The city of Bari had acted as a base for myself previously, but it took a freak coincidence for a game to be considered here. Perhaps courtesy of driving on the other side of the road, I have always preferred using the trains in Italy. They are incredibly good value, and offer a fine range … Continue reading Bari Times →

Some of my Ancona buddies laughed, and would doubtlessly think it poetic justice, but when a very localised thick fog enveloped the Stadio Cino e Luca Del Duca just ahead of kick off in Ascoli, that was the scenario. It really was touch and go with the game delayed while the referee and both captains … Continue reading Ascoli Unseen →

Football Weekends is 100 editions old at the end of April. Given my passion for Calcio, I was asked to put together a list of stadiums I consider truly worthy of visiting. Maybe to some, it is a controversial list, but it reflects my enthusiasm for more than just a stadium, steering clear of the … Continue reading My favourite Stadio di Italia →

UK readers of a certain vintage that were introduced to, or drawn in by Italian football courtesy of James Richardson and the Channel Four coverage of Calcio, might just recall the name Foggia. The club had nibbled at the top table on three previous occasions starting in 1963/64, and in all of these previous visits … Continue reading Fantastic Mr Foggia →

Back in the day, when I was a young lad, Italy was a staple of the Brits abroad gig. Places like Rimini and Lido di Jesolo were as high on the summer break agenda as Benidorm or Ibiza. Whether Italy eventually priced itself out of the market I am unsure, but they don’t suffer from … Continue reading Coastal Cultura →

Puglia, Italy’s lengthy eastern seaboard heel is a real gem of the country. More and more the region is growing in reputation, seeing an ever increasing International tourism boom. In many regards it has always been a favourite for Italians, but more recently in the UK, TV chefs and travel shows have brought Puglia to … Continue reading High Seas Games →

A number of clubs, especially in Serie C, coincidently all bunched in the same Girone (group) carry the prefix “Pro”. This essentially means “for”, and has nothing to do with the notion that they are more professional than the rest at this level. One of the trio of “Pro” brigades even has seven Scudetto titles … Continue reading Pro Teams →

Having witnessed the last game between Ancona and S.P.A.L in April 2016, seven and a half years on, they were finally crossing paths once more, in the reverse fixture in Ferrara too. I was determined to be there.  The pageantry and love-in were a joy to behold at Conero all those years ago. S.P.A.L (Societa … Continue reading SPAL’s Forever →

Tuscany had been badly hit by flooding in the latter part of 2023. Just two weeks before arriving with my fiance to enjoy the delights of some of the classic towns and cities of the region, lives had been turned upside down by the impact of yet another storm surge. Those areas affected were away … Continue reading il Derby Nord-Est- Italy after the rain- Part 2, Pistoia-Prato →

The global weather patterns are changing, more extremes are already upon us. In Italy, like many in Southern Europe and beyond, the summer highs are becoming intolerable, and rains when they arrive are monsoon-like in intensity. In 2023, at least two regions of Italy have been badly hit by flash flooding. The first area to … Continue reading The Chain- Italy after the rain- Part 1- Imola →