ASCOLI CALCIO 1898

'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.

Contents

History

Current first team squad

Notable former players

Coaches

References

External links

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. 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.

Current first team squad

''As of July 17, 2007''^[1]

Notable former players

★ Pietro Anastasi

★ Oliver Bierhoff

★ Liam Brady

★ Walter Casagrande

★ Dirceu

★ Marco Ferrante

★ Bruno Giordano

★ Filippo Maniero

★ Hugo Maradona

★ Carlo Mazzone

★ Andrea Pazzagli

★ Pedro Troglio

★ Patrick Vervoort

★ Zlatan Muslimović

★ James Wilson

Coaches

★ 2004-2006: Massimo Silva (official) Marco Giampaolo (actual) - 'Serie A promotion', 'Serie A 10th'

★ 2006: Attilio Tesser

★ 2006-: Nedo Sonetti

References

1. La squadra

External links

★ Ascoli's official website