Lega Pro Prima and Seconda Divisione – General Discussion

[Jocksboy]

I'd be in favour of that though if it doesn't come off I'm still happy with the status quo. Some of us do take a keen interest in the lower leagues and as long as we have somewhere to express our views we're content.

[Messinterista]

As long as there is positive talk regarding Messina

[Jocksboy]

As Messina are still in Serie D there won't be much news floating around. If I hear anything I'll certainly post it as Messina are one of a number of clubs I have a soft spot for. If you haven't got RAI teletext I'll try and remember to give updates on how they are doing during the season, along with Venezia, another 'soft spot'.

[Jocksboy]

It's another torrid summer for the Lega Pro. After last July when a massive 20 clubs were forcibly relegated things are not much better this time around. Fifteen clubs have either not registered or have been excluded for failing to meet the financial requirements and will spend 2011-12 in Serie D or below. They are:
LEGA PRO 1 - Ravenna, Atletico Roma, Gela, Salernitana and Lucchese.
LEGA PRO 2 - Brindisi, Cavese, Cosenza, Matera, Sanremese, Catanzaro, Canavese, Crociati Noceto, Rodengo Saiano and Sangiovannese.
There are some significant names in that list. Salernitana were in Serie A not that long ago. Ravenna and Lucchese are recent Serie B clubs and Atletico Roma made the promotion play off finals last season. Brindisi and Cosenza have only recently made their way back up after a previous demotion to Serie D. Piacenza's name is not on the list, so I presume they aren't carrying out their post season threat of not competing. It looks very likely that once more Lega Pro 2 will not get their full complement of 54 teams.
One good thing that might come from all this is that the likes of Venezia could well be in the frame for a Lega Pro return after finishing second in their division. There's also a possibility of a double promotion from the Eccelenza for once bigger clubs like Ancona, Pistoiese and Sassari Torres (Sardinia's second biggest club behind Cagliari).
More news as I get it.

[Marco_Italia]

Thanks Jocksboy, some very big names in there especially the likes of Salernitana and Cosenza/Catanzaro. The Italian lower leagues- financially- is a mess just now

[Jocksboy]

I gather that it will be around 7th August before the final line-up for Lega Pro will be announced. Looks like it will be September before any action gets going, though a number of Lega Pro (and Serie D) clubs will be involved in the main Coppa Italia which starts the weekend after next.
Given the mess in Lega Pro, heaven knows when they'll get the line-ups sorted for Serie D! Watch this space but don't hold your breath.

[Jocksboy]

The Lega Pro has announced the line-up for Season 2011/12. Due to the shortage of suitable clubs Lega Pro 2 will operate with only two divisions of 20 clubs instead of the usual three of 18. Full listings are:

LEGA PRO 1A - Alessandria, Avellino, Benevento, Carpi, Como, Foggia, Foligno, Lumezzane, Pavia, Pisa, Pro Vercelli, Reggiana, Sorrento, Spal, Taranto, Ternana, Tritium, Viareggio.

LEGA PRO 1B - Andria BAT, Barletta, Bassano, Carrarese, Cremonese, FeralpiSalo, Frosinone, Latina, Pergocrema, Piacenza, Portogruaro, Prato, Siracusa, Spezia, Sud Tirol (Alto Adige), Trapani, Triestina, Virtus Lanciano.

LEGA PRO 2A - Bellaria, Borgo a Buggiano, Casale, Cuneo, Giacomense, Lecco, Mantova, Montichiari, Monza, Poggibonsi, Pro Patria, Renate, Rimini, Sambonifacese, San Marino, Santarcangelo, Savona, Treviso, Valenzana, Virtus Entella.

LEGA PRO 2B - Aprilia, Arzanese, Aversa Normanna, Campobasso, Celano, Chieti, Ebolitana, Fano, Fondi, Gavorrano, Giulianova, Isola Liri, L'Aquila, Melfi, Milazzo, Neapolis Fratiase, Paganese, Perugia, Vibonese, Vigor Lamezia.

No place for Venezia, sadly. Now that the Lega Pro is sorted we should soon be getting the lists for the nine divisions of Serie D. It will be interesting to see how many of the 'bigger' relegated clubs (e.g. Salernitana, Ravenna) will be included and how many go even further down the scale.

More news as I get it.

[ferri]

thank for the updates jocksboy. incredible to see so many teams going out due to finanical trouble.

how will teams like siracusa and trapani get to games at Sud Tirol and vice versa etc? bus or do they ryanair it? Can't imagine they look forward to those trips.

