Associazione Calcio Legnano

Legnano
Full name	Associazione Calcio Legnano
Nickname(s)	I Lilla (the Lilacs)
Founded	1913; 2011 (refounded)
Ground	Stadio Giovanni Mari,; Legnano, Italy
Capacity	6,700
Owner	Gaetano Paolillo
Chairman	Vanessa Paolillo
Manager	Stefano Di Gioia
League	Eccellenza Lombardy/A
2014-15	Eccellenza Lombardy/A, 4th
Website	Club home page
Home colours	Away colours

Associazione Calcio Legnano is an Italian football club, based in Legnano, Lombardy, that was founded in 1913. The team's colors were lilac and white. In the past Legnano have played three seasons in Italy's top league, Serie A, finishing bottom of the league each time.

The club were perhaps best known as the starting place for Italy's all-time top scorer, Luigi Riva.

History

Foundation

The club was 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 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 name in 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 played 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 in 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.^[1]

The club went successive second promotion after finishing champions of Group A of Promozione Lombardy next season and promoted to Group A of Eccellenza Lombardy.

A.S.D. Legnano Calcio 1913 acquire again, on May 7, 2015, the name Associazione Calcio Legnano^[2]

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;

1913-1916 Aldo Visconti and Eugenio Tosi (honorary president)
1917-1924 Antonio Bernocchi
1924-1925 Carlo Delle Piane
1925-1927 Ernesto Castiglioni
1927-1929 Antonio Bernocchi
1929-1931 Giuseppe Mario Perozzi, Mario Raimondo and Riccardo Pezzoni (board of regents)
1931-1933 Ernesto Castiglioni
1933-1934 Primo Colombo (extraordinary commissioner)
1934-1945 Giulio Riva
1945-1952 Pino Mocchetti
1952-1953 Luigi Mandelli (extraordinary commissioner), following Giovanni Mari
1953-1954 Giovanni Mari
1954-1956 Giuseppe Mario Perozzi (extraordinary commissioner)
1956-1959 Davide Casero (extraordinary commissioner)
1959-1963 Luciano Caccia
1963-1964 Felice Bossi (extraordinary commissioner)