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HISTORY OF THE CLUB 2009-2022

Promotion to Serie B and a new start with Sent Entertainment

Como played six Serie C seasons from 2009 to 2015, first under the presidency of Antonio Di Bari and Amilcare Rivetti, and then, from 2012 under Pietro Porro. After three seasons under the guidance of Carlo Sabatini, Como won the playoffs, finishing fourth in the league when Simone Andrea Ganz shone by scoring 18 goals. The following Serie B season was disappointing in all respects with Como in bottom place from the first to the last day, changing three coaches and using 41 players.

With relegation came bankruptcy, however bankruptcy trustee Francesco De Michele and coach Fabio Gallo still guided the club to a brilliant seventh place. At the bankruptcy auction, Como was taken over by Akosua Puni Essien, who changed the name of the club to FC Como.

FC Como’s non-inclusion in the league meant that the club had to start from Serie D in the 2017/18 season. Then on 4 April 2019, the Club was acquired by its current owners, the UK-based media and entertainment company SENT Entertainment Ltd. SENT is developing a solid corporate structure and guaranteeing Como 1907 financial stability and investments, new sports infrastructure, focus on the Youth Academy, the stadium, and of course the First Team.. SENT had a fantastic start, with the club winning the Serie D league with an all-time points record and starting the 2019/20 season in Serie C.

Como 1907 began the 2020-2021 season with high hopes to prove themselves in Serie C. Unfortunately, the global pandemic proved a challenge, but the team fought hard and at the end of the season the club won Serie C, and was promoted to Serie B.

The team’s momentum continued throughout the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons in Serie B. This season, everyone at the club is dedicated to achieving the next big ambition.

Testimonials

“What is the most beautiful stadium in the world?” – asked Gianni Brera – “The Giuseppe Sinigaglia in Como, because it’s located in the most beautiful place in the world”
The Sinigaglia has always given me an emotional boost. I’ve always been connected to this club because I’ve also grown as a man in Como, which explains the affection.
I made the pass that led to Cappellini’s goal against Verona, I remember yelling my lungs out. Twenty years later, I returned to coach Como, because to me, Como is always Como.
Como is a big part of my life

Timeline

1907-1926
1927-1945
1946-1953
1954-1975
1976-1989
1990-2009
2009-2023

1907-1926

Origins and the First Leagues

The first football game played in Como was played in the spring of 1906 on the shore of the lake by a team from the nearby Rowing Club “Canottieri Lario”, against caretakers and Native Americans from the famous Buffalo Bill Circus, who were camped where the Sinigaglia stadium was later built.

The match was refereed by Colonel William Cody (Buffalo Bill) himself and ended in a draw. However, it inspired a small group of football enthusiasts, who decided in May 1907 to found the Como Football Club.

On 1 October 1911, the first official pitch was inaugurated in Via Dei Mille. Having a grandstand meant the team could participate in the Promotion League in 1912/13 . The following year the arrival of Gustavo Carrer, the National Team’s striker, brought professionalism to the club, which was promoted to the First Category league, equivalent to today’s Serie A.

The suspension of the leagues during World War One did not dampen the enthusiasm for football in Como. The team stayed in the First Category and played epic derbies against Esperia, the city’s other team.

In 1922 the club faced economic problems, and despite being top of their First Division group and third place in the final group, Como was not included in the play-offs for the major league, and so was relegated to the Second Division.

1927-1945

Como Becomes the Como of the Invincibles

In 1926 the authorities forced Como and Esperia to merge to form the Associazione Calcio Comense. The new team coached by Gustavo Carrer started in the First Division league and on 30th July 1927, Prince Umberto di Savoia inaugurated the Sinigaglia Stadium, where Como 1907 still plays today.

In 1931 the team, coached by the Hungarian Gedeon Lukacs, won the First Division league and were promoted to Serie B without losing a single match, a record never achieved by any other team.

Como stayed in Serie B until 1935 under the leadership of Adolfo Balonceri, then Cevenini III. But after further economic problems In 1936, the team were relegated, ending up in the Promotion league. The name Comense was dropped, and the club became Associazione Calcio Como.

The Second World War did not stop play and Como remained in Serie C, winning the Lombard Tournament in 1945, ahead of both A.C. and Inter Milan.

1946-1953

Serie A and the Great All-Italian Como

The arrival of coach Eraldo Monzeglio in 1946 brought a new, much more offensive playing form and the restructuring of the youth academy, which became the Azzurri’s trademark. Monzeglio’s direction was later followed by Mario Varglien, who led Como to adopt the “System”, a playing method that made for effective results and beautiful play. Varglien’s team took first place in Serie B in their first year and were promoted to Serie A several days in advance.

The following year, the Azzurri were the surprise of the league, finishing sixth and achieving the best result in their history. Captain Stua, with Travia, Rabitti, Lipizer, Pedroni, Maesani and Ghiandi stood out, as part of the only all-Italian team in Serie A. This was a very cohesive group both on and off the pitch, who played four consecutive Serie A seasons together.

The team came in eighth in the 1950/51 season, defeating Lorenzi’s Inter Milan and drawing with the Gre-No-Li trio’s A.C. Milan, who went on to win the Scudetto. The greatest achievement in the Azzurri’s history came when the defeat of Boniperti’s Juventus in Turin by three goals to nil made the front pages of all the newspapers and sports weeklies.

In 1951 Varglien left Como, and the team finished 12th in the league. In 1953, however, they were relegated to Serie B under Roberto Winkler.

1954-1975

Meroni’s Como and a Return to Serie A

Como played ten seasons in Serie B from 1953 to 1963, coming close to promotion several times under coach Lamanna. The iconic player of the era was Giuseppe Baldini, who replaced Lamanna as coach from 1961 to 1963.

