The Old Star of the South

Bisceglie is maybe not the first port of call if you are travelling in the Puglian coastal area between Bari and Foggia. As you edge south from the latter, there are four cities all in close proximity. Each one has more than just football to offer: Barletta-Trani-Bisceglie-Molfetta is the quartet, all fishing ports, some bigger than others, each with its own charm to entice.

Before I was ever aware of any of the delights on offer in this area, courtesy of a now defunct ability to see any Serie C game from the UK, I had gradually been drawn into the realm of AS Bisceglie.

A bit like everything in life, the more you know, the greater the fascination grows. Yes, maybe Trani is the most pleasing of the four on the eye, and maybe from this journey, Barletta became the most surprising and unexpected gem. Then you have Molfetta. Everyone needs a rival, and while playing any club from these cities, they would constitute a derby, Molfetta Calcio is the one to get everyone in Bisceglie flustered. So, like all good tales of football rivalry, complete with unbiased viewpoints from your writer, if you want to know about Molfetta, search the Internet!

This is the story of Bisceglie (pronounced Bee-shell-yah). A snap shot of the city, the aforementioned White Star of AS Bisceglie, by far the biggest football act in town, and the teams beyond. I originally thought catching up with Unione and Virtus Bisceglie was covering all calcio bases. However, I subsequently discovered three more clubs exist in the pyramid, making six in total. Given that the population is just 56,000, perhaps the city just isn’t big enough for six teams.

The city goes all the way back to the Middle Ages. In 1042, a tweak earlier than your famous English battle, doubtlessly schooled to the majority of readers back in the day; Bob (or more likely Robert) Guiscard from the Norman Conquest Brigade was assigned the district of Trani, which included the modern day area of Bisceglie. It was a time for making everything safe with fortifications, and the area towards the sea was equipped with the imposing Torre Maesta. This was later rather tastefully included in the construction of a castle during what was known as the Federician era. It was a rather niche period of history, so I didn’t bother researching that any further!

The inland hamlets all had a Torre too, making a grand total of four in all, quite appropriate given I started with four coastal cities in this nook of Puglia. Bits of these towers still exist and can be spotted in odd parts of modern-day Bisceglie.

It’s a hard-working city, only an occasional tourist will find their way down from the railway station, through the modern shopping area, into the sizeable main square, then on down, through old, narrow streets that get increasingly tight as well as tatty, before emerging at the old port. Down at the waters edge, with fishing boats large and small, as well as many yachts, it’s a sight to behold for those of us who love an active port. In my experience, port city people are more open, friendly, and even happier than those inland.

AS BISCEGLIE

There is something about the sea. I certainly couldn’t live far from it. The view of the Adriatic behind one goal at the Gustavo Ventura stadium in Bisceglie was part of the allure that drew me to this city in the first place. However, unlike my base for my five week Puglian sojourn in amazing Brindisi; a city that chose me, however you’d need a psychologist’s couch into how that came about! Meanwhile, AS Bisceglie somehow peeked my interest from a football perspective and, in a way, chose me too. Both these choices came to me beyond intellect and reason, as Tracy Chapman once sang. So it seemed like fate when the fixture schedule coughed up Bisceglie v Brindisi for when I was in the area. I had to be there. This would be a huge match, even if it is just an early marker in a long season.

I was first at a match in Bisceglie in the autumn of 2022. On my Futbology app, I noticed a Newcastle fan at the game. He wasn’t just visiting, though. He had already been a few times at that point. My attendance at the Manfredonia game had also been noticed by him. I enquired of Jim at FW HQ as to whether this chap was on his subscription list, but alas, he wasn’t. Then, the app opened a messaging facility, and we would occasionally message. As my trip neared, we arranged to meet for a beer before the Bisceglie v Brindisi match. A Geordie and a Scot, both passionate about The White Stars, what are the chances.

That said, Nathaniel now lives in the city, having moved around a little in Puglia teaching English. While largely, I must watch from afar every Sunday courtesy of Antenna Sud online, Nath is regularly at the Stadio or on the road with the Ultras lending his support to the club, which is absolutely brilliant. Football connects people, and of that, there is no doubt. At Bisceglie, such a warm and inviting club, it all started with Mimo and Donatella, then as Mimo set off on a new career in television, his replacement Francesco isn’t just more confident with English, he cheers for one of the teams from my home city of Edinburgh!

