Calcio Padova, commonly referred to as Padova, is an Italian football club based in Padua, Veneto. Founded in 1910, Padova currently play in Serie C, having last been in Serie A in 1996. The team's official colours are white and red. The team was refounded in 2014 after the sports title was awarded to Biancoscudati Padova for the 2014–15 Serie D season as a phoenix club. The old holder of the title was in the process of liquidation after it was expelled from 2014–15 Lega Pro. The original Padova was renamed to Football Padova in order to allow the new iteration of Padova to use the original name of the club, Calcio Padova in 2015.
History
Padova's golden days were the late 1950s, when the team managed by Nereo Rocco, reached the heights of third place in 1958 thanks to the wing wizardry of Kurt Hamrin. Forwards Sergio Brighenti and Aurelio Milani would star as Padova remained a force in Serie A, before relegation in 1962. The rest of the 1960s would see the club in Serie B before going into a serious decline ahead of a 1980s revival. The revival would see Padova return to Serie B in the early 1980s, and within a decade they would be serious promotion contenders. A play-off win over Cesena in 1994 saw the club return to Serie A after 32 years. After a dire start to 1994/95, Padova looked like fulfilling most experts' predictions of a swift return. They nonetheless found their form in the second half of the year and when they recorded a 1–0 win away to Juventus, they were six points clear of the drop zone. However, they eventually ended up in the relegation play-off against Genoa, due to a late Inter Milan goal assisted by a Rubén Sosa corner, which they won on penalties. There would be no such luck the following year, as Padova were relegated with further relegations in 1998 and 1999. Since 2001, they have resided in Serie C1 and Lega Pro Prima Divisione. The team returned in Serie B at the end of the season 2008–2009. In total, Calcio Padova took part to 11 Prima Divisione/Divisione Nazionale championships between 1914–15 and 1928–29 and 16 Serie A championships between 1929–30 and 1995–96 ; in Coppa Italia, the best place was runner-up in 1967. Padova won a Coppa Italia Serie C in 1980, and played also 34 Serie B championships and 29 Serie C1/C2/Lega Pro Prima Divisione championships. Padova ended as runner-up the Anglo-Italian Cup of 1983. In the 2013–14 Serie B season, Padova were relegated after finishing 20th, and on 15 July 2014, the team did not sign up to the 2014–15 Lega Pro championship. In April 2015 the company was put into liquidation.
Biancoscudati Padova
The club was founded in the summer of 2014, with the name Società Sportiva Dilettantistica a r.l. Biancoscudati Padova, after the non-inclusion of Calcio Padova in Lega Pro and Serie D. The first official match was Biancoscudati Padova-Castellana, valid for the Coppa Italia Serie D, played 24 August 2014. On 19 April 2015, by virtue of a 2–1 success in the field of Legnago, the venetian team reaches mathematics promotion in the Lega Pro. On 5 June 2015, changed its name to Biancoscudati Padova Spa. On 6 July 2015, changed its name to Calcio Padova Spa, after the old Calcio Padova changed its name to Football Padova Spa – società in liquidazione. , former captain of Padova.
