any memories of the Anglo Italian Cup?

[comrade powell]

The editor of the Wealdstone programme has been in touch, asking what memories City fans have of the 1970s Anglo Italian Cup. This was a tournament which from memory involved 4 teams from England and 4 from Italy. While the English were non league, the Italians played in Serie A. The rather complicated format involved the Italian clubs travelling to England in the Spring, with each team playing 2 from the other country. In 1977 we beat Bari 2-1 and Turris 2-0 at TP, while a year later we dispatched Arezzo 5-0 and Paganese 2-0. Then at the end of the season the same format applied in Italy, but against different opponents! So in '77 we played Parma, winning 1-0, before losing 4-0 to Teramo. We travelled south in '78 as Southern League champions, losing 3-1 to Udinese and beating Treviso 2-0. The English team with the best overall record then faced the equivalent Italians in the final - both years it was City. Firstly we lost 3-0 to Lecco, the 2nd 5-0 to Udinese.

Further details of the competition can be found here.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Italian_Cup

I see it's mentioned there that there were instances of crowd trouble on occasions. The Good Book mentions that angry Parma fans stoned the City coach after our victory there!

Anyway, Wealdstone also played in that 2nd tournament. Our conquerers, Udinese, also beat the Stones at Lower Mead and made a great impression. Their prog is soon to have a feature commemorating the match.

So does anyone have any memories of the matches? I didn't see any of them, but I'm sure some supporters travelled down to Italy. (LB? Cannonball?) If so, please can you post something on here in the next few days, especially if it concerns the 2 matches with Udinese.

Thanks

[stillmanjunior]

I did an article about it for a programme last season which included comments from fans. Graham Weeks had a programme. I'll forward it on to you later.

[comrade powell]

Thanks! Do you have any memories of it, Junior?

[miker]

I remember at one game that when the players names were announced over the Tanoy an Italian player had a name that sounded something like "Bollicko". There was a group of supporters on the pop side who every time he got the ball shouted his name and cheered loudly. He in return would glance up at them with a look of sheer bewilderment.

[City 'til we're relegated]

Definitely not Serie A clubs that were playing in the competition, I remember that the Italians were part time clubs. Udinese, for example, we're playing in Serie C at the time. I watched all of the home games, I'm which we did really well, but I was shocked at the low crowds of around 1,000. Some things never change. I was sitting in the stand near the directors box, where Italian dignitaries of our opponents, the mayor for example were sitting. Embarrassingly, on e of a pair of brothers who support City was goading the dignitaries by shouting spaghetti in a rather strange voice. It was fantastic to watch City playing these European games, I just wished more Bathonians felt as I did.

[LB]

I went to Italy in June 1977 and saw the games in Parma and Teramo. City won 1-0 in Parma thanks to a Kevin Griffin penalty - I am pretty certain that was the first time that an English team had won a game in Italy in the competition. We came out of the ground to find an angry crowd of Parma supporters surrounding our coach, and needed an armed police escort to get on it - that has never even happened at Yeovil!

City lost the game at Teramo 4-0 but had qualified for the final at Lecco by virtue of winning the two home games and the one in Parma  - unfortunately I wasn't able to stay on for that.

[Major Icewater]

Certainly Seria C sides from Italy. I thought  there were 6 teams from each country with 3 leagues but perhaps 4 is correct. As has been mentioned different Italian sides were played away to those we played at home.  I think home matches were in April ans away games late May or early June.

I  recall that when we played Bari at home one of their home games was against Redditch ( I think) and had an attendance of around 60000. Bari had been (at that time ) a fairly recent Seria A side.

I also think that at that time Seria C was a regionalised  league ( north, south and central) and that could tie in with 6 teams representing each country.

I am sure our win in Parma was mentioned on a commentary on a televised European game between Parma and maybe Arsenal that  no English side had won away in Parma  other than Bath City. Parma (at time of TV game) had been very successful and had been playing in Europe for a few years.

[comrade powell]

Definitely not Serie A clubs that were playing in the competition, I remember that the Italians were part time clubs. Udinese, for example, we're playing in Serie C at the time.

You are right, my learned friend. They were all from the regionalised Serie C level.
The tables in the links below show the positions of our opponents the season we played them and you can see where in Italy we played from the maps...

76/77....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976%E2%80%9377_Serie_C


77/78
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977%E2%80%9378_Serie_C

Udinese were Serie C (A) champions and won Serie B 12 months later. In their 1st season in the top flight they avoided relegation, but only because Milan and Lazio were kicked out due to match fixing! However, they did hold champions Inter and runners up Juventus to draws.
So I think our Wealdstone friend is right to suppose that they must have been some team when our clubs faced them.

[comrade powell]

I also think that at that time Seria C was a regionalised  league ( north, south and central) and that could tie in with 6 teams representing each country.

Yes, the tables in the links above show that's correct.

[Dodgycarpet]

I still have the programmes for the two years city were in it. There was just one in England covering all matches. Like others I was surprised the crowds weren't higher just as when we played Boston in the non league super cup after winning the southern league title in77-78(?). Then the top northern sides were a mystery to us!

[stillmanjunior]

Thanks! Do you have any memories of it, Junior?

Forgot to send it last night, will do later.

Nope, although I have a decent memory I struggle with events which took place 6/7 years before I was born. And I can't call myself a supporter, I didn't even go to Torhout...

[comrade powell]

 Then the top northern sides were a mystery to us!

I was about to post that in Boston's case that was a good thing, but it would have been a shame to have never met and stuffed them 8 - 0 and sent them packing into the snowdrifts after the 2 - 0!!

[richmadrid]

I remember the 5-0 rout game. There goalie was short and bald with a comb-over, and we got a penalty without the ball being kicked. We were about to take a corner and the ref gave us a penalty for pushing in the box!

[turnstyle13]

I remember being part of a pitch invasion at TP where a small dark haired man was jabbing the referee in the chest with his finger saying, in very broken English, 'you, you, you' he struggled for the appropriate words 'you **** man'.

[turnstyle13]

Sorry a rude word.
A clue its four letters and begins with an S

[Sponsored content]