SPAL

Last updated

Ars et Labor Ferrara
Full nameArs et Labor Ferrara
Nickname(s)I Biancazzurri (The White and Blues) [1]
Gli Estensi (The House of Este) [2]
FoundedMarch 1907;118 years ago (1907-03) as Circolo Ars et Labor
2005;20 years ago (2005) (refounded)
2012;13 years ago (2012) (refounded)
2025;0 years ago (2025) (refounded)
Ground Stadio Paolo Mazza,
Ferrara, Italy
Capacity16,134 [3]
ChairmanJuan Martín Molinari
Head coachStefano Di Benedetto
League Eccellenza Emilia-Romagna
2024–25 Serie C Group B, 17th of 20 (excluded)
Website www.ferraracalcio.it
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

Ars et Labor Ferrara, formerly known as SPAL (Italian pronunciation: [spal] ), is a professional football club based in Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. During the 2024–25 season the team played in Serie C, the third tier of the Italian football league system.

Contents

Founded in 1907, since 1928 they have played their home matches at Stadio Paolo Mazza, named after Paolo Mazza (chairman of the club 1946–1977).

In total, SPAL have participated in 24 top-tier, 28 second-tier, 43 third-tier, 7 fourth-tier and 1 fifth-tier league seasons. The club's best finish was when they came fifth in the 1959–60 Serie A; they also reached the 1961–62 Coppa Italia final.

The club was chaired by the American lawyer and businessman Joe Tacopina and the manager was Francesco Baldini until the 2025 liquidation, after which the team's legacy is carried on by Ars et Labor Ferrara.

History

From foundation to World War II

Poster celebrating 10 years since the foundation of SPAL Celebrazione del decennio dalla fondazione della S.P.A.L..jpg
Poster celebrating 10 years since the foundation of SPAL

The club was founded in March 1907 as Circolo Ars et Labor (Latin for Art and Work Club) by the Salesian priest Pietro Acerbis. In the early stages, it was mainly a cultural and religious association, then in 1913 it became a multi-sports company, taking the name of Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor (a mixture of Italian and Latin meaning Sports Club Society of Art and Work). The team began its professional activity under the aegis of the Italian Football Federation (Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio) in 1919, competing in the second-tier tournament.

SPAL played in the top flight league from 1920 to 1925, reaching the qualification playoff for the National Finals in 1921–22. From 1925 until the Second World War, they played in Serie B and Serie C: in this period, the club's all-time top striker Mario Romani scored 130 goals in 189 games during two different periods with the white-blues (1925–32 and 1937–38).

Between 1939 and 1943 the club temporarily changed its name to Associazione Calcio Ferrara, wearing the black and white colours of the city. After the suspension of the championships due to war, in 1945 the club returned to the name SPAL and to the light blue and white kits.

The golden period in Serie A

Paolo Mazza, chairman of SPAL from 1946 to 1977 Paolo Mazza.jpg
Paolo Mazza, chairman of SPAL from 1946 to 1977

In 1946 Paolo Mazza became chairman of the club. After five consecutive seasons in Serie B, SPAL won promotion to Serie A after finishing the championship first in 1950–51. The white-blues subsequently stayed in the top division for most of the 1950s and 1960s, competing in 16 out of 17 Serie A seasons from 1951 to 1968. [4]

SPAL finished fifth in 1959–60, thus obtaining the best placement in its history. Also, in 1961–62 they played in the Coppa Italia final, losing against Napoli. In the early stages of 1962–63 season, in which the club finished in eighth place, the white and blues reached the top of the league table. During those years, the club was a launchpad for many young players, among them Fabio Capello.

Fabio Capello at SPAL in 1966 1966-67 SPAL - Fabio Capello.jpg
Fabio Capello at SPAL in 1966

In 1963–64 they were relegated to Serie B, but they came back to Serie A after only one year, and remained in the top division until 1968. At the end of the last season in the top flight, SPAL won the Cup of Italian-Swiss Friendship.

