San Marino Calcio

Football club infobox
clubname = San Marino


fullname = San Marino Calcio SRL
nickname = "Titani" (Titans)
founded = 1960
ground = Stadio Olimpico Serravalle, San Marino
capacity = 7,000 | chairman = Daniele De Luigi
manager = Fabrizio Tazzioli
league = Lega Pro Seconda Divisione - B
season = 2007-08
position = Serie C2/B, 5th
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pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_thinbluesides|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2=000000|socks2=000000

San Marino Calcio is a Sanmarinese football club based in Serravalle. The club was founded in 1960,cite news |url=http://www.sanmarinocalcio.com/default.asp?id=1070|title=San Marino Calcio history|language=Italian|accessdate=2007-10-25|publisher=www.sanmarinocalcio.com] as S.S. Serenissima ("Società Sportiva Serenissima"). Serenissima merged with the old S.S. Juvenes in 1973, changing its name to A.C. San Marino ("Associazione Calcio San Marino") and in 1988–89 to its current name, San Marino Calcio.

History

The club was founded in 1960 by the San Marino Football Federation, in order to have a professional team represent the Republic of San Marino in the Italian league. The club was later purchased by Sanmarinese and Italian entrepreneurs.

San Marino Calcio is the only professional football team in the Republic of San Marino allowed to play exclusively in the Italian football league system. Since the San Marino Football League is completely amateur, the club is also the only professional team in the Republic. Another team from San Marino, A.C. Juvenes/Dogana, competed in the amateur levels of Italian football and in the Sanmarinese league in the past, but has since retired from the FIGC. [ [http://www.figc-dilettanti-er.it/archivio.php?id=2&nextrow=&file=444 Emilia Romagna Amateur football yearbook 2007/08] ]

Early years

A.C. San Marino began playing in 1960 in the Seconda Categoria, since the Terza Categoria did not exist in the Italian football league system at that time. After being promoted from the Seconda Categoria, the team began playing in the higher level Promozione before being relegated to the Prima Categoria in the 1976–77 season. They continued to play in the Prima Categoria for the next four seasons until they won the Prima Categoria championship and were promoted to the Promozione again in the 1979–80 season. A.C. San Marino's stay in the Promozione was short lived, however; within two seasons they were relegated to the Prima Categoria.

A.C. San Marino established themselves as a yo–yo club as they were once again promoted to the Promozione as champions in the 1984–85 season. The team then saw back-to-back championships as they won the Promozione the following season, and were promoted for the first time to the Serie D, the highest semi-professional league in Italy. The team's success continued as they finished in second place in Serie D in the 1986–87 season and went on to become league champions in 1987–88. In the 1988–89 season, the team appeared in the lowest level Italian professional league, Serie C2.

In 1988 A.C. San Marino became a joint stock company and changed its name from A.C. San Marino to San Marino Calcio. The renamed team was relegated to Serie D in the 1989–90 season after finishing 17th in Serie C2. San Marino Calcio were again relegated, this time to Eccellenza, in the 1991–92 season after finishing 17th, but were again promoted to Serie D in the 1992–93 season. In the 1995–96 season San Marino Calcio were relegated to Eccellenza after a three-year stay in Serie D, but after winning the championship of Eccellenza, they were again promoted to Serie D, in the 1996–97 season.

The team's success was due in part to the appointment of the San Marino national football team manager Giampaolo Mazza, who led them to two non-consecutive Eccellenza championships. In the 1999–2000 season San Marino Calcio were promoted to the Serie C2 for only the second time in their history, as champions of Serie D.

Post millennium

San Marino Calcio began the new millennium in the fourth level of professional Italian football, receiving a boost from the arrival of legendary San Marino player Andy Selva. They consolidated their place in Serie C2 by finishing in the top half of the league standings for the next three seasons. The team made their way into the 2003–04 play-off final, but was defeated, and remained in Serie C2 after finishing fourth in the league. [cite web|url=http://www.sanmarinocalcio.com/default.asp?id_s=20&id=1114&step=2|title=Serie C2/B 2003–04 league table|language=Italian|accessdate=2007-12-09|publisher=www.sanmarinocalcio.com] San Marino Calcio's 2004–05 season was more successful: they reached and won the play-off final, reaching Serie C1, the highest level the team has ever achieved. [cite web|url=http://www.sanmarinocalcio.com/default.asp?step=2&id=1114&id_campionato=24&id_s=21|title=Serie C2/B 2004–05 league table|language=Italian|accessdate=2007-12-09|publisher=www.sanmarinocalcio.com] The team currently plays in Serie C2, having being relegated during the 2006–07 season. [cite web|url=http://www.soccerway.com/national/Italy/serie-c1/2006-2007/girone-b|title=Serie C2/B 2006–07 league table|accessdate=2007-10-25|publisher=www.soccerway.com]

In December 2006, the chairman of the club Werther Cornieti left because of alleged controversy and criticism during a sports broadcast. Daniele de Luigi was confirmed later as chairman of San Marino Calcio. [cite web|url=http://www.soccerway.com/national/Italy/serie-c1/2006-2007/girone-b|title=Serie C2/B 2006–07 league table|accessdate=2007-10-25|publisher=www.soccerway.com]

Colours and badge

The club's home kit consists of a light blue shirt with white and black inserts, black shorts, and black socks.cite news |url=http://www.sanmarinocalcio.com/default.asp?id=1104|title=San Marino Calcio shirts colours|language=Italian|accessdate=2007-12-01|publisher=www.sanmarinocalcio.com] Their away kit consists of a white shirt with dark blue inserts, white shorts, and black socks. San Marino Calcio released a third kit for merchandising, which consists of a red shirt with dark blue inserts, red shorts, and red socks.

The golden frame of their badge contains the team name and the phrase "Titanus aggressurus Olympum", which refers to the Titans in Greek mythology. Pictured in the center of the badge is a Titan. In Italian, the word "Titan" signifies both the race of mythological gods and Monte Titano, the highest point in San Marino. The left-hand circle represents the badge of Tre Penne, one of San Marino Calcio's two founding teams, and the right-hand circle represents the old San Marino Calcio badge.

Stadio Olimpico

The Stadio Olimpico is the home of San Marino Calcio in Serravalle and was constructed in 1969. It is also home to the San Marino national football team and the Serravalle-based football club A.C. Juvenes/Dogana. The Stadio Olimpico is an all-seater stadium and has a capacity of 7,000.cite news |url=http://www.sanmarinocalcio.com/default.asp?id=1069|title=San Marino Calcio's Stadio Olimpico|language=Italian|accessdate=2007-10-25|publisher=www.sanmarinocalcio.com]

Honours

:"As of 8 December 2007." Serie C2: 0:*Champions: :*Runners-up: :*Promoted: 2004–05 (Via Play–offs)

Serie D: 2:*Champions: 1987–88, 1999–2000:*Runners-up: 1986–87

Eccellenza Emilia-Romagna: 2"':*Champions: 1992–93, 1996–1997

Promozione Emilia-Romagna: 1"':*Champions: 1985–86

Prima Categoria: 2"':*Champions: 1979–80, 1984–85

Current squad

"As of 25 October 2007." [cite web|url=http://www.sanmarinocalcio.com/default.asp?id=1098|title="Squad lists and profile"|language=Italian|accessdate=2007-10-25|publisher= "www.sanmarinocalcio.com"]

Notable players

References

External links

*it icon [http://www.sanmarinocalcio.com/ Official site of San Marino Calcio]
*it icon [http://www.fsgc.sm/ Federazione Sammarinese Giuoco Calcio]