FAO Hibbies with Italian Football Interests

**~~Iggy Pope~~** · 04-09-2018 01:55 PM

Having a Tuscan holiday (Florence / Pisa).
Looking to take a game in but sadly Fiorentina are away. I see I can get to Empoli v Lazio though.
Livorno look like they kick off there only available game in Serie B at 10.30pm on a Monday night (????).
Can't seem to find a Serie C fixture list and talk of it being disbanded?

Any of you Italian-ites got any info on clubs around Tuscany or a good link to a website with info?

**chinaman** · 04-09-2018 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by Iggy Pope

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Having a Tuscan holiday (Florence / Pisa).
Looking to take a game in but sadly Fiorentina are away. I see I can get to Empoli v Lazio though.
Livorno look like they kick off there only available game in Serie B at 10.30pm on a Monday night (????).
Can't seem to find a Serie C fixture list and talk of it being disbanded?

Any of you Italian-ites got any info on clubs around Tuscany or a good link to a website with info?

siena who played in serie a, a few years back went bust and reformed as robur siena in 2014 are also from tuscany. might be worth checking it out.

**~~Iggy Pope~~** · 04-09-2018 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by chinaman

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siena who played in serie a, a few years back went bust and reformed as robur siena in 2014 are also from tuscany. might be worth checking it out.

Ta. See on their site they are away on the 9th, seem to be Serie C, but can't see a fixture list anywhere. Should've stuck in at that 5th year crash course Italian....

**nickwhibs** · 04-09-2018 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Iggy Pope

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Having a Tuscan holiday (Florence / Pisa).
Looking to take a game in but sadly Fiorentina are away. I see I can get to Empoli v Lazio though.
Livorno look like they kick off there only available game in Serie B at 10.30pm on a Monday night (????).
Can't seem to find a Serie C fixture list and talk of it being disbanded?

Any of you Italian-ites got any info on clubs around Tuscany or a good link to a website with info?

I have only been to games in Genova (Sampdoria and Genoa), and Roma, but the Stadio Luigi Farris is great. Good atmosphere for both teams. It's a few hours away by train from Florence/Pisa though. Have always wanted to go to a Livorno match as again it looks a great wee stadium with some of the best fans in Italy. Maybe try the Football Italia website for more info or the teams' respective websites (usually an option to view in English).

***Jamesie*** · 04-09-2018 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by nickwhibs

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I have only been to games in Genova (Sampdoria and Genoa), and Roma, but the Stadio Luigi Farris is great. Good atmosphere for both teams. It's a few hours away by train from Florence/Pisa though. Have always wanted to go to a Livorno match as again it looks a great wee stadium with some of the best fans in Italy. Maybe try the Football Italia website for more info or the teams' respective websites (usually an option to view in English).

I've only watched rugby (Italy v Argentina) in the Stadio Luigi Ferris, back in November 2014, and it is a tight ground with a decent atmosphere (albeit the game took place in very unusual circumstances: Genoa was suffering badly from floods at the time and with another storm on the way, the decision was taken (with less than 24 hours ' notice) to move the game from the eye of the storm on the Saturday to the Friday evening! Consequently it was a far smaller crowd than anticipated.

Livorno have fierce rivalry (principally a left v right political tussle) with Lazio - while in different leagues now I expect that would be quite a spectacle!

**Onceinawhile** · 04-09-2018 06:23 PM

Head up the leaning tower, you'll be able to see right into the pisa stadium.

**~~Iggy Pope~~** · 05-09-2018 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by nickwhibs

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I have only been to games in Genova (Sampdoria and Genoa), and Roma, but the Stadio Luigi Farris is great. Good atmosphere for both teams. It's a few hours away by train from Florence/Pisa though. Have always wanted to go to a Livorno match as again it looks a great wee stadium with some of the best fans in Italy. Maybe try the Football Italia website for more info or the teams' respective websites (usually an option to view in English).

The smaller sides websites seem to be Italian with no English. I'll give Football Ialia a bash though if I can find it, Ta. Was looking at Lucchese but can't get to the bottom of it.

Originally Posted by Jamesie

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I've only watched rugby (Italy v Argentina) in the Stadio Luigi Ferris, back in November 2014, and it is a tight ground with a decent atmosphere (albeit the game took place in very unusual circumstances: Genoa was suffering badly from floods at the time and with another storm on the way, the decision was taken (with less than 24 hours ' notice) to move the game from the eye of the storm on the Saturday to the Friday evening! Consequently it was a far smaller crowd than anticipated.

Livorno have fierce rivalry (principally a left v right political tussle) with Lazio - while in different leagues now I expect that would be quite a spectacle!