From 1970s to 21st century

During 1970s, 1980s and 1990s SPAL played mostly in Serie B and Serie C/C1.

Paolo Mazza quit the presidency in December 1976 and was replaced by Primo Mazzanti. The former chairman died in December 1981 and three months later Ferrara's Stadio Comunale was named after him.

In 1990, Giovanni Donigaglia became chairman of the club: between 1990 and 1992 SPAL obtained back-to-back promotions from Serie C2 to Serie B, under the management of Giovan Battista Fabbri. Donigaglia left the presidency in 2002 with the squad in Serie C1. He was replaced by Lino di Nardo.

Recent years

The club went bankrupt in 2005, [5] and were reformed as SPAL 1907, under the terms of Article 52 of N.O.I.F. [6] In the summer of 2012, after suffering a second bankruptcy, the club was refounded for the second time as Real SPAL and would begin life in Serie D [7] under the same N.O.I.F. article. [8]

At the end of the 2012–13 season the club took back its original name. Giacomense, a club founded in 1967 at Masi San Giacomo, a frazione of Masi Torello, had moved to the city of Ferrara; on 12 July 2013, owner Roberto Benasciutti made a deal with the Colombarini family for a merger between SPAL and Giacomense, with the latter giving its sports title to SPAL and continuing to play in Ferrara. The club initially adopted the name S.P.A.L. 2013, in order to continue the football history of the whiteblues, then they took back the original denomination of S.P.A.L.. Walter Mattioli became president, with Simone and Francesco Colombarini as main shareholders.

Whiteblues supporters at stadio Paolo Mazza celebrating promotion to Serie A on May 18, 2017 Curva Ovest SPAL-Bari 2017.jpg
Whiteblues supporters at stadio Paolo Mazza celebrating promotion to Serie A on May 18, 2017

They finished the 2013–14 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione season in sixth place, thus qualifying for the inaugural unified 2014–15 Lega Pro season. In 2015–16, the squad won promotion to Serie B for the first time since the 1992–93 season, after finishing first in group B of the Lega Pro. The following year they came first in Serie B, thus obtaining promotion to Serie A after a 49-year absence. [9] In their first season back in Serie A, SPAL avoided relegation by finishing in 17th place. [10] At the end of the 2018–19 season they confirmed their presence in the top flight for a third consecutive year, finishing 13th. The club had mixed fortunes in the 2019–20 season and, after gaining just 15 points in 23 games, coach Leonardo Semplici was dismissed in February 2020, replaced by Luigi Di Biagio. [11] SPAL were relegated to Serie B, finishing in last place with 20 points. The club reached the 2020–21 Coppa Italia quarter-finals, becoming the only team from Serie B to advance to that stage in the competition.

In August 2021, the club was acquired by the American lawyer and businessman Joe Tacopina. Some media say that the real owners behind Mr. Tacopina are brothers Alessandro Bazzoni and Lorenzo Bazzoni, Italian businessmen presumed to be linked with the government of Nicolas Maduro. [12] [13] SPAL was relegated to Serie C at the end of the 2022–23 season. [14] On 2t January 2024, Tacopina revealed the name of the new co-owner of the club, American broker and businessman Marcello Follano, with whom he founded a new parent company controlling SPAL, Tacollano Holdings LLC. [15] However, on 7 June 2025, SPAL announced that it would not participate in the 2025–26 Serie C season, due to ongoing financial strain and the inability to attract new investors, despite having injected around €50 million into the club over the past four years. [16]

Colours, badge and nicknames

The team's colours are light blue and white, which derive from the Salesians' emblem. The home kit, since 1962, has been composed of a vertical striped light blue-white shirt, white trainers and white socks. The only exception to light blue and white was when the club adopted a black and white kit between 1939 and 1943 (when it was named A.C. Ferrara), in honour of Ferrara's civic colours.

