Novara Calcio

Novara

Full name	Novara Calcio S.p.A.
Nickname(s)	Biancoazzurri (The White-Blues)
Founded	1908
Ground	Stadio Silvio Piola, Novara, Italy (Capacity: 17,000)
Chairman	Massimo De Salvo
Manager	Attilio Tesser
League	Serie A
2010–11	Serie B, 3rd (promoted by play off)
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours

Novara Calcio is an Italian football club based in Novara, Piedmont.

History

In December 1908 the F.A.S. (Football Association Studenti) was created by eight students of Liceo Carlo Alberto, aged between 15–16 years; among them an engineer, Gianni Canestrini, and a lawyer, Piero Omodei Zorini. In Novara in those days, there were other small clubs like Voluntas, Pro Scalon, Ginnastica e Scherma, Forza & Speranza, Collegio Gallarini and many other student bodies. The best players from these teams came together to form Novara Calcio, and made their debut in the Italian league on 3 November 1912.

The first match was played against a team already then established as Torino, who won 2–1, with the first Novara goal scored by Mario Menendez.

In the years between World War I and World War II, Novara formed together with Pro Vercelli, Alessandria and Casale to make the so-called "quadrilatero piemontese" (Piedmont Quadrilateral). Novara's highest finish came in 1952 when they finished in eighth place in Serie A.

During these years of staying in the top flight, Novara had Silvio Piola to thank. His many goals (which at the end of his career was over 300), made a huge contribution to the cause of Novara. Following his death in 1996, the stadium at which Novara play was dedicated in his name.

In 1956 came relegation to Serie B, and another five years afterwards, they slipped down to Serie C due to a fraudulent complaint by a Sambenedettese player.

A few good seasons in Serie B followed, but then Novara stumbled again in 1977 with relegation to Serie C and worse in 1981 to Serie C2. In the 1995–96 season, Novara were back in Serie C1, but this joy was short-lived as the following year, the biancoazzurri again had to deal with relegation.

Years were spent in the shadows of Italian football until more recently when the league was won in the 2002–03 season.

From Lega Pro Prima Divisione to Serie A

Consolidation in Serie C1 followed, later becoming Lega Pro Prima Divisione, until the historic promotion of the 2009–10 season where the club returned to Serie B after 33 years.^[1]

In June 12, 2011, Novara remarkably secured its promotion to Serie A after an absence of 55 years, by defeating Padova in the play-off final.^[2]

2011-12 Serie A

On 20 September 2011, the first home game in Serie A for 55 years, Novara recorded a historic 3-1 victory over the World Champions^[3] of Inter.^[4]

Current squad

As of 31 August, 2011^[5]

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Samir Ujkani 2 DF Luigi Giorgi 3 DF Giuseppe Gemiti 4 DF Andrea Lisuzzo 5 DF Carlalberto Ludi (vice-captain) 6 MF Alex Pinardi 9 FW Raffaele Rubino 10 MF Marco Rigoni 11 FW Takayuki Morimoto 14 DF Michel Morganella 15 DF Paolo Dellafiore 17 MF Filippo Porcari 18 MF Francesco Marianini

No. Position Player 20 FW Pablo Granoche (on loan from Chievo) 21 MF Andrea Mazzarani (on loan from Udinese) 22 MF Simone Pesce 23 MF Ivan Radovanović (on loan from Atalanta) 24 DF Massimo Paci 27 FW Jeda (on loan from Lecce) 28 DF Santiago García (on loan from Palermo) 30 DF Matteo Centurioni (captain) 31 GK Alberto Fontana 32 DF Jean-Christophe Coubronne 44 GK Achille Coser 69 FW Riccardo Meggiorini (on loan from Genoa)

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player MF Alberto Cossentino (at Andria BAT ) FW Simone Motta (at Triestina) MF Mattia Morandi (at Como)

No. Position Player FW Emanuel Gigliotti (at San Lorenzo) MF Lorenzo Galassi (at Pavia) FW Marco Dalla Costa (at Pro Patria)

Notable former players

• Attilio Demaría
• Helge Bronée
• Pietro Ferraris
• Pietro Pasinati
• Silvio Piola
• Pietro Rava
• Renato Zaccarelli
• Fabio Gallo
• Dionisio Arce

References

1. ^ "La storia" (in Italian). Novara Calcio. http://www.novaracalcio.com/portal/IT/handle/?page=societa_storia. Retrieved 1 November 2010. 
2. ^ "Novara seal return to Serie A". http://www.espnstar.com/football/serie-a/news/detail/item631323/Novara-seal-return-to-Serie-A/. 
3. ^ http://www.calciomercato.it/news/130777/Serie-A-Novara-Inter-3-1-Nerazzurri-ridicolizzati-trionfo-firmato-Meggiorini-e-Rigoni.html
4. ^ http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Squadre/Novara/20-09-2011/inter-allergica-sintetico-802962793360.shtml
5. ^ "La Rosa" (in Italian). Novara Calcio. http://www.novaracalcio.com/portal/IT/handle/?page=team_rosa. Retrieved 3 November 2010. 

External links

• Official website (Italian)