Modena F.C.

Modena
Full name Modena Football Club SpA
Nickname(s) Canarini (The Canaries),
Gialloblu (The Yellow-blues)
Founded 5 April 1912
Ground Stadio Alberto Braglia,
Modena, Italy
Capacity 21,507
Chairman Italy Antonio Caliendo
Head coach Italy Mauro Melotti
League Serie B
2013–14 Serie B, 5th
Website Club home page

Modena Football Club is an Italian football club based in Modena, Emilia-Romagna. The club was founded in 1912 and has spent the majority of its existence playing in Serie B, as it currently does after being relegated in 2004 after a two-year stint in Serie A.

History

Foundation and early years

Modena Football Club was formed in on 5 April 1912 as the result of a merging between existing Modenese clubs, Football Club Audax Modena and l' Associazione Studentesca del Calcio Modena. The new colors were to be yellow and blue. The first friendly match of Modena F.C. was played on 3 Nov. 1912 in the Piazza d'Armi against Venezia.[1][2]

Modena F.C. first took part Italian football league in 1912-13 season, where they competed in the top division. These early years saw the purchase of Attilio Fresia, perhaps the greatest player in the club's history. During the period of the first world war, the team won the 1916 Coppa Federale.[3][4]

In 1920-21, Modena lost 4-0 in the championship semi-final to Alessandria. In the years following, there was a period of disorganization in Italian football and Modena found itself at odds with the FIGC and moved to the CI Comitato Calcistico Italiano along with Inter, Venizia, Torino, Genoa and others. In 1929-30, their first in Serie A (a single round of 18 teams), the club finished 12th with 30 points.[5][6]

In 1931-32, came the first relegation to Serie B, where they remained until 1937. The 1936-37 season featured the inauguration of Modena's new stadium, dedicated to Cesare Marzari, former gialloblu played killed in the war in Africa. During these years, the name was changed to Modena Calcio following directives of the regime aimed at eliminating all foreign words in the sports lexicon. In the 1937-38 season there was a return to Serie A led by the Hungarian player/coach Nehadoma. The following season the Modena was saved by one point. The 1939-40 was the year when the numbers first appeared on the shirts of players, but at the end of the season the yellow and blue were back in Serie B.[7][8]

1940s, '50s and '60s

In 1940-41 Modena returned to Serie A despite the war considerably reducing the workforce. The following year they receded back to Serie B. At the end of the war Modena finished third in Serie A, just behind Torino and Juventus. However, following the resignation of the both the president and coach in 1948-49 the squad was relegated back Serie B.[9][10]

The club remained in Serie B through the 1950s. Tenor Luciano Pavarotti played on the team, making several appearances as a winger.[11] In 1957-58 Zenit became the sponsor of the team, providing 100 million lira for promotion to Serie A, but the team finished only 7th. In 1959-60, the sponsor withdrew and the team relegated for the first time in Serie C.[12][13]

The '60s began with Modena in Serie C. In 1960-61 with the coach Malagoli the team was promoted to Serie B and the next year on the back of striker Enrico Pagliari (26 goals in 2 seasons) found Modena back in the top flight. The following year, thanks mainly to the Brazilian Chinesinho, Modena achieved safety in Serie A. But in 1963-64, despite the return of Sergio Brighenti (10 goals), Modena went back to Serie B after a playoff with Sampdoria in Milan. The rest of the '60s the club spent stunted in Serie B.[14][15]

1970s, '80s and '90s

In 1971-72, after changing three coaches, Modena again fell down to Serie C. Following consecutive 7th place finishes in Serie C, Modena finally was promoted back to Serie B in 1974-75. In 1976-77 Modena achieved safety in B only by beating Monza on the last day of the season. In 1977-78 began a corporate crisis that saw the club relegated to Serie C, then the following season relegated even further down to Serie C2, the lowest point since the club began.[16][17]

The beginning of the 1980s saw Modena F.C. back to Serie C1 and out of economic crisis. Modena F.C. even won the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1981 and 1982. In 1985-86, they returned to Serie B behind the 21 goals scored by the bomber, Sauro Frutti. The following season, the club was dramatically saved from relegation on the final day, beating local rivals Bologna in the derby. But in 1987-88 Modena were again relegated to Serie C1.[18][19]