The team's badge features an oval-shaped light blue escutcheon, with a white band in the upper section, on which is written the acronym S.P.A.L. in golden characters. Also, in the lower section, the black and white emblem of the city is featured. From 1980 until 1995, the official badge featured a fawn, another symbol of the club. [17]

SPAL's most common nicknames are Biancazzurri (from the club colours, light blue and white) and Estensi (from the House of Este, ancient European noble dynasty that ruled Ferrara from 1264 to 1598). [18]

Stadium

Internal view of the stadium in 2018 0 Stadio Paolo Mazza - Ferrara - SPAL - 2018 - 07.jpg
Internal view of the stadium in 2018

The current home ground of SPAL is the 16,134 seater Stadio Paolo Mazza. The stadium was opened in September 1928 as Stadio Comunale, then took on its current name in February 1982, in honour of the former president of the club Paolo Mazza, who died two months earlier.

Initially it had a capacity of 4,000. Then, in concomitance with the promotion of SPAL to Serie A, in 1951 it was subjected to a heavy restructuring that brought capacity to 25,000. Between 1960s and 1980s it was renovated again, reducing the number of possible spectators to 22,000 until the mid-2000s.

From 2005 to 2016 the stadium capacity was limited to 7,500 due to safety reasons and cost containment. In 2016–17, after the club's promotion to Serie B and then to Serie A, the stadium was restructured again to match the modern needs of comfort and safety. In the summer of 2018 a further remodeling took place, in order to bring the total capacity from 13,135 seats to 16,134. [19]

Sponsors

Kit sponsors

Players

Captains

Argentinian midfielder Oscar Massei was awarded honorary citizenship by the city of Ferrara in 2007, as one of the most representative players in club's history Oscar Massei en SPAL.JPG
Argentinian midfielder Oscar Massei was awarded honorary citizenship by the city of Ferrara in 2007, as one of the most representative players in club's history

Below a chronological list of SPAL captains since 1950. [27]

NameYearsNameYears
Flag of Italy.svg Giovanni Emiliani1950–53 Flag of Italy.svg Marcello Castoldi1953–54
Flag of Italy.svg Edoardo Dal Pos1954–59 Flag of Argentina.svg Oscar Massei 1959–61
Flag of Italy.svg Sergio Cervato 1961–65 Flag of Argentina.svg Oscar Massei 1965–68
Flag of Italy.svg Carlo Dell'Omodarme 1968–69 Flag of Italy.svg Enrico CairoliJul. 1969–Oct. 1973
Flag of Italy.svg Lucio MongardiOct. 1973–Jun. 1975 Flag of Italy.svg Sergio Reggiani1975–76
Flag of Italy.svg Ottavio Bianchi 1976–77 Flag of Italy.svg Franco Pezzato1977–79
Flag of Italy.svg Mauro Gibellini1979–81 Flag of Italy.svg Rosario Rampanti1981–82
Flag of Italy.svg Mirco Brilli1982–83 Flag of Italy.svg Giuseppe De Gradi1983–85
Flag of Italy.svg Elio Gustinetti 1985–86 Flag of Italy.svg Fabio Perinelli1986–87
Flag of Italy.svg Arturo Vianello1987–88 Flag of Italy.svg Massimo Pellegrini 1988–89
Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Cini1989–90 Flag of Italy.svg Franco Fabbri1990–91
Flag of Italy.svg Giuseppe Brescia1991–93 Flag of Italy.svg Andrea Mangoni1993–94
Flag of Italy.svg Giuseppe Brescia1994–96 Flag of Italy.svg Eugenio Sgarbossa1996–97
Flag of Italy.svg Fausto Pari 1997–98 Flag of Italy.svg Alfonso Greco1998–99
Flag of Italy.svg Massimo Gadda 1999–00 Flag of Italy.svg Emanuele CancellatoJul. 2000–Jan. 2002
Flag of Italy.svg Cristian Servidei Jan. 2002–Jun. 2002 Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Zanoncelli 2002–03
Flag of Italy.svg Manuel Milana2003–06 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg David Sesa 2006–08
Flag of Italy.svg Luis Fernando Centi Jul. 2008–Feb. 2009 Flag of Italy.svg Marco Zamboni Feb. 2009–Jun. 2012
Flag of Italy.svg Davide Marchini 2012–13 Flag of Italy.svg Massimiliano Varricchio 2013–14
Flag of Italy.svg Nicolas Giani 2014–17 Flag of Italy.svg Luca Mora Jul. 2017–Jan. 2018
Flag of Italy.svg Mirco Antenucci Jan. 2018–Jun. 2019 Flag of Italy.svg Sergio Floccari 2019–21
Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Vicari 2021–22 Flag of Italy.svg Salvatore Esposito Jul. 2022–Jan. 2023
Flag of Italy.svg Lorenzo Dickmann Jan. 2023–Jun.2023 Flag of Italy.svg Mirco Antenucci 2023–25