Since I last caught up with the White Stars in competitive action in Polignano a Mare in the spring of 2023, the club had faltered slightly. A 2-0 win versus Polimnia that day kept the promotion play off dream alive. Despite winning the league, Bisceglie had to overcome the play-off winners, Molfetta, before then having a one-off final for promotion versus the Southern Puglian league winners, Ugento in this case. It was a nightmare loss. Just getting by Molfetta had drained the tank. They were thrashed 4-0 in Francavilla Fontana.

All was not lost as they entered into a national play-off quartet for a place in Serie D. It looked all over in the semi-final versus Vigor Lamezia from Calabria, but somehow they found a way and scored such a dramatic late goal. It sparked scenes of delirium in Bisceglie as well manic celebrations in my Edinburgh living room, too. After a disappointing home draw in the final versus Costa D’Amalfi from Campania, despite leading the away tie at the break, the Amalfi side turned it around, and we fell short, losing 2-1.

Bizarrely, a troop of gli stella bianca fans travelled to the Amalfi coast, a considerable trek across the country, only to discover that they weren’t being allowed into the ground to watch! They found a roadside cafe to watch the game on TV, where the small business got all it’s Christmases at once, with the Bisceglie boys nearly drinking her premises dry, whilst being plied by a delighted owner with her finest panini creations. It certainly eased the disappointment, but as wonderful a human story as this is, sadly, in a nutshell, it highlights the diabolical treatment of fans in Italy.

Last season was always going to be difficult. Not only trying to get the team motivated after not one but two crushing disappointments, but also with the home stadium being unavailable at the outset, and indeed for two thirds of the season as the pitch was being converted to high spec artificial turf. Talismanic boss Pino Di Meo had left, too. It all felt flat as results faltered. A couple of bosses came and went, and then Pino was back. The upturn in fortunes was immediate.

There is always a manager at any given club who is just the perfect fit. Now I know he went off on one live on air in the heat of the dramatic Lamezia win, and that might have tarnished things, but he truly is Mr Bisceglie. He gets the players motivated, and he gets results.

Bisceglie started to climb the league table with a lengthy unbeaten run. The Ventura became available again, which undoubtedly helped, too. Miraculously, they made the promotion play-offs, finishing 4th. In a one-off play-off, they had to beat Polimnia, who had abandoned Polignano a Mare to now play in nearby Mola di Bari.

The Bisceglie story in recent years has been a litany of late dramatic moments. It worked in our favour versus Lamezia, but that’s a moment of joy sandwiched between angst ridden moments. Two misses that would have changed the history of the club. Firstly, in Pagano a few seasons ago, despite conceding a late, late goal, Bisceglie went up the other end and agonisingly hit the post, and they were down, relegated from Serie C. Then, last season, at 2-2 versus Polimnia, a confident Bisceglie were going for it. A late cross landed perfectly for the on rushing forward, Kone, but somehow he hit it high and wide, and the season was over. This one felt like glorious failure, where if the nucleus of the team could be retained, with added quality in the close season, The White Star could be rising this term.

It has certainly started well for Bisceglie. They were unbeaten going into the Brindisi clash. It would prove to be a tight affair. Perhaps, unexpectedly, of a club who have been used to a higher level, Brindisi showed some quality, but only once they got to grips with the home side, who, especially in the first half had the better of things. Both had maybe just one great opportunity, with the Bisceglie keeper the hero saving an almost certain goal late on. A scoreless match was just about right. Neither were giving anything away this early in the campaign.

The Puglia Eccellenza, for the second season, is just one division, where winning the title guarantees promotion to Serie D. This term it has been further complicated by the appearance of Taranto at this level.

Two seasons ago, they held up the Serie C promotion play offs, and cost me money! They were attempting to get docked points back that would have elevated them to fourth, thereby skipping a round or two. That was unsuccessful, and then the following term, soon after I saw them lose 2-0 at Casertana, they were declared bankrupt and kicked out. It was my first, and hopefully only ever expunged result!

During the summer, Mr Gravina, the FIGC President, who isn’t very popular at all, wanted to make an example of Taranto, with an 8th tier start muted. However, despite a ludicrously high bond to play in the fifth tier, the price was met by local businessmen kean to do right by the city, and so along with Brindisi, they both pose a real threat to anyone in the league, but especially a buoyant Bisceglie.

