Delfino Pescara 1936, commonly referred to as Pescara, is a professional Italian football club based in Pescara, Abruzzo.
The club was formed in 1936 and currently plays in Serie C. Pescara has competed in seven seasons in Serie A, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1992–93, 2012–13 and last participated in 2016–17. The team's official colors are white and light blue varied between either azure or sky blue, manifested in striped shirts with white socks and shorts.
History
Aside from a spell in Serie B in the 1940s, Pescara had a relatively[according to whom?] undistinguished history[according to whom?] until promotion to Serie B in 1974.[citation needed] With players like Giorgio Repetto[dubious – discuss][clarification needed] and Bruno Nobili in the midfield, they managed to[tone] win their first promotion to Serie A in 1977 after winning the promotion play-off, but ultimately finished their first season in Serie A in last place.[citation needed] A second promotion after a play-off followed, but once more[vague][clarification needed] they would be relegated from the top flight and then descended to Serie C1 within two years.[citation needed]
The performance of Pescara in the Italian football league structure since the first season of a unified Serie A (1929/30)
Nonetheless, after returning to Serie B after a year, Pescara would enjoy[tone] a revival after the appointment of Giovanni Galeone as coach in 1986.[citation needed] His philosophy of attacking football saw the Biancazzurri promoted to Serie A as champions in 1987, where they lasted two years with players such as Júnior and Blaž Slišković among the club's stars.[tone][citation needed] Galeone would return during the 1990–91 season and oversaw another promotion the following year.[vague][clarification needed][citation needed]
After relegation, Pescara remained in Serie B side throughout the 1990s, narrowly missing promotion in 1999.[citation needed] Relegation to C1 followed in 2001, with promotion in 2003 being followed by two revoked relegations in a row due to bankruptcy and scandals affecting other clubs.[citation needed] Pescara was ultimately relegated in the 2006–07 season, with three presidential and managerial changes during the season.[citation needed] In December 2008, the debt-ridden club[tone] was legally declared out of business and its control passed to a bankruptcy trustee appointed by the Court of Pescara. In February 2009, a takeover from a group named Delfino Pescara 1936 was finalized, with Deborah Caldora becoming the first woman to serve as chairman of the club.[citation needed] In the meantime,[tone] results did not improve significantly[according to whom?] and in March, Giuseppe Galderisi was dismissed from the head coaching post, with Antonello Cuccureddu being appointed as the new boss.[citation needed]
Pescara's 2012–13 campaign in Serie A – after losing Zeman, Verratti, Immobile and Insigne – ended with relegation back to the second tier.[1] Three years later, under World Cup winner[relevant?]Massimo Oddo, the team returned to Serie A with a 3–1 aggregate win over Trapani in the playoff final.[2] Zeman returned in February 2017 to the team,[3] who again lasted just one year at the top before being relegated in last place.[4]
In August 2018, Pescara launched a public mini-bond investment opportunity via sports investment platform Tifosy to raise a minimum of €2,000,000.[5] The investment scheme raised a total of €2,300,000 to develop the club's youth sector and facilities.[6]
Following an online competition to ease children's boredom during the coronavirus lockdown, the team adopted six-year-old Luigi D'Agostino's shirt design for the 2020 season.[7]
Pescara's most passionate fan groups began to form in the early 1970s, in conjunction with the rise of the 'ultras' movement in Italy. The Rangers group, which to date is the most renowned section of the club's fanbase, was founded in 1976. Other historical fan groups include Bad Boys (founded in 1985 and dissolved during the Serie B 2003-2004 season) and Cherokee (founded in 1987 and merged with Rangers in 1999 alongside minor fan groups). In 2002, a set of supporters from the nearby seaside resort of Silvi joined the Rangers group. In 2012, a new ultras group called A Difesa di una Fede was formed, and is usually seated in Curva Sud or - if the sector is assigned to away fans - in Tribuna Adriatica.
During home games, Rangers and most fan groups are located in Curva Nord, which is named after Marco Mazza (nicknamed Bubù), a head ultras who died prematurely in 2006.
Pescara is widely supported across Abruzzo, with most supporters residing in the actual city of Pescara and nearby towns.
'Gemellaggi' and rivalries
Pescara's fanbase has been twinned, in what is known as a gemellaggio, with Vicenza's supporters since 9 January 1977. It is the world's first gemellaggio in football, and the bond and sense of affinity between Pescara and Vicenza supporters is still strong to this day.
One of Pescara's biggest rivals is Lazio. The rivalry started on 30 October 1977 when Lazio fans attacked Pescara supporters after the game. The initial assault was followed by several other clashes in coming years both in Pescara and Rome.
Another important rivalry is with Hellas Verona, originated due to localist reasons and Verona's friendship with Lazio ultras. The rivalry was cemented at the end of the 2009/2010 season when the clubs met in the Serie C play-off finals - Pescara won and was promoted to Serie B.