Technical staff

PositionStaff
Head of technical staff Flag of Italy.svg Alex Casella
Head coach Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Baldini
Deputy head coach Flag of Italy.svg Luciano Mularoni
Technical assistant Flag of Brazil.svg Claiton
Technical assistant Flag of Italy.svg Emanuele Dogliani
Technical assistant Flag of Italy.svg Riccardo Leardi
Match analyst Flag of Italy.svg Mario Enrico Braco
Goalkeeping coach Flag of Italy.svg Davide Bertaccini
Fitness coach Flag of Italy.svg Diego Gemignani
Injury recovery Flag of Italy.svg Carlo Oliani
Team manager Flag of Italy.svg Alessio Cirulli
Head of medical staff Flag of Italy.svg Fabrizio Aggio
Physiotherapist Flag of Italy.svg Marcello Bertolani
Physiotherapist Flag of Italy.svg Piero Bortolin
Physiotherapist Flag of Italy.svg Daniele Zannini

Source:

Chairmen history

SPAL have had several presidents (chairmen) (Italian : presidenti, lit. 'presidents' or Italian : presidenti del consiglio di amministrazione, lit. 'chairmen of the board of directors') over the course of their history. Some of them have been the main shareholder of the club. The longest-serving is Paolo Mazza. [28] [29]

NameYearsNameYears
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Don Pietro Acerbis1907–11 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Conte Buosi1911–12
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Aminta Gulinati1912–15 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Antonio Santini1919–21
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Enrico Bassani1921–24 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Gaetano Ridolfi1924–27
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Giannino Bonfiglioli1927–28 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg On. Ferri1928–31
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Giuseppe Turbiani
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Carlo Osti
1931–32 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Comm. Gandini1932–33
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Umberto Barbè
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Giulio Divisi
1933–34 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Luigi Orsi1934–35
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Giovanni Argazzi1935–36 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Nino Fiorini1936–37
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Angelo Vissoli1937–39 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Annio Bignardi1939–41
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Augusto Caniato1941–43 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Edmondo Bucci1945–46
Flag of Italy.svg Paolo Mazza 1946–77 Flag of Italy.svg Primo Mazzanti1977–85
Flag of Italy.svg Giorgio Rossatti1985–86 Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Nicolini1986–89
Flag of Italy.svg Albersano Ravani1989–90 Flag of Italy.svg Giovanni Donigaglia1990–96
Flag of Italy.svg Vanni Guzzinati1996–97 Flag of Italy.svg Giovanni Donigaglia1997–02
Flag of Italy.svg Lino Di Nardo2002–05 Flag of Italy.svg Gianfranco Tomasi2005–08
Flag of Italy.svg Cesare Butelli2008–12 Flag of Italy.svg Roberto Ranzani2012–13
Flag of Italy.svg Walter Mattioli2013–21 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Tacopina 2021–25

Managerial history

SPAL have had many managers and head coaches throughout their history, below is a chronological list of them. [30] [29]