Regarding Taranto, I kind of feel sorry for them. It’s the second city of Puglia after Bari, and its drawing power is huge. Add to the mix the notion that last season, and this, they can not play in Taranto as the stadium is being totally re-vamped to include a running track, great joy of joy (sic). The city is hosting the Mediterranean Games next summer, a nice honour, but a real inconvenience if all you are interested in is SS Taranto as the club is now known.

While Taranto, Brindisi and potentially Canosa, who did a Bisceglie last season and had a late collapse in Sicily to deny themselves promotion, are all likely contenders, Bisceglie have nothing to be scared of from these sides. Following the draw with Brindisi, the club signalled their intent by signing a striker of considerable pedigree Nicola Citro. He has played in Serie B and found a way to goal with Trapani, Frosinone, and Venezia,where he helped them into Serie A in 2018. If scoring goals is the last achilles heel of Bisceglie, then this signing was meant to address that issue. A prudent capture undoubtedly.

My two competitive Bisceglie home games hadn’t produced a single goal, and while I timed my spring arrival wrongly last term, I did see them snaffle a goal or two in a bounce match with the now usurped Audace Barletta, but that doesn’t count. However, with Citro on board, optimism is high ahead of the “derby” with Unione Calcio Bisceglie.

Just ahead of half-time in this keanly contested match, when it seemed Bisceglie were going to do everything but score, yet again, a cross from Castro was met superbly by man mountain Graziano, and in a flash, there it was, my first ever competitive Bisceglie home goal. Previously, a great chance had been headed off the line, and they whacked the bar, but finally, I could rid my mind of the notion I was the bogey.

After the break, it all fell flat for the home team. They have a busy schedule, with two games in the next week, but at 1-0, the preservation of what we have society should not have been called upon. All it did was encourage Unione, who don’t lack ability themselves. The warning still wasn’t read when a Unione midfielder waltzed his way through, rounded the keeper, and hilariously lobbed the ball over the bar. It was a let off, but still, they came forward. Saani, a hardworking forward for Unione, superbly scissor-kicked the ball in for the equaliser, and at the point, it was the least they deserved.

Bisceglie introduced Citro, and he added energy and some dynamism to the proceedings. Late on, he warmed the keeper’s gloves with a rasping shot, then seconds later, a glaring chance, another one gone. Instead of heading at the goal, where the keeper was already beaten, the ball was played along the goal where no on rushing forward was available to get the merest touch to win it.

The draw put Bisceglie top for the night, with expectations that Taranto would win at Acquaviva. But in a storming encounter, the living water (literal translation) rose to flush Taranto’s hopes of returning to the top with a surprise and delightful 3-2 win. There will be many twists before this story is fully completed, though.

UNIONE CALCIO BISCEGLIE

I used “derby” in inverted commas as no one really classes the games with Unione as a proper derby. Yes, they both hail from the same city, and for now, both play in the same league (third year on the bounce), but a true rivalry needs history, and it needs fans. Unione and AS have limited history, and the former has few fans outside the friends and family of the players.

I once got lured to Piacenza to watch what I thought was a proper derby, between ex Serie A Piacenza and Pro Piacenza. That was a third tier game, and there was no ban on away fans, Pro just didn’t have any.

Lidiya inadvertently found her flight back to London from Brindisi cancelled. It resulted in us needing to go to Bari the next day. Once we’d said goodbye, I decided to head to Barletta to enjoy the sun, but with half an eye on the Eccellenza Coppa Italia match in Bisceglie between Unione and Virtus Mola that evening. I was curious to see Unione play.

Now that the Ventura has an artificial surface, they have also moved into the principal municipal facility in the city. Around 150 were present, significantly lower than Bisceglie pulled in for the visit of Brindisi, even with the weather being gloomy.

Unione would win this cup tie quite comfortably 3-0, creating an ironic moment of me seeing the second team of the city score first in Bisceglie’s ground.

A club with next to no fans needs a wealthy benefactor, and in the Pedone family, famous in Bisceglie for their historic hardware store, they have just the necessary backing. Whisper it quietly, but they looked quite useful. Albeit it, let’s qualify that versus the poor quality on offer from Mola. With Bisceglie, bring a 2-0 lead back from Canosa on the same day, if both local clubs hold their nerve in the second legs, they might be meeting in the last 5, yes you did read that right, a last 5, go figure!! 

