S.S.D. Licata 1931
Encyclopedia
Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Licata 1931 is an Italian association football
club located in Licata
, Sicily. The traditional club colours of Licata is yellow and blue; known in Italy as giallloblu. The club has two other nicknames; I Santi which means The Saints, and I Falchi which translates as The Hawks.
Licata is a historical Sicilian team, and one of the only six Sicilian football clubs to have ever reached the Serie B
league in Italian football history.
The club currently plays in Serie D
after promotion in the season 2010-11 from Eccellenza Sicily group A
.
sailors who worked in the area; the official team colours, in fact, refer to the flag of Sweden
. The club was renamed Polisportiva Licata in 1967.
The first appearance of Licata in a professional league, is dated in 1982 within Serie C2
. During the 1984–85 season, Licata, coached by a young Zdeněk Zeman
, won Serie C2 and promoted to Serie C1, despite a team composed almost entirely by players from the youth squad.
In 1988, with Aldo Cerantola as coach, Licata won also Serie C1/B, and were promoted to Serie B
for the first time ever in the club's history. During its first season in the Italian second division, with Giuseppe Papadopulo
as coach, then replaced by Francesco Scorsa, Licata ended in ninth place; finishing above Parma
. They also achieved the honour of playing a Coppa Italia
match at the Stadio San Siro against AC Milan
.
The following season however, Licata were relegated to Serie C1 after finishing in 18th position. A couple of seasons later, in 1991–92 they were relegated down to Serie C2
. They were then relegated in the 1992–94 season, and were set to compete in the CND league, but slow decay for the Sicilian club was complete and they became bankrupt in 1994.
league. But in 1996, after having daringly avoided relegation, Licata AC did not register to Eccellenza and was cancelled too; a new team, Santos Licata (then Nuovo Licata, that finally switched to the current denomination), started from Promozione (7th level in the Italian football league system
).
During the 2005/06 season, Licata won the round A of Sicilian Eccellenza, consequently returning to Serie D
for the first time for a decade.
Zdeněk Zeman
Serie C2
Football in Italy
Football is the most popular sport in Italy. The Italian national football team has won the FIFA World Cup 4 times , trailing only Brazil . Italy's club sides have won 27 major European trophies, making them the most successful European nation in the subject of football...
club located in Licata
Licata
Licata is a city and comune located on the south coast of Sicily, at the mouth of the Salso River , about midway between Agrigento and Gela...
, Sicily. The traditional club colours of Licata is yellow and blue; known in Italy as giallloblu. The club has two other nicknames; I Santi which means The Saints, and I Falchi which translates as The Hawks.
Licata is a historical Sicilian team, and one of the only six Sicilian football clubs to have ever reached the Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
league in Italian football history.
The club currently plays in Serie D
Serie D
Serie D is the top level of the Italian non-professional football association called Lega Nazionale Dilettanti. The association represents over a million football players and thousands of football teams across Italy. Serie D ranks just below Lega Pro Seconda Divisione , and is thus considered the...
after promotion in the season 2010-11 from Eccellenza Sicily group A
Eccellenza Sicily
Eccellenza Sicily is the regional Eccellenza football division for clubs on the Isle of Sicily, Italy. It is competed amongst 32 teams, in two different groups . The winners of the Groups are promoted to Serie D...
.
History
The club was founded in 1931 as Associazione Calcio Licata by a few local students who discovered the game of association football thanks to some SwedishSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
sailors who worked in the area; the official team colours, in fact, refer to the flag of Sweden
Flag of Sweden
The flag of Sweden is a Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag. This Scandinavian cross represents Christianity. The design and colours of the Swedish flag are believed to have been inspired by the present Coat of arms of Sweden of 1442, which is blue divided quarterly by a cross...
. The club was renamed Polisportiva Licata in 1967.
