The final time Palermo had featured in Serie A, TV broadcasting was nonetheless in black and white – so, no person might benefit from the Sicilians’ distinctive pink jerseys, save for the loyal house followers who used to fill the stands at La Favorita Stadium. It was 1973.
Since then, the Rosanero endured some torrid occasions, gathering a couple of common seasons in Serie B however principally spending their time within the third division. In 1987, in addition they needed to undergo a chapter and restart from scratch with a brand new membership.
Nevertheless, issues modified as the brand new millennium started, when entrepreneur Maurizio Zamparini acquired the Sicilian membership. Zamparini, a short-tempered, serial coach-sacker, had beforehand owned Venezia and managed to carry the Venetian membership again to Serie A after greater than 30 years. He now wished to do the identical with Palermo, and didn’t hesitate to splash some money to realize his mission.
After a few settling-in campaigns, culminating in Palermo shedding a heartbreaking promotion six-pointer at Lecce within the 2002/03 season finale, the time appeared to have lastly come for the Rosanero.
The roster Zamparini constructed forward of the 2003/04 season was completely out of Serie B’s league. There was the gifted playmaker Eugenio Corini, who had a previous with Juventus; there was midfielder Ighli Vannucchi, who had fairly a couple of Serie A seasons beneath his belt. Furthermore, there was Luca Toni who, at 26, was approaching his prime, but surprisingly accepted a transfer one degree down.
On the bench, Zamparini put the outspoken Silvio Baldini, whose brash persona was inevitably set to collide along with his chairman’s. Evidently, Baldini received the boot midway via the season and was changed by the skilled Francesco Guidolin – an absolute luxurious for the second division of calcio.
Regardless of a couple of bumps alongside the way in which, Palermo’s boat cruised to promotion in an inflated Serie B league that had exceptionally opened its gates to 24 groups as a substitute of the standard 20 (It will be too lengthy to clarify why that occurred – materials for an additional time).
On Might 29, 2004, the Rosanero welcomed Triestina – one other once-glorious membership who had not seen Serie A in a long time – to La Favorita, understanding {that a} win would seal their promotion with two video games to spare.
The writing was on the wall. At half time, Toni had already put his stamp on the proceedings twice, en path to turning into the Serie B capocannoniere with 30 targets after an exhilarating head-to-head with Livorno’s Cristiano Lucarelli.
Triestina ultimately halved the hole however, earlier than full time, it was one other Serie A veteran, Emanuele Filippini, who re-established a two-goal cushion and sparked celebrations within the Sicilian capital. The wait was over. Thirty-one years later, Palermo would function once more in Serie A – this time, in full shade.
