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| Full name | Associazione Calcio Ancona SpA |
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| Nickname(s) | Dorici | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founded | 1905 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Stadio del Conero, Ancona, Italy (Capacity: 23,983) |
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| Chairman | Sergio Schiavoni | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | Francesco Monaco | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | Serie B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007-08 | Serie C1/B, 2nd (promoted) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Associazione Calcio Ancona is an Italian football club, based in Ancona, Marche. The club was founded in 1905 as Unione Sportiva Anconitana, changing its denomination to Ancona Calcio 1905 in 1981 (as stated in the official web site(Italian)), and refounded in 2004 as AC Ancona. Ancona currently plays in Serie B. However, it was in Serie A as recently as the 2003/04 season, when Ancona finished last and was relegated to Serie B. The club was then forced into bankruptcy, and was sent down two divisions to Serie C2. The team's colors are all-red.
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History
Ancona had spells in Serie B before World War II and shortly after, but would not return to that level until 1988. Under coach Vincenzo Guerini, the club's rise was meteoric: 5th place in 1990 and promotion was achieved two years later. Although they would finish 17th and were relegated after just one year, the club nonetheless played in some memorable high-scoring games including a 3-0 home win over Inter. Midfielder Lajos Detari, winger Fabio Lupo and striker Massimo Agostini ensured Ancona had a respectable Goals For tally but conceded goals at an alarming rate.
The following year, Ancona reached an Italian Cup final but were heavily beaten by Sampdoria. Near misses in the promotion race was followed by relegation in 1996 and again in 1998. After returning to Serie B in 2000, Ancona would achieve another promotion in 2003.
Its second Serie A season would be one of the worst enjoyed by any Serie A club, with a record-equalling 28-game winless streak from the start. They finishied the season with a pitiful 13 points. This was followed by bankruptcy and condemnation to Serie C2.
Ancona finished 5th in 2005-2006 season and lost promotion play-off against Sassuolo by finishing best place but promoted after expulsions of Gela and Sassari Torres due to financial troubles. They finished 16th in Serie C1/B and played relegation play-off against Teramo in 2006-2007 season. Ancona won 4-2 by aggregate and remained in Serie C1.
In October 2007 it was reported that Centro Sportivo Italiano (CSI), run by the Vatican's Conference of Bishops, had purchased an 80% share in the club. The report read:
"It is a way to moralise football, to bring some ethics to a sector that is going through a deep crisis of values," said Ancona Archbishop Edoardo Menichelli, who recently played a benefit game against an Italian national team of singers. CSI president Edio Costantini said the centre wanted "to invest in the true meaning of sport. We want football to be again a means of education and not tied to strictly monetary values". "We will show that, for boys, football is not just an illusion or a bad example." 1
According to Catholic World News on October 9, 2007, the Vatican was distancing itself from the move, claiming the CSI was a group of 'lay Catholics' and the Vatican had 'nothing to do' with the project 2. Yet in a Reuters report on October 11, 2007, both the Vatican Secretary of State and the Pope endorsed the move, quoted as saying respectively:
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone praised the project in a statement read at its presentation, saying it was designed to 'bring out the human and spiritual values in sport'.
Pope Benedict XVI also encouraged the team after receiving a shirt with his name and the number 16 on from them at a general audience in St Peter's Square 3
The club has had several Papal connections. The 'Project Soccer' initiative was blessed by Pope Benedict XVI with a letter sent by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone to the Centro Sportivo Italiano.4 The 'Del Conero' stadium was visited by Pope John Paul II twice.5
The club has been promoted back to Serie B after winning promotion playoff after defeating Perugia by finished best place and Taranto by 2-1 aggregate in 2007-2008 season.
Current squad
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Notable former players
Daniel Andersson
Massimo Agostini- Dino Baggio
- Nicola Caccia
- Felice Centofanti
Lajos Détári- Maurizio Ganz
- Dario Hübner
Mario Jardel- Alessandro Melli
- Davide Micillo
- Mauro Milanese
- Alessandro Nista
Goran Pandev
Milan Rapaić
Supporters and rivalries
The main rivals of Ancona is Ascoli.7 The ultras of Ancona are noted for their anti-racist and anti-fascist stances.7
References
- ^ Vatican buys team to clean up Italian football, The Daily Telegraph online, October 4, 2007 Retrieved on October 4, 2007
- ^ Vatican not sponsoring soccer team, spokesman clarifies Catholic World News, October 9, 2007 Retrieved on October 10, 2007
- ^ Vatican backs club's mission SBS Television (Aust.) "The World Game" website, October 11, 2007 Retrieved on October 11, 2007
- ^ CSI e Ancona insieme nel progetto Soccer Centro Sportivo Italiano "Centro Sportivo Italiano" web-site, October 10, 2007 "Retrieved on January 1 2008"
- ^ Lo Stadio A.C. Ancona "A.C. Ancona" web-site, January 1, 2008 "Retrieved on January 1 2008"
- ^ "La rosa della stagione 2008/2009" (in Italian). A.C. Ancona. Retrieved on 2008-08-02.
- ^ a b "Italian Ultras Scene", View from the Terrace (29 June 2007).
External links