The first appearance of Licata in a professional league, is dated in 1982 within Serie C2
Serie C
The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico , commonly known as Lega Pro , is the governing body that runs the third and fourth highest football divisions in Italy, the Prima Divisione and Seconda Divisione respectively. It also includes the sole professional club of San Marino...
. During the 1984–85 season, Licata, coached by a young Zdeněk Zeman
Zdenek Zeman
Zdeněk Zeman is a Czech-Italian football coach. He has managed numerous different teams, mostly in Italian football, over the years, and is currently in charge of Serie B club Pescara.-Biography:...
, won Serie C2 and promoted to Serie C1, despite a team composed almost entirely by players from the youth squad.
In 1988, with Aldo Cerantola as coach, Licata won also Serie C1/B, and were promoted to Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
for the first time ever in the club's history. During its first season in the Italian second division, with Giuseppe Papadopulo
Giuseppe Papadopulo
Giuseppe Papadopulo is an Italian football manager and former player, last in charge as head coach of Torino.-Career:...
as coach, then replaced by Francesco Scorsa, Licata ended in ninth place; finishing above Parma
Parma F.C.
Parma Football Club , commonly referred to as just Parma, is an Italian professional football club based in Parma, Emilia–Romagna that will compete in Serie A for the 2011–12 season, having finished in twelfth position last season. Founded as Verdi Foot Ball Club in July 1913, the club changed its...
. They also achieved the honour of playing a Coppa Italia
Coppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
match at the Stadio San Siro against AC Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
.
The following season however, Licata were relegated to Serie C1 after finishing in 18th position. A couple of seasons later, in 1991–92 they were relegated down to Serie C2
Serie C2
Lega Pro Seconda Divisione is the name of the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status. Usually it consists of 54 teams, but in the season 2010–11 the teams are only 49 divided geographically into three divisions of 17, 16 and 16 teams each...
. They were then relegated in the 1992–94 season, and were set to compete in the CND league, but slow decay for the Sicilian club was complete and they became bankrupt in 1994.
Reformation
A new club, Licata AC, was then founded and admitted to the regional EccellenzaEccellenza
Eccellenza is the sixth level of Italian football. It is a regional league, composed of 28 divisions divided geographically. All 20 regions are represented by at least one division except for Piedmont and Aosta Valley which share 2 divisions...
league. But in 1996, after having daringly avoided relegation, Licata AC did not register to Eccellenza and was cancelled too; a new team, Santos Licata (then Nuovo Licata, that finally switched to the current denomination), started from Promozione (7th level in the Italian football league system
Italian football league system
The Italian football league system is a series of interconnected leagues and national tournaments, set up by the Italian Football Federation , for football clubs in Italy with one club hailing from San Marino.-History:...
).
During the 2005/06 season, Licata won the round A of Sicilian Eccellenza, consequently returning to Serie D
Serie D
Serie D is the top level of the Italian non-professional football association called Lega Nazionale Dilettanti. The association represents over a million football players and thousands of football teams across Italy. Serie D ranks just below Lega Pro Seconda Divisione , and is thus considered the...
for the first time for a decade.
Notable former managers
Aldo Cerantola Giuseppe PapadopuloGiuseppe Papadopulo
Giuseppe Papadopulo is an Italian football manager and former player, last in charge as head coach of Torino.-Career:...
Zdeněk ZemanZdenek Zeman
Zdeněk Zeman is a Czech-Italian football coach. He has managed numerous different teams, mostly in Italian football, over the years, and is currently in charge of Serie B club Pescara.-Biography:...
Honours
Serie C1Serie C1
Lega Pro Prima Divisione is the name of the third highest football league in Italy. It consists of 36 teams, divided geographically into two divisions of 18 teams each. Until 2008 it was known as Serie C1....
- Champions: 1987–88
Serie C2
Serie C2
Lega Pro Seconda Divisione is the name of the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status. Usually it consists of 54 teams, but in the season 2010–11 the teams are only 49 divided geographically into three divisions of 17, 16 and 16 teams each...
- Champions: 1984–85