NameYearsNameYears
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Carlo Marchiandi1919–22 Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg Armand Halmos1922–23
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Giuseppe Ticozzelli1923–24 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Walter Alt1924–27
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Carlo Osti
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Carlo Marchiandi
1927–28 Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg Béla Károly1928–29
Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg György Hlavay 1929–31 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Francesco Mattuteia
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Adolf Mora Murer
1931–32
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Walter Alt1933–34 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Mihály Balacics1934–35
Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg György Hlavay
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Guido Testolina
1935–36 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Paolo Mazza 1936–37
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Euro Riparbelli1937–39 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Paolo Mazza 1939–42
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Giorgio Armari
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Bruno Maini
1942–43 Flag of Hungary (1946-1949, 1956-1957; 1-2 aspect ratio).svg József Viola Jul. 1945–Jun. 1946
Flag of Italy.svg Guido TestolinaJul. 1946–Jun. 1947 Flag of Italy.svg Giuseppe Marchi Jul. 1947–Jun. 1948
Flag of Italy.svg Bruno Vale Jul. 1948–Jun. 1949 Flag of Italy.svg Antonio Janni Jul. 1949–Jun. 1954
Flag of Italy.svg Bruno BiaginiJul. 1954–Jun. 1955 Flag of Italy.svg Fioravante BaldiJul. 1955–Jun. 1956
Flag of Italy.svg Paolo TabanelliJul. 1956–Jun. 1958 Flag of Italy.svg Fioravante BaldiJul. 1958–Apr. 1960
Flag of Italy.svg Serafino MontanariApr. 1960–Jun. 1960 Flag of Italy.svg Luigi Ferrero Jul. 1960–Sep. 1961
Flag of Italy.svg Serafino MontanariSep. 1961–Apr. 1963 Flag of Italy.svg Aurelio MarcheseApr. 1963–Jun. 1963
Flag of Italy.svg Giacomo Blason Jul. 1963–Apr. 1964 Flag of Italy.svg Giovan Battista Fabbri Apr. 1964–Nov. 1964
Flag of Italy.svg Francesco PetagnaNov. 1964–Oct. 1968 Flag of Italy.svg Serafino MontanariOct. 1968–May 1969
Flag of Italy.svg Giovan Battista Fabbri May 1969–Oct. 1969 Flag of Italy.svg Tito CorsiOct. 1969–Jun. 1970
Flag of Italy.svg Cesare MeucciJul. 1970–Jun. 1972 Flag of Italy.svg Eugenio FantiniJul. 1972–Oct. 1972
Flag of Italy.svg Mario CaciagliOct. 1972–Jan. 1975 Flag of Italy.svg Guido CapelloJan. 1975–Jun. 1975
Flag of Italy.svg Francesco PetagnaJul. 1975–Dec. 1975 Flag of Italy.svg Umberto PinardiDec. 1975–Feb. 1976
Flag of Italy.svg Guido CapelloFeb. 1976–Nov. 1976 Flag of Italy.svg Giovanni BallicoNov. 1976–Dec. 1976
Flag of Italy.svg Ottavio Bugatti Dec. 1976–Feb. 1977 Flag of Spain.svg Luis Suárez Feb. 1977–Jun. 1977
Flag of Italy.svg Mario CaciagliJul. 1977–Jun. 1980 Flag of Italy.svg Battista RotaJul. 1980–Mar. 1982
Flag of Italy.svg Ugo TomeazziMar. 1982–Jun. 1982 Flag of Italy.svg Gaetano Salvemini Jul. 1982–Dec. 1982
