A.C. Legnano
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| Full name | Associazione Calcio Dilettantistica Legnano | ||
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| Nickname(s) | I Lilla (the Lilacs) | ||
| Founded |
1913 2011 (refounded) | ||
| Ground |
Stadio Giovanni Mari, Legnano, Italy | ||
| Capacity | 5,000 | ||
| Owner | Gaetano Paolillo | ||
| Chairman | Vanessa Paolillo | ||
| Manager | Stefano Di Gioia | ||
| League | Serie D | ||
| 2015–16 | Eccellenza Lombardy/A, 2nd (Promoted after play-offs) | ||
| Website | Club home page | ||
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Associazione Calcio Dilettantistica Legnano or ACD Legnano are an Italian association football club based in Legnano, Lombardy. Founded in 1913, Legnano played three seasons in Serie A and a total of eleven seasons in the top tier of the Italian football league system.
Legnano's most recent appearance in Serie A dates back to 1954, whereas in 1957 the club took part for the last time – to date – in a Serie B championship (the second tier of Italian football). Since then the club have played at their highest at the third tier of the Italian league.
The team's colours are lilac and white. After financial struggles and bankruptcy in 2010 the club folded and reformed in 2011 as ASD Legnano Calcio 1913; in 2015 they regained the right to name themselves ACD Legnano Calcio and to merge their history with the one of the 97-year-old club previously folded.[1]
History
Foundation
The club were founded in 1913 as Football Club Legnano.
Several notable players appeared for Legnano in their early years. Goalkeeper Angelo Cameroni was called up to the Italian national side in 1920; he was the first Legnano player to achieve this. Luigi Allemandi played four seasons with the club from 1921 onwards, until he was bought by Italian giants Juventus. He later won the World Cup with Italy at the 1934 FIFA World Cup.
Serie A: Club at their peak
Legnano first gained access to Serie A for the 1930–31 season; the previous year they had finished as runners up in Serie B. The first match at the top level of Italian football was the shocking 2–1 defeat of Italy's oldest club, Genoa C.F.C.
Unfortunately for Legnano, they finished at the bottom of the table that season and were relegated; other notable results however were a 1–1 draw with eventual runners up A.S. Roma, and a 2–1 defeat of S.S.C. Napoli in Naples.
In the 1935–1936 season, the club changed their name to Associazione Calcio Legnano.
Left-winger Emilio Caprile was called up by the azzurri, to play in two international games during 1948. He became the first Legnano player to score for Italy with a goal in each match.
Slide down the Italian league
After their last relegation in from Serie A in 1953–54, the club have gradually declined. First they came close to promotion back into the league with a 3rd position in B, but two years later they were relegated down to Serie C.
Legnano spent 18 years in a row competing in Serie C, only able to finish as high as 5th in that time (they achieved this three times). 1974–75 saw the club slump down to Serie D; this was soon rectified as coach Luciano Sassi pulled the club back into Serie C2 with a runners up spot in 1977–78.
Giovanni Mari lifts Legnano
Giovanni Mari took over as club president in 1979 and under him, Legnano would achieve the championship of Serie C2. This was the first time A.C. Legnano had finished first position in any league since 1919. The club's stadium was later named Stadio Giovanni Mari in honour of the man.
The refoundation
Following bankruptcy in 2010, Legnano subsequently folded.
It was refounded on July 15, 2011 as A.S.D. Legnano Calcio 1913 and was admitted to Group N of Prima Categoria Lombardy in the 2011–12 season. The club was promoted to Group A of Promozione Lombardy.[2]
The club had a successive second promotion after finishing as champions of Group A of Promozione Lombardy next season and was promoted to Group A of Eccellenza Lombardy.
On May 7, 2015, A.S.D. Legnano Calcio 1913 re-acquired the name Associazione Calcio Legnano.[3] They finished Eccellenza Lombardy as 4th in 2014–15 but were eliminated in the play-offs. They finished Group A of Eccellanza Lombardy as 2nd and were qualified for the play-offs again. They defeated Torviscosa with 4–1 aggregate in semifinal and Sankt Georgen with 4–3 aggregate in final and were promoted to Serie D.
Players
Notable former players
Staff
Presidential history
Over the years Legnano has had various owners, chairmen or presidential figures; here is a chronological list of the presidents;
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Managerial history
Below is a list of AC Legnano coaches from 1913 until the present day:
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Honours
- Winners (2): 1982–1983 (group B), 2006–2007 (group A)
Campionato Nazionale Dilettanti
- Winners: 1992–1993 (group A)
- Winners: 1999–2000 (group B)
- Winners: 2011–2012 (group N)
- Winners: 2012–2013 (group A)
- Runners-up (2): 1919–1920 (group C), 1920–1921 (group D)
- Runners-up (2): 1922–1923 (group B), 1927–1928 (group B)
- Runners-up (3): 1946–1947 (group A), 1950–1951, 1952–1953
- Runners-up (2): 1976–1977 (group B), 1977–1978 (group B)
Campionato Nazionale Dilettanti:
- Runners-up: 1997–1998 (group B)
- Runners-up: 2013–2014 (group A)
References
- ↑ (Italian) Ripreso simbolo e nome AC LEGNANO
- ↑ (Italian) Prima categoria lombarda girone "N" 2011/2012
- ↑ (Italian) Ripreso simbolo e nome AC LEGNANO
External links
- (Italian) Official website
- (Italian) Statistiche lilla