Empoli FC - last updated on 24 April 2008
(Courtesy of Johnny Beaufays)
Club name: Empoli Football Club
SpA
Foundation: 1920
City: Empoli
Colours: Blue and white
Website: www.empolicalcio.it
Honours:
Empoli FC has currently no honours.
A bit of history:
Empoli's history was relatively obscure before the 1980s when they attained Serie B status. In 1986, they managed the remarkable feat for a small-town club of promotion to Serie A. Playing their first few home games in Florence, Empoli's Serie A debut resulted in a 1-0 win over Inter. Helped by Udinese's 9-point deduction, they managed to avoid relegation with only 23 points and 13 goals scored in 30 games. Empoli themselves would receive a 5-point penalty the following season, and were relegated despite an improved showing with another relegation in 1989.
They spent several seasons after that in Serie C1, returning to Serie B in 1996 and achieving a second successive promotion in 1997. With Luciano Spalletti at the helm, Empoli defied the odds to avoid relegation in 12th place. Relegation the following year saw a three-year stay in Serie B in which the club became notable for nurturing outstanding young talent.
Promotions to Serie A in 2002 and 2005 have seen the club emerge as brave battlers against relegation. They ended the 2005-06 Serie A season in a respectable 10th place. As a result of the Serie A match-fixing scandal at the end of that season, they gained qualification for the UEFA Cup for the following season, however did not play in it because the club management never asked for a UEFA License. In the 2006-07 season, the club gained once more qualification for the UEFA Cup. They marked their historical debut in the continental competition in a two-legged round against FC Zurich, which Empoli lost 4-2 on aggregate. A poor showing in the initial part of the season then led chairman Fabrizio Corsi to sack Luigi Cagni, who led the Tuscans to clinch UEFA Cup qualification, and replace him with Alberto Malesani.
Club crests: (roll on the crest to get more informations)
Empoli FC