Flag of Italy.svg Giovanni SeghedoniDec. 1982–Jun. 1983 Flag of Italy.svg Giovanni Galeone Jul. 1983–Oct. 1984
Flag of Italy.svg Giancarlo Danova Oct. 1984–Dec. 1984 Flag of Italy.svg Giovanni Galeone Dec. 1984–Jun. 1986
Flag of Italy.svg Ferruccio Mazzola Jul. 1986–Jun. 1987 Flag of Italy.svg Giancarlo Cella Jul. 1987–Nov. 1987
Flag of Italy.svg Giovan Battista Fabbri Nov. 1987–Jun. 1988 Flag of Italy.svg Giorgio VeneriJul. 1988–Dec. 1988
Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Paolo SpecchiaDec. 1988–Jun. 1989 Flag of Italy.svg Luciano Magistrelli Jul. 1989–Jan. 1990
Flag of Italy.svg Nello Santin Jan. 1990–Jun. 1990 Flag of Italy.svg Paolo LombardoJul. 1990–Feb. 1991
Flag of Italy.svg Giovan Battista Fabbri Feb. 1991–Oct. 1992 Flag of Italy.svg Rino Marchesi Oct. 1992–Apr. 1993
Flag of Italy.svg Giovan Battista Fabbri Apr. 1993–Jun. 1993 Flag of Italy.svg Gian Cesare DiscepoliJul. 1993–Jan. 1995
Flag of Italy.svg Vincenzo Guerini Jan. 1995–Sep. 1995 Flag of Italy.svg Salvatore BianchettiSep. 1995–Feb. 1997
Flag of Italy.svg Alfredo MagniFeb. 1997–Jun. 1997 Flag of Italy.svg Gianni De Biasi Jul. 1997–Jun. 1999
Flag of Italy.svg Giancarlo D'AstoliJul. 1999–Jun. 2000 Flag of Italy.svg Alessandro Scanziani Jul. 2000–Nov. 2000
Flag of Italy.svg Mauro MelottiNov. 2000–Nov. 2001 Flag of Italy.svg Fabio PerinelliNov. 2001–Mar. 2002
Flag of Italy.svg Mauro MelottiMar. 2002–Jun. 2002 Flag of Italy.svg Walter De Vecchi Jul. 2002–Oct. 2002
Flag of Italy.svg Giuliano Sonzogni Oct. 2002–Oct. 2003 Flag of Italy.svg Gian Cesare DiscepoliOct. 2003–Jun. 2004
Flag of Italy.svg Massimiliano Allegri Jul. 2004–Jun. 2005 Flag of Italy.svg Paolo BeruattoJul. 2005–Feb. 2006
Flag of Italy.svg Walter Nicoletti Feb. 2006–Jun. 2006 Flag of Italy.svg Leonardo RossiJul. 2006–Jun. 2007
Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Buglio Jul. 2007–Feb. 2008 Flag of Italy.svg Roberto LabardiFeb. 2008
Flag of Italy.svg Angelo Alessio Feb. 2008–Jun. 2008 Flag of Italy.svg Aldo Dolcetti Jul. 2008–Nov. 2009
Flag of Italy.svg Egidio Notaristefano Nov. 2009–Feb. 2011 Flag of Italy.svg Gian Marco RemondinaFeb. 2011–Jun. 2011
Flag of Italy.svg Stefano Vecchi Jul. 2011–Jun. 2012 Flag of Italy.svg David SassariniJul. 2012–Jun. 2013
Flag of Italy.svg Leonardo RossiJul. 2013–Oct. 2013 Flag of Italy.svg Massimo Gadda Oct. 2013–Jun. 2014
Flag of Italy.svg Oscar Brevi Jul. 2014–Dec. 2014 Flag of Italy.svg Leonardo Semplici Dec. 2014–Feb. 2020
Flag of Italy.svg Luigi Di Biagio Feb. 2020–Aug. 2020 Flag of Italy.svg Pasquale Marino Aug. 2020–Mar. 2021
Flag of Italy.svg Massimo Rastelli Mar. 2021–Jun. 2021 Flag of Spain.svg Pep Clotet Jul. 2021–Jan. 2022
Flag of Italy.svg Roberto Venturato Jan. 2022–Oct. 2022 Flag of Italy.svg Daniele De Rossi Oct. 2022–Feb. 2023
Flag of Italy.svg Massimo Oddo Feb. 2023–Jun. 2023 Flag of Italy.svg Domenico Di Carlo Jul. 2023–Oct. 2023
Flag of Italy.svg Leonardo Colucci Oct. 2023–Feb. 2024 Flag of Italy.svg Domenico Di Carlo Feb. 2024–Jun. 2024
Flag of Italy.svg Andrea Dossena Jul. 2024–Feb. 2025 Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Baldini Feb. 2025–Jun. 2025
Flag of Italy.svg Stefano Di BenedettoJul. 2025–present

