Parma
AC Parma was founded in memory of Giuseppe Verdi in 1913, the centenary year of the birth of "The Swan from Busseto". The inhabitants of Parma, whose passion for football was on a par with their passion for opera, dedicated their first tournament to the great Maestro.
On the 27th July of the same year a sports club called "Parma Lento Club" was founded. The team wore yellow and blue quartered shirts. It was the same year that celebrations in honour of Verdi took place and a football match was organised. The first match was played on September 26th and finished 1-0 to Reggiana, who were later to become bitter rivals with Parma in the many derbys played between the neighbouring teams.
After experiencing the thrill of playing in Serie A in the 1925-1926 season, both elation and disappointment followed. Parma went down to Serie B in the immediate post-war period, after losing a bitter play-off in Milan against La Spezia. The new Parma (an off-shoot of the Parmense formed in September, 1968 by a group of industrialists) was promoted back to Serie A in the 1972-73 season and again in 1978-79, both times after exciting play-offs played at "Menti´s" ground in Vicinza against Udinese (2-0) and against Triestina (3-1).
After that they struggled for a number of years before being relegated to Serie B in 1984. It was personalities such as Ernesto Ceresini who helped put Parma back on track. In 1989 Nevio Scala became coach, having returned from Reggina. Parma subsequently put together a competitive side.
The sponsors thin became shareholders with Calisto Tanzi´s
Parmalat acquiring a 45 percent holding. At the end of the season, in spite of the
defenlted game against Reggina, the death of club president Ceresini (February 4, 1990)
and 2 months of poor results, Parma were promoted to Serie A. At the first time of trying
Parma qualified for Europe. Victories in the Coppa Italia, the Cup-Winners´ Cup, the
Super European Cup and the UEFA Cup insued.
Italian Cup : 1992, 1999
Cup winners cups : 1993
UEFA Cup : 1995, 1999
European Supercup : 1994
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