A.S.D. Atletico Catania F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = Atletico Catania


fullname = A.S.D. Atletico Catania F.C.
nickname = "rossoblù"
founded = 1986
ground = Comunale Nino Todaro, Sant'Agata li Battiati, Italy
capacity = "Unknown" | chairman = flagicon|Italy Giuseppe Borbone
manager = flagicon|Italy Gaetano Pecorino
league = Sicilian "Prima Categoria" – F
season = 2006-07
position = Sicilian "Prima Categoria" – F, 8th
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leftarm1=330099|body1=330099|rightarm1=330099|shorts1=330099|socks1=330099
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2=ffffff|socks2=FFFFFF

A.S.D. Atletico Catania F.C. is an Italian football club founded in 1986 and are based in Catania, Sicily. During its history they played in Serie C, almost gaining promotion on two occasions during the 1990s. However, they are currently in the Prima Categoria.

History

The club was founded by a Catanese entrepreneur named Salvatore Tabita in 1986, as relocation of the amateur football club Sporting Club Mascalucia 1969. They won their local title and were thus promoted to Serie C2. After finishing in 10th place in their first season, they went on to change their name in 1989 to Atletico Leonzio and move to Lentini. The team was then acquired by Franco Proto, and won promotion into Serie C1 in 1993.

In 1994 Dr. Proto trying to satisfy the absence of a football club in the city of Catania, moved the club from Lentini. Their home games were moved to the 21,000 capacity stadium of Stadio Angelo Massimino. This was because Catania's primary and historical club, Calcio Catania, had been cancelled in 1993 by the FIGC; Catania Calcio were however later entered into the Sicilian Eccellenza due to a court decision.

The club changed their name from Atletico Leonzio to Atletico Catania, doing a controversial move, specially in the eyes of the clubs fans from Lentini. They played for seven seasons in Serie C, coming close to promotion to Serie B twice, reaching the playoffs in both 1996-97 and 1997-98, but missing out both times.

Recent times

The 2000s have been far more difficult for the club. They were relegated down to the Sicilian Eccellenza in 2001 because of financial difficulties. In 2002 Proto sold the club to Paolo Pinazzo and Gianfranco Vullo. Atletico Catania went on sliding further down, and was again cancelled in 2005, when a group of supporters led by Santino Crisafi founded a new club with the current denomination and registered it to Terza Categoria, the lowest division in Italian football, for the 2005-06 season. That year Atletico Catania reached a fourth place, not enough for gaining promotion. However, little before the beginning of season 2006-07, Atletico Catania won the title of the Sant'Agata li Battiati making them applicable to play in the Prima Categoria. The new club ended its 2006-07 campaign in eighth place.

Notable former players

*flagicon|Italy Davide Bombardini
*flagicon|Italy Mattia Collauto
*flagicon|Italy Salvatore Nobile
*flagicon|Italy Lorenzo Squizzi
*flagicon|Italy Giovanni Sulcis

Notable former managers

*flagicon|Italy Francesco D'Arrigo
*flagicon|Switzerland Roberto Morinini
*flagicon|Italy Pietro Paolo Virdis

ources

*it icon [http://www.atleticocatania.altervista.org/la%20storia.HTM History of Atletico Catania] (from Atletico Catania official website)

External links

*it icon [http://www.atleticocatania.altervista.org/ Official website]