Club records

League

Below is a table showing the participation of SPAL in the Italian football leagues. [31]

LevelTournamentParticipationsDebut seasonLast seasonTotal
Prima Categoria2 1920–21 1921–22 24
Prima Divisione3 1922–23 1924–25
Serie A19 1951–52 2019–20
Seconda Divisione1 1925–26 28
Prima Divisione3 1926–27 1928–29
Serie B24 1933–34 2022–23
Prima Divisione4 1929–30 1932–33 43
Serie B-C Alta Italia1 1945–46
Serie C13 1936–37 2024–25
Serie C119 1982–83 2004–05
Lega Pro Prima Divisione4 2008–09 2011–12
Lega Pro2 2014–15 2015–16
Serie C261989–90 2007–08 7
Lega Pro Seconda Divisione1 2013–14
Serie D1 2012–13 1

Individual

Below is a table showing the recordmen of matches played and goals scored for SPAL in the Italian football leagues. [31]

League appearances
228 Flag of Italy.svg Giuseppe Brescia (1988–93, 1994–96)
  • 210 Flag of Italy.svg Aulo Gelio Lucchi (1951–59)
  • 198 Flag of Italy.svg Manuel Lazzari (2013–19)
  • 195 Flag of Italy.svg Ermelindo D'Agostini (1934–43)
  • 189 Flag of Italy.svg Mario Romani (1924–32, 1937–38)
  • 186 Flag of Italy.svg Aldo Barbieri (1925–33, 1935–36)
  • 183 Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Vicari (2016–22)
  • 182 Flag of Italy.svg Luigi Olasi (1930–37)
182 Flag of Italy.svg Mauro Gibellini (1971–73, 1975–81)
  • 181 Flag of Italy.svg Ferdinando Donati (1970–71, 1972–74, 1976–79)
  • 177 Flag of Italy.svg Mirco Antenucci (2016–19, 2023–25)
  • 174 Flag of Italy.svg Carlo Novelli (1955–57, 1959–65)
League goals
  • 129 Flag of Italy.svg Mario Romani (1924–32, 1937–38)
  • 92 Flag of Italy.svg Aldo Barbieri (1925–33, 1935–36)
  • 81 Flag of Italy.svg Franco Pezzato (1964–67, 1972–76, 1977–79, 1983–84)
  • 59 Flag of Italy.svg Emanuele Cancellato (1997–02)
  • 52 Flag of Argentina.svg Oscar Massei (1959–68)
  • 50 Flag of Italy.svg Mirco Antenucci (2016–19, 2023–25)
  • 49 Flag of Italy.svg Mauro Gibellini (1971–73, 1975–81)
  • 46 Flag of Italy.svg Bruno Braga (1929–35)
  • 43 Flag of Italy.svg Girolamo Bizzarri (1993–95)
  • 38 Flag of Italy.svg Goffredo Colombi (1949–53)
  • 36 Flag of Italy.svg Carlo Novelli (1955–57, 1959–65)
  • 34 Flag of Morocco.svg Rachid Arma (2008–09, 2011–12)
  • 33 Flag of Italy.svg Tiziano Manfrin (1974–79)
33 Flag of Italy.svg Gianmarco Zigoni (2015–17)
31 Flag of Italy.svg Mario Astorri (1942–43, 1945–46)

Honours

Below is a list of titles and cups won by SPAL throughout their history. [28]

