It’s April 10, 2004, the 29th match day of the Serie A season. At the Stadio Del Conero, Ancona are about to host Bologna. As the kick-off time approaches...
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Serie C and the sustainability of lower level football
Just under two years ago, I stood on the Curva Té of the Stadio Martelli in Mantua, to watch home side Mantova take on Pro Patria. It was my...
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Andrea Talignani: The Maradona of the poor
Every so often, when scouring the internet looking for inspiration on a new piece to write about, you come across a story or player that just screams WRITE ABOUT...
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U.S. Brescello: A miracle to rival that of Castel di Sangro
It’s one of those videos on YouTube of someone taking a video of events playing out on their TV. The camera work is shaky and the quality is grainy,...
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Sebastian Giovinco and the big fish-small pond quandary
It is ironic to say that a league that incorporates both the United States and Canada is a small pond, but, in the general scheme of world football, that...
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The tragic death of Filippo Raciti: Italian football’s darkest hour
Memories; they are powerful things, they can haunt you and comfort you in equal measure. They can be so vivid as to feel like they are happening in the...
Read MorePresidenti: The story of Tommaso Ghirardi – Parma’s ultimate villain
As the camera panned around, the pictures on the wall started to come into focus. On them were scenes of glory, ecstasy and passion. A few were from generations...
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ND Gorica and Parma: The successes and shortcomings of a peculiar partnership
Plonked right up on Italy’s northeastern border is the Slovenian town of Nova Gorica. Home to little over 13,000 people, this gaming/gambling city as its own tourist website puts...
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Billy Chalmers and Juventus: The curse of the Derby della Mole
Matt Busby, Ally McCoist, Alex Neil and Lee McCulloch, these are just a few of the famous and not so famous names of football players and managers who have...
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Luigi Barbesino and Raffaele Jaffe: The champions of Casale
It is 19 December 1909 and in Hall room 1 of the Instituto Tecnico Leardi in Casale Monferrato, a meeting is taking place. As the time ticks towards 17:15,...
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