US Città di Pontedera

Not to be confused with Pontevedra CF.

Pontedera

Full name	Unione Sportiva Città di Pontedera
Nickname(s)	Granata
Founded	1912
Ground	Stadio Ettore Mannucci, Pontedera, Italy
Capacity	4,405
Chairman	Gianfranco Donnini
Manager	Paolo Indiani
League	Lega Pro/B
2014–15	Lega Pro/B, 9th
Home colours Away colours

Unione Sportiva Città di Pontedera (formerly Unione Sportiva Pontedera 1912) is an Italian association football club located in Pontedera, Tuscany. Currently it plays in Lega Pro.

History

Founded in 1912, Pontedera, a team from a city in the Pisa neighbourhood, played Serie C for several years without never gaining a single promotion to Serie B. In 1993/1994, a second place in Serie C2/B allowed Pontedera to be promoted to Serie C1: during that season, the team was known for having longily been the only undefeated team in all Italian professional leagues, and for having incredibly won 2–1 to the Italy national football team coached by Arrigo Sacchi in a friendly match played in April 1994. Pontedera played Serie C1 just in 1994/1995, and relegated to Serie D in 2001, and even Eccellenza in 2002. Pontedera returned to Serie D in 2005, after having won its Eccellenza round.

In summer 2006, The Gunther Corporation purchased Pontedera. It was reported in The Guardian newspaper on 17 May 2007 that the owner of Pontedera is a dog named Gunther IV, who inherited it from Gunther III who in turn inherited it from his owner Countess Libenstein.

Marcello Lippi, head coach of Italy national team and World Cup champion in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, started his professional managing career as Pontedera head coach in 1985–1986.

Serie D 2010–11

At the end of the 2010-11 Serie D season, Pontedera gained access to the Serie D play-off for promotion in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, but they were eliminated in the third round.

Back into professionalism

In the 2012-13 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione season, Pontedera finished second in Girone B, and was promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione. This was the second consecutive promotion for the team. The 2013–14 season saw Pontedera topping the Lega Pro Prima Divisione table for the earlier weeks of the season, and then completing the regular season in eighth place and thus ensuring a Serie B promotion playoff spot, then losing to Lecce on penalties in the first round.

Colors and badge

Its colours are all-dark red.

Current squad

As of 16 January 2015. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	GK	ITA	Daniele Cardelli
—	GK	ITA	Francesco Proietti Gaffi
—	GK	ITA	Leonardo Citti
—	DF	ITA	Alessandro Videtta
—	DF	ITA	Lorenzo Polvani
—	DF	ITA	Federico Vettori
—	DF	ITA	Federico Sorbo
—	DF	ITA	Nicolò Curti
—	DF	ITA	Marco Supino
—	DF	SEN	Ansoumana Sané
—	DF	ITA	Andrea Gemignani
—	DF	ITA	Giacomo Risaliti
—	MF	ITA	Daniel Gemignani

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	ITA	Alessio Cannoni
—	MF	ITA	Matteo Severino
—	MF	ITA	Simone Della Latta
—	MF	ITA	Gregorio Luperini
—	MF	ITA	Samuele Pizza
—	MF	ALB	Elvis Kabashi
—	MF	ITA	Riccardo Secondo
—	MF	ITA	Francesco Di Santo
—	FW	ITA	Matteo Tazzari
—	FW	ITA	Stefano Scappini
—	FW	ITA	Daniele Bazzoffia
—	FW	ITA	Bryan Gioè
—	FW	ITA	Marco Pintus

Notable former managers

• Marcello Lippi

External links

• Template:It icon Official website