Promotions and Relegations (9)

Promotions & relegations - source - (www.lazioclubmalta.com)

The return in Serie A started on a positive note as in the initial four matches of the season 1963-64 Lazio was leading the table with six points. However, the team coached by Lorenzo soon faced the crude reality, and in the following fourteen matches it lost nine of them with a spell of seven consecutively defeats that brought the squad in relegation zone. In spite of this, the team had a good come back obtaining important away victories against Milan and Juventus. Moreover with three matches to go, Lazio held Inter in a goalless draw at the Olimpico, just ten days before the "Nerazzurri" won their first Champions Cup. The Eagles totalled thirty points placing eight.


In the following season, Lazio's coach Lorenzo betrayed the club and joined city-rivals Roma. Mannocci was appointed new coach, while one of the new signings was Eugenio Fascetti (who twenty years later coached Lazio, leading the club to a memorable season in Serie B in which and managed to avoid Serie C although starting a nine-point handicap). The season 1964-65 was a shadowy one for the club that avoided relegation by one point at the expense of Genoa.
Similarly in the season 1965-66, relegation was avoided by two points. Unfortunately, Serie B could not be avoided in the season 1966-67 as it ended fifteenth out of eighteen teams. In that season four squads had to be relegated in Serie B in order to reduce the first division to sicxteen clubs. Lazio had to re-face Serie B with a lot of problems. A record of twenty-seven different players played in that season in which the club finished in a disappointing 11th position. The light-blues however made-up the year after, dominating the season 1968-69 and winning the Serie B thus returning to Serie A in great style. In that season Lazio was followed by massive crowds, especially during home matches that bolstered the squad to conquer promotion. There was great enthusiasm among the fans for this return to the elite division. Important signings were expected in order to build a team that could stabilise itself in the maximum division. Instead the club opted to sign unknown players from inferior divisions. The crowd welcomed with great scepticism the signings of Wilson and Chinaglia from Internaples. However after the first timid appearances the two new boys resulted to be great deals and both were essential for the squad to gain a mid-table position with one point above city rivals A.S.Roma (as you know in Rome this is the most important).



Chinaglia was the main character, scoring twelve goals out of twenty-eight league matches, and other eight goals distributed in the other competitions i.e. Mitropa Cup, Anglo-Italian Cup and the Coppa Delle Alpi. In the Coppa Italia, Lazio was eliminated in the preliminary round following defeats against Perugia and Roma, and a draw against Ternana. During the derby, with Lazio being the host team, a power cut in the stadium condemned Lazio to a 2-0 defeat on table. Lazio had a poor start in the season 70-71.



The team was immediately eliminated from the Coppa Italia in the preliminary round phase ,obtaining wins against Palermo and Catanzaro but losing the decisive match against the much-hated A.S.Roma. Lazio also participated in the Uefa Cup and went out in the first round against Arsenal. The Eagles drew 2-2 in Rome, Chinaglia scoring both goals, but the 2-0 defeat at Highbury meant an immediate elimination. In the domestic league things were going worst. Infact Lazio only won its first match on the tenth day ,with a last minute goal against Sampdoria. It was a very disappointing campaign in which Lazio won only five matches out of thirty, ending penultimate thus relegated in Serie B. As a contradiction to all these disappointments, Lazio won the Coppa Delle Alpi, in which Italian and Swiss clubs particiapted. Lazio eliminated Lugano, Wintherthur and Sampdoria to reach the final against Basle and won 3-1 with two goals by Chinaglia and by Manservisi. In September 1971, the club and fans were mourning the death of Sante Ancherani, one of the Lazio pioneers in the early years of the century, who despite its old age continued to follow its beloved team until the end. He used to say "Nothing on earth can ever deprive me to follow the team that brought football in Rome".
The club officials did their utmost to form a strong squad that can win an immediate promotion. Important players were acquired like Martini from Roma while Sbardella was appointed as general secretary. The club also acquired from Foggia the services of Tommaso Maestrelli an emerging new coach. In Rome he brought a new style of football, based on a zone system similar to the one used by the Dutch national team during their golden years. Although there were the usual initial scepticisms by the fans and press, Lazio had a brilliant season culminated with the triumphant return in Serie A. Chinaglia was the leader of the squad, and was instrumental for the team, scoring twenty-one goals out of the fourty-three scored by the whole squad.

For this he earned a call with the Italian national team, where he scored in his debut against Bulgaria just five minutes after he came out as a substitute. Surely a great achievement from the talented scorer, considering that he played all the season in Serie B. Other protagonists of the season were Massa, who scored twelve goals, and the emerging youngster D'Amico. Lazio also had good performances in the Coppa Italia, reaching the semi-finals stage. Infact in the preliminary group, Lazio passed through at the expense of Roma, Atalanta , Perugia and Ternana. In the semifinals group, it had to surrender to the Serie A clubs, and ended the group, Napoli, Bologna and Fiorentina. Chinaglia was once again the main protagonist totalling five goals.

Just heard that my father-in-law once played against Lazio in some tournament, and that Arrigo Dolso was absolute then.


Each time I start about Lazio, he can only say three words : Dolso ! Dolso ! Dolso !