[Jocksboy]

I would imagine they fly. Even Castel di Sangro in their Serie B days did one or two of their away trips by air and they're fairly central in Italy. I feel the logic behind Lega Pro 1 had gone astray. Up until a couple of years ago (while it was Serie C1) it was divided regionally, which makes much more sense for the majority of the clubs are not overburdened with money. I've often wondered about teams going to Cagliari, too. It looks like a fair distance by sea so I would imagine they'd fly.

[Jocksboy]

The Lega Dilettanti yesterday issued the line-ups for the nine regional divisions of Serie D for 2011/12. Regions A and B will consist of 20 clubs, the remaining seven will have 18 clubs. Former Serie A and Serie B teams competing are:
Pistoiese and Ravenna - Region D
Arezzo - Region E
Ancona - Region F
Salernitana - Region G
Brindisi - Region H
Messina - Region I

I see there's no place for Atletico Roma, who came so close to promotion to Serie B last season. Cagliari are now the only Sardinian club in the top five levels. Former Lega Pro clubs Alghero, Sassari Torres, Olbia and Villacidrese are all in the Eccelenza or below.
Fixtures start the beginning of September.

[Jocksboy]

As a result of their involvement in the recent betting scandal Alessandria have been relegated from Lega Pro 1 to Lega Pro 2. the likely replacement is Monza, though this has still to be confirmed by the governing body.

[Marco_Italia]

[Jocksboy]

None that I've heard of. However, most of my info comes from RAI teletext and they don't give much space to Lega Pro and below. Once the season starts and we get a few games on RAI Sport there may be more news.

[Marco_Italia]

Ah right okay, Grazie Jocksboy. You are a hub of knowledge when it comes to the lower-leagues.

[Jocksboy]

Alessandria's appeal against relegation because of their involvement in the betting scandal has been turned down. The Lega Pro have now confirmed that the relegation stands and Monza will take Alessandria's place in Lega Pro 1.

[Jocksboy]

Both Lega Pro and Serie D seasons commence on September 4. A full list of the opening day's fixtures is on RAI teletext; Lega Pro on Pages 214-217 and Serie D on 251-259.

[Jocksboy]

First televised Serie D game of the new season is on Saturday on Rai Sport 1 at 2 p.m. BST. No word yet of the teams involved.

[Jocksboy]

Rai Sport have announced their schedule for live Lega pro games for the next five weeks. All games are on Mondays at 7.45 p.m. BST on RaiSport 1.
Sep 5 - Avellino v. Foligno
Sep 12 - Andria BAT v. Cremonese
Sep m19 - Perugia v Paganese
Sep 26 - Frosinone v. Prato
Oct. 3 - Como v. Foggia

[RomaShield27]

Nice Lega Pro season preview from The Football Express here:

Part 1: http://www.thefootballexpress.co.uk/201 ... ew-part-1/
Part 2: http://www.thefootballexpress.co.uk/201 ... ew-part-2/

[Jocksboy]

Interesting article - thanks for giving us the link, RomaShield. i didn't know that Catanzaro had been reinstated, though I was surpised to see that C2B had suddenly grown to 21 clubs.
So the season got under way today. In Serie D Messinese will be pleased to hear the Messina won their opening match 1-0 away at Sacilese.
If old friends Venezian and Arancioneroverde from CalcioUK have made it across to this site they'll be happy too as venezia got off to a winning start by the same score.
For those who have access to Italian local channels via the Hotbird satellite. For the first few weeks of each season I regularly scroll around the local stations to see waht football is on offer. Pickings are thin so far.
Viva l'Italia channel showed the Spezia v. Andria BAT match live. This suggests that they'll be screening all Andria away games. As to home games we'll need to wait three weeks as Andria's first home game next week is on the Monday and live on RAI Sport.
Disppointingly, nothing on Studio 100. Last season thay showed nearly all Taranto and Brindisi away games live. Though both were away today there was only a magazine type programme with all talk and no action. Last year also they showed recorded games at 9.30 p.m. on Sundays - I'll check on that tonight.
Oh for the halcyon days of three or four years ago when you could see upwards of a dozen teams regularly. Sadly so many of the stations have either gone out of existence or stopped broadcasting via satellite. No more E'tv, Puglia Channel. BluTV, 50 Canale or Videolina. Umbria Channel is now encrypted and Rete Oro and Italiamia don't show football any more.