Livorno (v Crotone) looks doable but the kick off is 10.30pm on the Monday which would mean difficulty getting back. Empoli have Lazio at home though so that might be the option.

***One Day Soon*** · 05-09-2018 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by Iggy Pope

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Having a Tuscan holiday (Florence / Pisa).
Looking to take a game in but sadly Fiorentina are away. I see I can get to Empoli v Lazio though.
Livorno look like they kick off there only available game in Serie B at 10.30pm on a Monday night (????).
Can't seem to find a Serie C fixture list and talk of it being disbanded?

Any of you Italian-ites got any info on clubs around Tuscany or a good link to a website with info?

Iggy, how long are you there for?

Might be worth considering travelling by train to a game a bit further away. If so I'd go either Verona v Carpi on Sunday 16th at 2pm or Venezia v Benevento on Friday 14th at 8pm.

Rail time from Florence to Verona is about an hour and a half and to Venice is more like two hours.

With Verona you get Liam Henderson and the joy of Tim Parks book 'A Season with Verona' which is a great read. Verona itself is well worth a visit before the game if you go through early enough. Get down the front with your Hibs top on and see if Liam comes over to deliver his autograph

.

With Venezia it is a really unusual ground and a club that went from bankruptcy (again) about five years ago to nearly getting Serie A promotion last year. I've never been to the stadium but it's supposed to be unique and they have a small but pretty typically crazy support. The owner wants to move them to a new, bigger stadium if they get into Serie A so who knows how much longer the current ground will even exist? I think Filippo Inzaghi is still the manager. And a day out in Venice beforehand isn't life's worst experience...

Any of that work for you?

**Greenbeard** · 05-09-2018 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by One Day Soon

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Iggy, how long are you there for?

Might be worth considering travelling by train to a game a bit further away. If so I'd go either Verona v Carpi on Sunday 16th at 2pm or Venezia v Benevento on Friday 14th at 8pm.

Rail time from Florence to Verona is about an hour and a half and to Venice is more like two hours.

With Verona you get Liam Henderson and the joy of Tim Parks book 'A Season with Verona' which is a great read. Verona itself is well worth a visit before the game if you go through early enough. Get down the front with your Hibs top on and see if Liam comes over to deliver his autograph

.

With Venezia it is a really unusual ground and a club that went from bankruptcy (again) about five years ago to nearly getting Serie A promotion last year. I've never been to the stadium but it's supposed to be unique and they have a small but pretty typically crazy support. The owner wants to move them to a new, bigger stadium if they get into Serie A so who knows how much longer the current ground will even exist? I think Filippo Inzaghi is still the manager. And a day out in Venice beforehand isn't life's worst experience...

Any of that work for you?

Verona not too shabby either for a day out - pre-match pranzo and lingering after with Romeo and Juliet stuff to keep la signora contento.

**~~Ryan69~~** · 05-09-2018 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by Iggy Pope

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Having a Tuscan holiday (Florence / Pisa).
Looking to take a game in but sadly Fiorentina are away. I see I can get to Empoli v Lazio though.
Livorno look like they kick off there only available game in Serie B at 10.30pm on a Monday night (????).
Can't seem to find a Serie C fixture list and talk of it being disbanded?

Any of you Italian-ites got any info on clubs around Tuscany or a good link to a website with info?

I wouldnt bother with Livorno....an absolute dump of a place

***Lendo*** · 05-09-2018 11:39 AM

Couple of options.

If the Serie C fixtures get sorted then look at Lucca. Stunning wee walled town in Tuscany. Got a Serie C team called AS Lucchese Libertat 1905.

Technically not Tuscany, BUT easy enough to get the train to La Spezia to go and see ASD Spezia Calcio 2008 (Serie B?). The ground is only a few minutes walk from the central train station i think. Plus it is right next to the Cinque Terre national park which is stunning and worth a visit. .

***One Day Soon*** · 05-09-2018 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Lendo

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Couple of options.

If the Serie C fixtures get sorted then look at Lucca. Stunning wee walled town in Tuscany. Got a Serie C team called AS Lucchese Libertat 1905.

Technically not Tuscany, BUT easy enough to get the train to La Spezia to go and see ASD Spezia Calcio 2008 (Serie B?). The ground is only a few minutes walk from the central train station i think. Plus it is right next to the Cinque Terre national park which is stunning and worth a visit. .

Bl00dy Lucca, along with Barga that's where a lot of the Northerners come from that live here.

I actually stayed at Il Ciocco back in the day when Souness had been a regular visitor there with Sampdoria and then Rangers. Very nice, still northern though...

***Jamesie*** · 05-09-2018 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by Lendo

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Couple of options.