Winning the regional cup does open up the potential for going all the way, playing in a knock-out competition with the other regional winners, to gain a promotion slot via this route. A useful backup with such stiff competition in the Eccellenza. Bisceglie were successful in this way back in 1991.

VIRTUS BISCEGLIE

One level down in the Puglia Promozione, you will find Virtus. They were never on my radar to go and watch because the Eccellenza derby was scheduled for Sunday, too. However, in an attempt to get a bigger crowd, it was decided to move that match to the Saturday night. This added to my complications, with no train able to get me back to Brindisi, so a night in Bisceglie was the only solution. It meant Sunday afternoon could be spent at the “Francesco di Liddo” ground in the city. Unione had been using this facility before moving into the Ventura, but the real draw was watching a game in the original home of AS Bisceglie, albeit they have been away from di Liddo for a great number of years now.

Virtus started out as a youth team, but since 2018, they have fielded a side in the regional league set-up, and to be in the sixth tier already, having won their way up three tiers is impressive. AS Bisceglie played them before Christmas 2024 in a part friendly, part memorial to Franco di Rieda, known locally as “The American”, bizarrely due to his father migrating to Argentina in that great “in between” wars period when many Italians set off for the Americas. Franco had aided setting up Virtus and briefly managed AS Bisceglie in ’99/00. The festive spirit was lost on AS boss, Pino Di Meo, who asked the game to be halted around the 70th minute to turn Christmas Grinch on his own players, tearing a strip off them in front of everyone, even though they won comfortably 4-1!

Virtus nearly drifted into the seventh tier last season, involved in a Play-Out at home to Santeramo. The game went into extra-time, where with 2 minutes to go, the Virtus keeper did a spectacular Jimmy Glass, with an overhead kick to save the club from going down.

On a warm afternoon, a good crowd was in to watch Virtus play Atletico Apricena. Both set off at a pace and were creating a lot of chances. It didn’t look like it would end goalless. They then started to thwart one another, and the game seemed destined for that conclusion. However, with the clock ticking down, a clever dink to a cross ball by the forward was enough to outfox the Apricena keeper, who had come for what he thought was an easy catch. The ball literally dribbled over the line, and it was job done, with the points staying in Bisceglie.

Amusingly, the word Apricena is a combination of cocktails or happy hour and dinner. For the Atletico players, neither would be getting served on the bus home!

Virtus can look up the table with a little comfort now and look forward along with Don Una to being the Bisceglie flies in the ointment for a spectacularly failing Molfetta Calcio club.

The Other Bisceglie teams

At this juncture, I thought I had rinsed the Bisceglie calcio scene, and being a thorough writer, I had covered all bases. But alas, as intimated at the outset, there are six clubs. Nathaniel filled me in on the missing two. Don Uva, who also plays in the Promozione level, doesn’t carry the city name, thereby it caught me out. They used to be the team of the city asylum! No longer the case, but the name has that attachment in Bisceglie. I also believe that if you see Don in front of a team name, it has been started by a monk! Don Celtic, it is then!!

One of the other sides is essentially a new start! Just what Bisceglie needs, another side in the pyramid, but Athletico Bisceglie are in the mix, although whether it takes off or sustains remains to be seen. Last but by no means least are 8th tier Eagles Bisceglie, flying one level higher than the newbies.

If you are intrigued to follow AS Bisceglie and their fortunes, the social media team do great posts to keep you updated on Facebook or Instagram. Tuttocampo, the bible of non-league information for every region, will give you a wider snapshot. If you add Puglia Eccellenza, it will take you straight to the most recent results and table. If you are interested in actually watching a match live, Antenna Sud online, the regional TV provider is available to watch anywhere in Europe for free.

The enthusiasm for my first Bisceglie story in 2022 was remarkable from the fans in the city. We could return the favour and keep an eye on their fortunes, or better still, a flight to Bari, and within 2 hours of alighting the plane, you could be at the Ventura watching it all unfold live, with all the colour and pageantry that the White Star fans bring to the game. I have my fingers crossed that this just might be the season when our luck turns.

Bisceglie Vecchia Stella Del Sud is written on the Curva Wall where the away fans are housed at the Ventura. It’s been there a long time, and the ambition to see the Old Star of the South rise again is as alive and well as it has been for years. Who knows, it could be this season.