US
Palermo is an Italian soccer team which currently plays in Serie A, the top
level of Italian football.
Originally founded in 1898 as the Anglo Panormitan Athletic and Football
Club, in 1907 this soccer team from Palermo, Sicily changed its name to
Palermo FBC, and the team colors were changed to pink and black. The team
played in a regionally organized league until 1929, when the team was
admitted to I Division League (Serie C). In 1932 it obtained the first
promotion to Serie A, but in 1939 the team was cancelled by the Italian
football federation because of economic problems.
The team, refounded, would return in Serie A in 1948. Until 1973, the team
played only in Serie A and Serie B under the presidence of Renzo Barbera,
still known today as the one of the greatest chairmen in the team's history.
They also participated in two Italian Cup against Bologna and Juventus, but
lost both.
After 1973, Palermo FBC only played in Serie B, except for the 1984/1985
season (Serie C). In the summer of 1986 the team was once again cancelled
because of financial problems. In the fall of 1987, after a year without
football in Palermo, a new club bearing the current name was created and
began play in Serie C2.
The Serie B return occurred 1991, but lasted only a year. In 1993, the team
again returned to Serie B for 4 more years, and concluded with a Serie C1
relegation. In 1997, the team, relegated to the Serie C2 division, was saved
by the federation due to the cancellation of another team.
The team, bought by AS Roma chairman Franco Sensi, was newly promoted to
Serie B in 2001. Sold to Maurizio Zamparini in summer 2002 after a quiet
Serie B season, the team arrived 5th in the 2002/2003 season after having
lost Serie A promotion in the last match, against Lecce. Palermo won the
Serie B title in the 2003/2004 season on goal difference over Cagliari. The
2004/2005 season is the first in Serie A for the current Palermo club, and
the first for any Palermo club since 1973.
On September 4, 2004, during the 2006 World Cup Qualfications' match Italy
vs Norway, played in Palermo, striker Luca Toni, top team and Serie B
goalscorer with 30 goals for the end of the 2003/2004 season, marked the
winning goal (the match ended 2-1). It was the first goal scored by a
Palermo Calcio player for the Italy national football team.
The official team colours are still pink and black. The team is nicknamed
rosanero (referring to the team colours) or aquile (referring to the
official logo).
The US Cittą di Palermo stadium is the Renzo Barbera, formerly known as "La
Favorita". It has a capacity of 37,460 people. |