In the 1960/61 season, the 18-year-old Gigi Meroni made his debut the greatest talent ever to wear the Azzurri shirt, and a product of the club’s youth academy. This versatile player was destined to go down in Italian football history, but was tragically killed in an accident aged just 24. Even today, whoever wears the Azzurri number seven shirt knows this is Gigi’s shirt.

In 1963 the team was relegated to Serie C as a punishment for using Paolo Bessi in five matches when he was disqualified. Como had to wait until the 1967/68 season to be promoted back to Serie B under the guidance of Franco Viviani.

The club enjoyed two excellent seasons in Serie B, but the big turning point came in 1971 with the arrival of the Sports Director Giancarlo Beltrami who brought Eugenio Bersellini with him. The “B-B” team, as it was called by fans, immediately achieved great results, coming close to promotion.

The great revolution took place in 1973 with the arrival of Pippo Marchioro, a coach who brought with him a new mentality, transforming Como into a sort of experimental football lab.

The team applied the first rudimentary zone play schemes, with players constantly followed by a medical psychologist who also acted as a group motivator, while the goalkeeper Antonio Rigamonti took all the penalties. Como caught the media’s attention and did not disappoint. Led by 20-year-old Marco Tardelli, another discovery of Giancarlo Beltrami, they won Serie A in 1975 after an epic match against Verona on the last day of the season.

1976-1989

Double Jumps and the Legendary 80s

After 22 years Como were back in Serie A but without its best components (Marchioro and Tardelli). The club finished sixth in 1976/77, but then, in a major change, they were back in Serie C the following year. Marchioro was called back as coach and did not disappoint, accomplishing an extraordinary feat by leading Como back to Serie A in just two years.

In 1980/81 the team also participated in the Mitropa Cup, finishing first along with a Czech and a Hungarian team but losing out on goal difference. The team had a good season in Serie A and President Beretta had an excellent team planned for the following season, but things didn’t go as planned. Marchioro was dismissed and Como returned to Serie B. The 1982/83 season was unusual due to the presence of A.C. Milan and Lazio, but Como finished third, together with Catania and Cremonese.

Sadly, at the dramatic play-offs in Rome, Catania won. But the following year, the arrival of new president Benito Gattei meant a very competitive team was put together that immediately returned to Serie A with Tarcisio Burnich in charge. This was followed by five consecutive Serie A seasons from 1984 to 1989, where Como played strongly and launched many young players who went on to play for prestigious teams. Numerous coaches followed one another on the bench (Ottavio Bianchi, Emiliano Mondonico, Rino Marchesi, Aldo Agroppi), giving the team different playing characteristics while always maintaining a youthful feel.

1990-2009

The Preziosi Era, Bankruptcy, And A Return To The Football That Counts

From 1990 to 2001 the team played ten seasons in Serie C. This streak was only interrupted in the 1994/95 season when Como reached Serie B after beating Spal at the play-offs in Verona. The victory was also due to Marco Tardelli, who had returned as coach. However, he soon left to join Inter Milan’s Under-21 team after Como’s relegation the following year.

The team returned to Serie B in 2000/01, a promotion strongly desired by the club’s president Enrico Preziosi. After three previous failed attempts, Loris Dominissini’s team led by Lulu Oliveira surprised everyone.

Como again made history, by becoming the only Italian team to make the transition from Serie C to Serie A twice in two consecutive years. But the team’s thirteenth Serie A season (2002/03) was immediately troubled due to the sale of Oliveira and a difficult relationship between President Preziosi and the football league system. Relegation soon followed, along with the departure of Preziosi.

Financial problems prevented the fielding of a competitive team in the following years and once again Como was relegated down to Serie C.

Further problems led to the bankruptcy of the club and a new start in 2005/06 in Serie D. Two difficult years followed in Serie D, followed by a double promotion, first with Ninni Corda’s Azzurri in 2007/08, winning the Amateur Coppa Italia, and then again in 2008/09, with Stefano Di Chiara, after a double final play-off against Alessandria.

2009-2023

Promotion to Serie B and a new start with Sent Entertainment

Como played six Serie C seasons from 2009 to 2015, under the presidency of Antonio Di Bari and Amilcare Rivetti, and then, from 2012 under Pietro Porro. After three seasons under Head Coach Carlo Sabatini, Como won promotion to Serie B in the playoffs, finishing fourth in the league after Simone Andrea Ganz scored 18 goals. Sadly, the following Serie B season was disappointing in all respects with Como in bottom place from the first to the last day, changing three coaches and using 41 players.

With relegation came bankruptcy, however bankruptcy trustee Francesco De Michele and coach Fabio Gallo still guided the club to a brilliant seventh place. At the bankruptcy auction, Como was taken over by Akosua Puni Essien, who changed the name of the club to FC Como.

FC Como’s non-inclusion in the league meant the club had to start from Serie D in the 2017/18 season. Then on 4 April 2019, Como was acquired by its current owners, the UK-based media and entertainment company SENT Entertainment Ltd. SENT is developing a solid corporate structure to guarantee Como 1907 financial stability and investments, new sports infrastructure, focus on the Youth Academy, the stadium, and of course the First Team. SENT got off to a fantastic start, with the club winning the Serie D league with an all-time points record and starting the 2019/20 season in Serie C.

Como 1907 began the 2020-2021 season with high hopes to prove themselves in Serie C. The global pandemic proved a challenge, but the team fought hard and at the end of the season the club won Serie C, and was promoted to Serie B.

The team’s momentum continued throughout the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons in Serie B. This season, everyone at the club is focused on supporting Como1907 in their dream to get back into the top flight of Italian football.

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