Domestic

League titles

Cups

European

Youth

References

  1. Soattin, Davide (15 April 2020). "La SPAL gioca contro il Coronavirus: tutte le iniziative dei biancazzurri". tuttomercatoweb.com (in Italian). Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  2. Giordano, Francesco Paolo (8 April 2017). "Nobiltà estense". rivistaundici.com (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  3. "Stadio Paolo Mazza". spalferrara.it (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  4. "La storia della S.P.A.L." spalferrara.it (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  5. Hooper, Alasdair (18 August 2017). "Who are SPAL? The incredible rise of Serie A's new boys as club prepare for first top-flight fixture since 1968". talkSPORT. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  6. Carraro, Franco (16 August 2005). "Comunicato Ufficiale Nº66/A (2005–06)" (PDF). Consiglio Federale (Press release) (in Italian). Rome: Italian Football Federation. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  7. "FIGC registers SPAL in Serie D". il Resto del Carlino (in Italian). 8 August 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  8. "First day in school for SPAL: It will return to his real level". estense.com (in Italian). 3 August 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  9. "SPAL promoted to Serie A". Football Italia. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  10. "Serie A basement battle". football-italia.net.
  11. "Spal: ufficiale l'esonero di Semplici, al suo posto Di Biagio". la repubblica.com (in Italian). 10 February 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  12. "Spal, una famiglia italiana 'top-secret' al fianco di Tacopina". estense.com (in Italian). 11 March 2022.
  13. Ocando, Casto (16 May 2023). "De Londres a Dubai, de Zurich a México DF y Caracas: la red que movió millones de la corrupción de Pdvsa". Primer Informe (in Spanish).
  14. "Serie B: Benevento and SPAL relegated". Football Italia. 13 May 2024.
  15. Malaguti, Mauro (25 January 2024). "Spal, irrompe il finanziere del New Jersey". ilrestodelcarlino.it (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  16. "La Spal non disputerà il campionato di Serie C 2025-2026: è ufficiale" (in Italian). Sky Sport. 7 June 2025.
  17. Mazzoni, Cristiano (19 March 2018). "Il cerbiatto sacrificale si ribella e le stelle stanno a guardare, alla faccia dei pronostici". lospallino.com (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  18. "Gli Estensi". castelloestense.it (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  19. "SPAL receives boost to further expand stadium". TheStadiumBusiness. 20 December 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  20. "Presentate le nuove maglie della Spal 2009/2010". multimedia.quotidiano.net (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  21. "Givova sponsor tecnico con alcune novità". lospallino.com (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  22. "Accordo ufficiale con la Legea sponsor tecnico". lanuovaferrara.gelocal.it (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  23. "Strisce strette e verde fluo, le maglie della SPAL 2015-2016". passionemaglie.it (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  24. "Le maglie della SPAL 2016-2017 per il grande ritorno in Serie B". passionemaglie.it (in Italian). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  25. "Macron sponsor tecnico della SPAL per le prossime quattro stagioni". spalferrara.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  26. "Oscar Massei è ora cittadino onorario della nostra città". cronacacomune.it (in Italian). 24 September 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  27. Bolognesi, Augusto. "Capitani Spallini - Almanacco S.P.A.L." maldispal.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  28. 1 2 Malaguti, Mauro (2017). SPAL 110 (1907-2017). Storia critica, uomini e numeri della squadra dalla nascita al trionfale ritorno in serie A (in Italian). Gianni Marchesini Editore. ISBN   9788888225531.
  29. 1 2 "Spal fra storia, presente e futuro: i protagonisti diventati immortali". lanuovaferrara.it (in Italian). 18 June 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  30. Gruppioni, Graziano (2017). S.P.A.L. - Un sogno biancoazzurro. Dalle origini del calcio a Ferrara alla prima serie A (in Italian). 2G Libri. ISBN   9788889248348 . Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  31. 1 2 Piffanelli, Corrado (1991). La storia della SPAL (in Italian). Il Resto del Carlino . Retrieved 1 April 2024.