If the Serie C fixtures get sorted then look at Lucca. Stunning wee walled town in Tuscany. Got a Serie C team called AS Lucchese Libertat 1905.

Technically not Tuscany, BUT easy enough to get the train to La Spezia to go and see ASD Spezia Calcio 2008 (Serie B?). The ground is only a few minutes walk from the central train station i think. Plus it is right next to the Cinque Terre national park which is stunning and worth a visit. .

Good shout re the Cinque Terre but I wouldn't bother staying in La Spezia itself - instead I'd suggest staying along the road in Viareggio, a nice seaside spot outside Pisa.

***Jamesie*** · 05-09-2018 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by One Day Soon

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With Venezia it is a really unusual ground and a club that went from bankruptcy (again) about five years ago to nearly getting Serie A promotion last year. I've never been to the stadium but it's supposed to be unique and they have a small but pretty typically crazy support. The owner wants to move them to a new, bigger stadium if they get into Serie A so who knows how much longer the current ground will even exist? I think Filippo Inzaghi is still the manager. And a day out in Venice beforehand isn't life's worst experience...

That's the ground that you need to take a boat to isn't it?

***Lendo*** · 05-09-2018 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by Jamesie

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Good shout re the Cinque Terre but I wouldn't bother staying in La Spezia itself - instead I'd suggest staying along the road in Viareggio, a nice seaside spot outside Pisa.

Agreed, La Spezia seemed more like an industrial port town. We stayed in Riomaggiore and loved it.

**~~Iggy Pope~~** · 05-09-2018 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by One Day Soon

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Iggy, how long are you there for?

Might be worth considering travelling by train to a game a bit further away. If so I'd go either Verona v Carpi on Sunday 16th at 2pm or Venezia v Benevento on Friday 14th at 8pm.

Rail time from Florence to Verona is about an hour and a half and to Venice is more like two hours.

With Verona you get Liam Henderson and the joy of Tim Parks book 'A Season with Verona' which is a great read. Verona itself is well worth a visit before the game if you go through early enough. Get down the front with your Hibs top on and see if Liam comes over to deliver his autograph

.

With Venezia it is a really unusual ground and a club that went from bankruptcy (again) about five years ago to nearly getting Serie A promotion last year. I've never been to the stadium but it's supposed to be unique and they have a small but pretty typically crazy support. The owner wants to move them to a new, bigger stadium if they get into Serie A so who knows how much longer the current ground will even exist? I think Filippo Inzaghi is still the manager. And a day out in Venice beforehand isn't life's worst experience...

Any of that work for you?

Verona definitely works and I hadn't spread the net that far. The train service looks pretty good. Haven't been to Venice in nearly 30 years but Hendo sounds a better bet regardless.
Thanks for this.

**~~Iggy Pope~~** · 05-09-2018 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Ryan69

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I wouldnt bother with Livorno....an absolute dump of a place

Surprised at this as it reads as an interesting port in the guides. It's going further down the picking order though.
Ta.

**~~Iggy Pope~~** · 05-09-2018 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by Lendo

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Couple of options.

If the Serie C fixtures get sorted then look at Lucca. Stunning wee walled town in Tuscany. Got a Serie C team called AS Lucchese Libertat 1905.

Technically not Tuscany, BUT easy enough to get the train to La Spezia to go and see ASD Spezia Calcio 2008 (Serie B?). The ground is only a few minutes walk from the central train station i think. Plus it is right next to the Cinque Terre national park which is stunning and worth a visit. .

Been on the Luchesse site as we will be heading to Lucca anyway, but I can't figure out the fixtures. Might be easier when we get there.
Noted about Spezia. Mrs Iggy is gonna love another holiday trawling around the games.

Love this site sometimes.

Ta.

**Greenbeard** · 05-09-2018 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Iggy Pope

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Verona definitely works and I hadn't spread the net that far. The train service looks pretty good. Haven't been to Venice in nearly 30 years but Hendo sounds a better bet regardless.
Thanks for this.

As someone already suggested, take this as holiday reading or read before you go.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Season-Vero...m+parks+verona

**heid the baw** · 05-09-2018 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Iggy Pope

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Been on the Luchesse site as we will be heading to Lucca anyway, but I can't figure out the fixtures. Might be easier when we get there.
Noted about Spezia. Mrs Iggy is gonna love another holiday trawling around the games.

Love this site sometimes.

Ta.

Skip going to a game. Hire a car and take the missus to a wee town called Pienza. Tuscany at it's most glorious.

**~~Iggy Pope~~** · 05-09-2018 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by heid the baw

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Skip going to a game. Hire a car and take the missus to a wee town called Pienza. Tuscany at it's most glorious.

I'll find the time for that. Ta, good man.

