Audace Cerignola
Wikipedia - SS Audace Cerignola
S.S. Audace Cerignola, commonly known as Audace Cerignola or simply Cerignola, is an Italian association football club from Cerignola, Apulia. They play in the Serie C Group C.
History
The club was originally founded in 1912 as Gruppo Sportivo Cerignola. They played Serie C from 1935 to 1937, after which they exclusively took part at amateur leagues.
The club voluntarily stepped out in 2013 due to financial issues, and restarted from Prima Categoria only a year later. In 2017 they returned to play Serie D, a league they had not played since the year 2000.
In 2019, Audace Cerignola ended the season in an impressive second place, behind AZ Picerno; in the following playoffs, they made it to the final, where they defeated Taranto, thus ensuring a priority slot in the Serie C repechages.
However, due to a number stadium-related issues, the Italian Football Federation denied Serie C entry to the club. After winning a first appeal to the Italian National Olympic Committee Court, and FIGC declining Audace Cerignola's admission due to other stadium-related technicalities, on 5 August 2019 the CONI Court once again overturned the latter's decision, confirming Audace Cerignola's right to take part in the 2019–20 Serie C.
Audace Cerignola were finally promoted to Serie C in the 2021–22 Serie D season, as Group H champions, under the guidance of head coach Michele Pazienza.
Le club a connu plusieurs périodes de succès dans son histoire, notamment dans les années 1920 où il a remporté le championnat de deuxième division de la Fédération italienne de football. Il a également atteint la finale de la Coupe d'Italie en 1922, s'inclinant face à l'Udinese Calcio.
Après une longue période de difficultés, l'Audace Cerignola a connu un renouveau au début des années 2000, en remportant plusieurs championnats régionaux et en se hissant en Serie C. Le club a également remporté la Supercoupe de Serie C en 2018.
L'Audace Cerignola joue ses matchs à domicile au stade Domenico Monterisi, d'une capacité de 5 000 places. Ses couleurs sont le vert et le blanc, et son surnom est "I Dauni".
Parmi les joueurs notables ayant évolué à l'Audace Cerignola, on peut citer l'ancien international italien Giuseppe Meazza et l'attaquant brésilien Gilmar Rinaldi.