The 1989-90 season saw Modena promoted back to Serie B, led by their mananger Renzo Ulivieri and goalkeeper Marco Ballotta who allowed a record low 9 goals conceded in 34 games. In 1991-92 following the departure of Ulivieri for Vicenza, Modena was again saved from relegation on the final day, by beating Messina 2-1. The rest of the decade saw the club in tumultuous financial and sporting position, as in 1993-94 the team was relegated to C1. A year later Modena was surprisingly relegated to C2, after losing a play-out with Massese; but Modena was rescued by the FIGC due to another team's penalty and remained C1. The following year, only a loss to Lumezzane in the playoffs denied promotion.[20][21]

2000's to Present

In 2000–01 despite the death of the chairman Luigi Montagnani in the summer, the team begins a cycle of two great years: first promoted from C1 to B and the following year was promoted back to Serie A, for the first time in 38 years. Modena begin their stint back in the top flight with a humbling 0-3 defeat at the hand of Milan, but followed it up with a historic 2–1 victory against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. The rest of the season is difficult and Modena achieves salvation only on the last day for another season in A. However, the relegation back to the Serie B was inevitable, and the following season saw the club finish 3rd from bottom on 30 points to be sent back to Serie B where they have remained up until present day.[22][23]

Honours

International: Anglo-Italian Cup (2): 1981,1982.

Current squad

As of 28 January 2015.[24]

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

No. Position Player
1 Italy GK Niccolò Manfredini
2 Italy DF Luca Calapai
6 Italy DF Lino Marzorati
7 Ghana FW Maxwell Acosty (on loan from Fiorentina)
8 Italy MF Luca Nizzetto
9 Italy FW Nicola Ferrari
11 Albania MF Fabio Sakaj
12 Italy GK Carlo Pinsoglio (on loan from Juventus)
13 Italy DF Simone Gozzi
15 Poland DF Thiago Cionek
19 Italy FW Stefano Beltrame (on loan from Sampdoria)
20 Ghana MF Amidu Salifu (on loan from Fiorentina)
No. Position Player
23 Italy MF Andrea Schiavone (on loan from Juventus)
24 Italy FW Davide Marsura (on loan from Udinese)
25 Switzerland MF Alessandro Martinelli (on loan from Sampdoria)
26 Italy MF Francesco Signori
27 Italy DF Gianni Manfrin
28 Italy DF Davide Zoboli (captain)
32 Uruguay FW Pablo Granoche
33 Italy DF Matteo Rubin
34 Italy DF Denis Tonucci
38 Italy FW Luca Garritano
39 Italy FW Francesco Fedato (on loan from Sampdoria)

Out on loan

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

No. Position Player
5 Nigeria MF Wilfred Osuji (at Varese)
10 Italy FW Davide Luppi (at Pro Vercelli)
17 Ivory Coast FW Ange Dezai (at Akragas)
Italy DF Alberto Massacci (at Torres)
No. Position Player
Italy DF Filippo Minarini (at Torres)
Italy MF Andrea Mazzarani (at Virtus Entella)
Italy FW Francesco Stanco (at Pisa)

Youth team

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

No. Position Player
3 Italy DF Giacomo Vinci
14 Italy MF Riccardo Geti
16 Italy DF Gianluca Zucchini
18 Italy DF Giovanni Righi
No. Position Player
21 Italy FW Leonardo Franco
22 Italy GK Riccardo Lanzotti
29 Italy MF Alessandro Canino (on loan from Parma)
30 Italy DF Francesco Sereni

Notable former players

See also Category:Modena F.C. players.

Notable former managers

See Category:Modena F.C. managers.

Records

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "Modena Mania". Digilander.libero.it. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ "Modena Mania". Digilander.libero.it. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  5. ↑
  6. ↑ "Modena Mania". Digilander.libero.it. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ "F o r z a M o d e n a ! ! !". Digilander.libero.it. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  9. ↑
  10. ↑ "F o r z a M o d e n a ! ! !". Digilander.libero.it. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Luciano Pavarotti - Funeral Directors and services - Family Announcements Announcements". Thisiannouncments.co.uk. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ "F o r z a M o d e n a ! ! !". Digilander.libero.it. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  14. ↑
  15. ↑ "F o r z a M o d e n a ! ! !". Digilander.libero.it. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  16. ↑
  17. ↑ "F o r z a M o d e n a ! ! !". Digilander.libero.it. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  18. ↑
  19. ↑ "F o r z a M o d e n a ! ! !". Digilander.libero.it. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  20. ↑
  21. ↑ "F o r z a M o d e n a ! ! !". Digilander.libero.it. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  22. ↑
  23. ↑ "F o r z a M o d e n a ! ! !". Digilander.libero.it. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  24. ↑ "Prima Squadra". Modena Football Club 1912 (in Italian). Retrieved 23 February 2013.

External links