attilio Tesser for the 2006/2007 season. Tesser, unable to obtain good results in his time with Ascoli, was fired after a 1-0 loss at home to Empoli F.C. in the 11th matchday, and replaced by veteran coach Nedo Sonetti.

Ascoli were the first team to be officially relegated to Serie B for the 2007-08 season after a 1-0 loss to Torino F.C. on May 7, 2007. They ended the season in nineteenth place, one point above last-placed Messina.

German striker Oliver Bierhoff began his experience in Italian football with Ascoli.

[edit] Success

Even though from a small city of 50 000 people, Ascoli have been able to punch above their weight. Ascoli have competed 16 seasons in Serie A since 1974, with an incredible 5th and 6th spot finish respectively in the seasons of 1979-80 and 1981-82.

To complement Ascoli's success in Serie A, the club has also achieved 2 Cadetti (Serie B Championships) in 1977-78, and 1985-86. The 1977-78 season yielded a record championship with achieving 61 points (2 points for a victory). Ascoli have competed in Serie B 13 times, with a total of 5 promotion seasons.

Ascoli have made way to Serie B with only two winning seasons in Serie C and C1B. These were in 1971-72, and 2001-02.

Another one of Ascoli's successes is the fact for a city of 50 000, their record home attendace has reached 36 500 more than 70% than the cities population. In Serie A this was seen against Juventus and the famous season in 1982-83 where Ascoli saved themselves from relegation in the last game of the Serie A season against Cagliari, who were subsequently relegated. However with stadium restrictions the maxium attendance allowed in the Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca is 21 000 - 24 000. Nonetheless when filled it is still an amazing achievement from such a small city.

Other success were in the Mitropa Cup in 1986-87, the Capodanno Challenge, and the Red Leaf Cup. Ascoli were also finalists in the Anglo-Italia Cup, during Ascoli's last season in Serie B 1994-95, before Ascoli long await in Serie C1 before an emotional return to Serie B for the 2002-03 season.

Under the reign of the great president of Ascoli Calcio - Costantino Rozzi, Ascoli competed 14 of their amazing 16 seasons in Serie A, again another amazing achievement from a club who were once playing in the regional divisions of le Marche. Not only this, but Rozzi was able to implement players who were born and raised through the ranks of Ascoli. In the mid to late 1980s saw Giuseppe Iachini, Domenico Agostini, Giuseppe Carillo, and Lorenzo Scarafoni, help Ascoli ensure a return to Serie A and survival the following season. Once Iachini left Agostini, Carillo and Scarafoni, were first team starters as well as Marino Fioravanti and Antonio Aloisi on the bench. Aloisi went on to compete in many season for Ascoli.

Another success is Carlo Mazzone, once at the heart of Del Duca Ascoli's defence playing 9 seasons, led Ascoli for another 10 or so seasons as manager. Mazzone guided Ascoli from Serie C to Serie A, including Ascoli's 6th placed finish in 1981-82.

[edit] Rivalries

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The biggest derby in Le Marche is between Ascoli and Sambenedettese (Samb, Samba). To many it may seem like the biggest derby in Le Marche is between Ascoli and Ancona, this is not the truth. The last time the "derby" was played between Ascoli and Sambenedettese in a league season was in 1986. San Benedetto Del Tronto is a city in the province of Ascoli Piceno, only 20 minutes away from the city of Ascoli Piceno. It is an intense hate of each other, with the pride of each area defended passionately. It is said that a person who wears the oppositions colours in their territory, trouble is most likely to occur. Although the derby has not occurred in many many years, the passionate hate, has never died down.

Ancona is the second derby, these are the two most successful clubs of Le Marche. However Ascoli being the far superior. Ancona is the capital of Le Marche, but Ascoli (Asculum) was the capital of ancient Picenun. So both have a feeling of leadership. The battles between the Ascolani and Anconetani have been intense, and there is very much a fight to be 'La Regina Delle Marche' (the queen of le marche). In terms of 'calcio' Ascoli is far and beyond Ancona with 16 seasons in Serie A and 2 Cadetti. Whereas Ancona have only participated in 2 Serie A campaigns.

Fermana completes the big three, and incredibly it is another team in the Province of Ascoli Piceno, alongside San Benedetto Del Tronto. However Fermana from the city of Fermo, have not typically had a strong team. However this still is a derby for the Ascolani and Fermani, with both supporters not wanting to lose this game.

Other Rivalries, Teramo (a 30 mintue drive in Abruzzo), Livorno, Pescara, Ternana, Perugia, Inter, Catania, Fiorentina, Hellas Verona, Roma, Rimini.

[edit] Ascoli Season by Season

[edit] Current squad

As of 20 September 2009^[1][2]

No. Position Player 1 GK Enrico Guarna 3 DF Matteo Ciofani 4 DF Jonas Portin 5 MF Luigi Giorgi 6 DF Cristian Silvestri 7 FW Mirco Antenucci (on loan from Catania) 8 MF Daniele Di Donato 9 FW Arturo Lupoli 10 MF Vincenzo Sommese 11 DF Andrea Giallombardo 14 MF Christian Amoroso 16 GK Mirko Pennesi 17 DF Enar Jääger 21 MF Andrea Luci 22 MF Ilario Aloe

No. Position Player 23 DF Marcello Gazzola 24 DF Vittorio Micolucci 25 DF Stefano Blaiotta 55 DF Antonio Marino (on loan from Udinese) 61 GK Carlo Camilli 77 FW Francesco Potenza 78 GK Giorgio Frezzolini 82 FW Marco Bernacci (on loan from Bologna) 84 MF William Justino 87 DF Steeve Fanka 88 MF Carlo Ilari 89 MF Sakari Mattila (on loan from Udinese) 90 DF Salvatore Margarita 91 FW Luca Cognigni 99 FW Alessandro Romeo

[edit] Out on loan

No. Position Player 6 DF Angelo Siniscalchi (at Portogruaro) 20 FW Marco Moro (at Spezia) 32 DF Vito Falconieri (at Taranto)

[edit] Notable former players

See also Cat:Ascoli Calcio 1898 players.

[edit] Former Managers

See Cat:Ascoli Calcio 1898 managers.

[edit] Coaches

• 2001-2002 Giuseppe Pillon- Serie B promotion
• 2002 2003 Giuseppe Pillon
• 2003 Loris Dominissini
• 2003-2004 Aldo Ammazzalorso
• 2004-2005 Massimo Silva (official) Marco Giampaolo (actual)- Serie A promotion
• 2005-2006: Massimo Silva (official) Marco Giampaolo (actual)- Serie A 10th
• 2006: Attilio Tesser
• 2006-2007: Nedo Sonetti
• 2007-2008 Ivo Iaconi Serie B
• 2008-2008 Nello di Costanzo
• 2008-2008 Vincenzo Chiarenza
• 2008-? Franco Colomba

This section requires expansion.

[edit] References

1. ^ "La squadra" (in Italian). Ascoli Calcio. http://www.ascolicalcio.net/squadra.asp. Retrieved 2008-10-21. 
2. ^ "Variazione numerazione maglie" (in Italian) (PDF). Lega Nazionale Professionisti. http://www.lega-calcio.it/comun/0809/cs13.pdf. Retrieved 2008-09-06. 

[edit] External links

• Ascoli's official website