**JeMeSouviens** · 05-09-2018 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by Jamesie

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That's the ground that you need to take a boat to isn't it?

Here it is on google maps - looks like you can cross by bridges from the main part of the city.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/...01!4d12.364002

**angus hibby** · 05-09-2018 06:08 PM

I’m going to Verona this weekend and was hoping to go to a game. Unfortunately it looks like their next game is 16th, which is day after I come home! I take it Serie B stops for internationals too?

**~~Iggy Pope~~** · 12-09-2018 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Onceinawhile

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Head up the leaning tower, you'll be able to see right into the pisa stadium.

This is very true and some setting for a ground. Serie C fixtures out today and they've given clubs one week notice, Pisa at home to Cuneo on Wednesday. There'd be ****ing uproar around our parts if the authorities tried that.
Gives me a game to go to though as Empoli tickets for Sunday v Lazio were ranging at 90 bloody euros a pop on their website.

**Springbank** · 12-09-2018 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by heid the baw

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Skip going to a game. Hire a car and take the missus to a wee town called Pienza. Tuscany at it's most glorious.

Anywhere up in the Lunigiana region is a lovely wee day out too.

***Mibbes Aye*** · 12-09-2018 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by One Day Soon

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Iggy, how long are you there for?

Might be worth considering travelling by train to a game a bit further away. If so I'd go either Verona v Carpi on Sunday 16th at 2pm or Venezia v Benevento on Friday 14th at 8pm.

Rail time from Florence to Verona is about an hour and a half and to Venice is more like two hours.

With Verona you get Liam Henderson and the joy of Tim Parks book 'A Season with Verona' which is a great read. Verona itself is well worth a visit before the game if you go through early enough. Get down the front with your Hibs top on and see if Liam comes over to deliver his autograph

.

With Venezia it is a really unusual ground and a club that went from bankruptcy (again) about five years ago to nearly getting Serie A promotion last year. I've never been to the stadium but it's supposed to be unique and they have a small but pretty typically crazy support. The owner wants to move them to a new, bigger stadium if they get into Serie A so who knows how much longer the current ground will even exist? I think Filippo Inzaghi is still the manager. And a day out in Venice beforehand isn't life's worst experience...

Any of that work for you?

Was meant to be in Verona at the end of July for the opera but Mrs Mibbes had an emergency appendectomy which scuppered things. We have rescheduled for next August and if Liam is still there and playing at home we will get there. Actually even if he’s playing away we will give it a shot, nothing like a bit of ground hopping.

Real question was how accessible is Ravenna from Verona? Wanted to visit there for a long time.

***Hibbyradge*** · 12-09-2018 03:37 PM

Nowt to do with fitba, but if you can, eat in Taverna de Emma and visit Lucca.

**hibsbollah** · 12-09-2018 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by Iggy Pope

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Having a Tuscan holiday (Florence / Pisa).
Looking to take a game in but sadly Fiorentina are away. I see I can get to Empoli v Lazio though.
Livorno look like they kick off there only available game in Serie B at 10.30pm on a Monday night (????).
Can't seem to find a Serie C fixture list and talk of it being disbanded?

Any of you Italian-ites got any info on clubs around Tuscany or a good link to a website with info?

A Livorno night game should be a fantastic experience, I don't know why you'd be looking further afield really! . Proper club with ridiculous ultras. They're probably right up there with St Pauli as the most political club in world football, with very close links to the Italian Communist Party. The Ultras are 'brothers' with AEK Athens and Marseille, so it's very much that kind of vibe: firecrackers, pyrotechnics, guys on fences with loudspeakers, bare chests and marijuana smoke in the air.

Curva nord is 15 euro but those seats might be reserved for the ultra group members, that seems to happen quite a lot with some teams'websites and they don't make it clear why you can't purchase online.

https://www.livornocalcio.it/comunic...o-crotone.html

**~~Iggy Pope~~** · 13-09-2018 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by hibsbollah

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A Livorno night game should be a fantastic experience, I don't know why you'd be looking further afield really! . Proper club with ridiculous ultras. They're probably right up there with St Pauli as the most political club in world football, with very close links to the Italian Communist Party. The Ultras are 'brothers' with AEK Athens and Marseille, so it's very much that kind of vibe: firecrackers, pyrotechnics, guys on fences with loudspeakers, bare chests and marijuana smoke in the air.

Curva nord is 15 euro but those seats might be reserved for the ultra group members, that seems to happen quite a lot with some teams'websites and they don't make it clear why you can't purchase online.

https://www.livornocalcio.it/comunic...o-crotone.html

They're kicking off at 9pm Monday night. I'd struggle to get back to our digs. I've bookmarked it though.