Hello everyone, my name is Roberto and thank you for visiting my blog which will document my research on the importance of the history of Italian football teams in their communities. My primary focus is to explore the overlooked histories of lower league clubs and bring to life their fascinating stories which have contributed to the fascinating tapestry of “Calcio” that we see today.
Like many of my generation, the 1990 World Cup was my window into the a world of Italian Football. The magic of “Il Divino Codino” Roberto Baggio, the mercurial defending of “Il Piscinin” Franco Baresi and the heroic saves of “Spider Man” Walter Zenga were my first glimpses into the world of Italian Football. Italy may not have won that World Cup but the team certainly showcased to the world that their was something special and unique about Italian Football and their was plenty more “Notti Magiche” to come. I was truly hooked, and from that moment I became a lifelong fan of Italian Football. Which reminds me, I hope you appreciate the site colour scheme as it is a reference to the iconic Gazzetta Dello Sport.
During the day, I work at University College London as an Events Manager and Course Coordinator. I have also in recent years completed an BA and MRes in History at Goldsmiths, University of London and it was at this university where I first started to research the importance of sport within community throughout history. It was at this point that I decided to embark on an excellent research journey that would lead me to exploring the importance of bareknuckle boxing within marginalised communities in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century. Over the last the last seven years, I have produced dissertations, essay’s and articles on this subject and have been in involved in many community history projects that have focussed on the importance sporting figures within the community. However, I now feel it is time to take my passion in historical research into the realms of a sport and culture I truly love.
Overall, I look forward to sharing my research adventure with all the readers that are interested in my research and the history of Italian Football.
Grazie
Find me on Twitter @RobbyRoberto15 and RobbyRoberto15.bsky.social
Contact: calciostories@outlook.com
Initial Acknowledgements
Huge thanks to: Dr Daniel Taylor, Nima Tavallaey Roodsari, Carlo Garganese, Daniello Giarrusso, Salvatore Landolina,Dr John Price, Dr Eirini Koutoumanou, Dr Antonio Cartolano, Dr Ariel Hessayon and Dr Anastasia Stouraiti. Also a huge thank you to my family and friends who have supported my research throughout.
Calcio Stories of a Different Kind 