Novara Calcio

Novara Calcio, commonly referred to as Novara, is an Italian football club based in Novara, Piedmont.

Novara
Full nameNovara Calcio S.p.A.
Nickname(s)Gli Azzurri (The Blues)
I Gaudenziani (The Gaudentians)
Founded1908 (1908)
GroundStadio Silvio Piola,
Novara, Italy
Capacity17,875
ChairmanMaurizio Rullo
ManagerSimone Banchieri
LeagueSerie C Group A
2018–19Serie C Group A, 9th of 20
WebsiteClub website

History

In December 1908 the F.A.S. (Football Association Studenti) was created by eight students of Liceo Carlo Alberto, aged between 15 and 16 years; among them an engineer, Gianni Canestrini, and a lawyer, Piero 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 merged 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.

Italy's and club's legend Silvio Piola spent 7 seasons with Novara in the post–World War II era

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 successful 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]

On 12 June 2011, Novara remarkably secured its promotion to Serie A after a 55-year absence from the league, by defeating Padova in the play-off final.[2] Both consecutive promotions were achieved under the tenure of head coach Attilio Tesser, who was confirmed as Novara boss also for the following 2011–12 top flight campaign.

2011–12 Serie A

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

This remarkable feat, however, was not representative of their season as Novara managed to win only one more game until the end of January. The manager Attilio Tesser was replaced by veteran coach Emiliano Mondonico and re-hired one month later in a desperate and ultimately vain attempt by the owners to save the club from relegation. The club was immediately relegated again to Serie B after one season.

The decision of the club to sign Greek footballer Giorgos Katidis caused worldwide condemnation. Katidis was banned for life from the Greek league after he performed the Nazi "Sieg Heil" salute on the field.[5]

Novara finished 5th in 2012–13 season but were eliminated by Empoli in the promotion play-offs. The following season was terrible for Novara as the club finished 19th in Serie B and lost in a play-out against Varese, losing 4–2 on aggregate. Thus, Novara were relegated to Lega Pro. Novara were crowned as champions of Group A of Lega Pro in 2014–15 and immediately returned to Serie B. In their first season back in Serie B they finished in a playoff spot but they lost to eventual winners Pescara in the semifinal. The following season saw them finish outside the playoffs in 9th, 4 points from a playoff spot. The following season saw Novara get relegated back to Lega Pro following a 20th-place finish in the 2017–18 Serie B, on 1 August 2018 Novara were admitted to the 2018–19 Serie B to fill a vacancy. In March 2020, Novara hit the headlines for sad reasons after it was announced that their owner Maurizio Rullo had been diagnosed with COVID-19.[6]

Current squad
As of 31 January 2020[7]

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

No. Position Player
1 GK Filippo Marricchi
2 GK Ivan Lanni
3 DF Andrea Cagnano
4 DF Andrea Sbraga
5 DF Davide Bove
6 DF Cesare Pogliano
7 MF Filippo Nardi
8 MF Nicolás Schiavi
10 MF Daniele Buzzegoli
11 FW Andrea Cisco (on loan from Sassuolo)
14 MF Nicola Petricci
15 MF Riccardo Collodel
No. Position Player
18 FW Mattia Bortolussi
19 FW Pablo González
22 GK Elia Benedettini
23 MF Tommaso Bianchi
24 FW Giammario Piscitella
25 DF Marco Bellich
28 FW Lorenzo Pinzauti (on loan from Teramo)
30 MF Diego Peralta
32 DF Alberto Zacchi
33 DF Tommaso Cassandro (on loan from Bologna)
37 MF Roberto Strechie

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
GK Gabriele Marchegiani (at Ascoli)
No. Position Player
FW Nigel Kyeremateng (at Folgore Caratese)

Primavera
Primavera team player with first team squad number

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

No. Position Player
 

Managers

Honours
Winners: 1926–27
Winners: 1937–38
Winners: 2010, 2015

References
  1. "La storia" (in Italian). Novara Calcio. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
  2. "Novara seal return to Serie A". Archived from the original on 24 May 2012.
  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. http://www.repubblica.it/sport/2013/12/29/foto/il_calcio_e_il_vizietto_del_saluto_nazista_anelka_katidis_e_gli_altri-74731673/1/?ref=HREC1-32#1
  6. "Owner of Italian club Novara diagnosed with coronavirus". inside World Soccer. 8 March 2020.
  7. "TIM CUP, LA NUMERAZIONE DEL NOVARA" (Press release) (in Italian). Novara Calcio. 5 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
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