1926–27 Seconda Divisione Explained

Competition:Seconda Divisione
Season:1926–27
Winners:Monza
Promoted:Ponziana
Carrarese
Ternana
Relegated:AC Gonzaga
US Copparese
Pordenone (bankruptcy)
Others
Matches:446
Prevseason:new league
Nextseason:1927–28

The 1926–27 Seconda Divisione was the first edition of a sub-national third level tournament within the Italian football championship.[1]

In 1926 the Viareggio Charter” submitted the Italian football's organization to the fascist regime. The 60 best clubs of the country joined the two new national championships, while the third level became the Seconda Divisione on sub-national bases. Clubs leagues were disbanded and substituted by some Authorities appointed by the fascists.[2]

Regulations

The Northern Lower Divisions Directory, which had its headquarters in Genoa, created a copy of the higher championship, the Prima Divisione. It was composed of three groups of ten clubs, a total of 30 teams. The winners of any group of the Northern Authority were promoted, while the last two teams should be relegated. A final for the title was planned.

The ”Southern Lower Divisions Directory”, which had its headquarters in Rome, organized its 28 teams into four groups. The winners of any group of Southern Authority qualified to the final group. The winner of the final group was promoted.

However, following numerous bankruptcies that involved every southern team in Prima Divisione except the Puglia's teams, were later promoted in Prima Divisione also Savoia and Tivoli. The other teams of the Second Division Southern League refused to be admitted in Prima Divisione.

Teams selection

The old Northern Terza Divisione third-level championship had a regional structure with inter-regional finals, so it was decided to take the best clubs of these finals with the clubs eliminated from the disbanded Northern League.

In Southern Italy the situation was different. There, the previous reform of 1921-1922 did not take place, so the pyramid of 1912 had been maintained, with the Seconda Divisione, former Seconda Categoria, as the first tournament at the regional level. So, in a lexical continuity, the old Seconda Divisione remained the bulk of new one, including six promoted teams and the clubs eliminated from the disbanded Southern League, but with the difference of the elimination of the regional boundaries to adopt the inter-regional structure as the Northern counterpart.[3]

30 Northern clubs30 Southern clubs
18 worst clubs of the Northern League's Second Division6 worst clubs of the Southern League's First Divisione
12 top clubs of Northern Italy Third Divisionall 18 clubs of Southern Italy Second Division
6 top clubs from Southern Italy Third Division

Northern Authority

Group A

width=25width=215Group Awidth=35Pt
1.Carrarese25
2.Valenzana22
3.Corniglianese21
4.Viareggio19
5.Vado18
6.Rapallo Ruentes18
7.Rivarolese16
8.Signa15
9.La Nicese13
10.Genovese13

Group B

width=25width=215Group Bwidth=35Pt
1.Monza25
2.Lecco24
3.Codogno23
4.Crema22
5.Piacenza19
6.Fanfulla18
7.Juventus Italia15
8.Trevigliese12
9.Abbiategrasso12
10.Gonzaga9
Relegation playoff
width=28%!width=8%Result !width=28%!width=36%Venue
Trevigliese 4 - 1 Abbiategrasso Milan, May 8, 1927

Group C

width=25width=215Group Cwidth=35Pt
1.Ponziana30
2.Edera Trieste27
3.Vicenza22
4.Petrarca Padova19
5.Faenza19
6.Pro Gorizia18
7.Fiumana15
8.Pordenone15
9.Dolo14
10.Copparese1

Southern Authority

Group A

width=33% valign="top"
width=25width=215Adriaticwidth=35Pt
1.Tiferno17
2.Pippo Massangioli12
3.Rosburghese11
4.Zara9
5.Stamura9
6.Tito Acerbo0
7.Perugiano

Group B

width=33% valign="top"
width=25width=215Roman zonewidth=35Pt
1.Terni19
2.US Romana16
3.Ardita RM13
4.Vittoria RM10
5.Civitavecchia9
5.Juventus RM9
7.Tivoli8
8.Virtus Goliardano

Group C

width=25width=215Campaniawidth=35Pt
1.Savoia23
2.Maddalonese15
2.Stabiese15
4.Scafatese11
5.Aversana9
5.Campania9
7.Cavese3
8.Puteolanano

Group D

width=33% valign="top"
width=25width=215Sicilia and Calabriawidth=35Pt
1.Messinese19
2.Gargallo17
3.Umberto I11
3.Littorio Stadium11
5.Peloro9
6.Vigor PA7
7.Reggio6

Southern Finals

width=25width=215Final Groupwidth=35Pt
1.Terni9
2.Savoia9
3.Messinese4
4.Tiferno2

Promotion playoff in Rome on July 17:TERNANA-Savoia 1-0

Championship Cup

The group winners of Northern Italy played for the national title, because they were considered evidently stronger than the Southern clubs by the FIGC. However, Carrarese retired from this cup.

width=28%!width=8%Results !width=28%!width=36%Venue
Monza 5-1 Ponziana Monza, June 26, 1927
Ponziana 2-1 Monza Trieste, July 3, 1927
Ponziana 2-3 Monza Trieste, July 10, 1927

Notes

  1. Historical archive of La Gazzetta dello Sport
  2. [La Stampa]
  3. rsssf.com