Olbia Calcio, commonly referred to as Olbia, is a football club based in the city of Olbia, in the province of Sassari. It plays in Serie C, the third division of the Italian football league system.
Founded in 1906 (although its birth is traditionally traced back to 1905), it was refounded in 2010 following the exclusion decreed by the Federal Council of the FIGC due to bankruptcy for financial reasons.
Since its foundation, it has won nine championships, including a Serie D Scudetto in 2002.
The club colour is white, while the identifying symbols are the ship and the island of Tavolara. It plays its home matches at the Stadio Bruno Nespoli.
History
Foundation
The birth of the city's first football club has been uncertain. Still, according to local chronicles, it was conceived in 1905, more precisely towards the end of that year and the beginning of the following one, in the then Terranova Pausania. According to an article in La Nuova Sardegna of that day, it was founded on 12 January 1906 as the Società Ginnastica Olbia, founded by a Sassarese athlete, Egidio Serra. The article at the time, written by Franco Sardo, lists the first board of directors with Agostino Amucano as president.
According to the sources, the 20 June 1912, there was a match between the club's boys, refereed by Paolino Macera of Andrea Doria. The first official game was L.C. (Liberi Calciatori) Terranovese against Audax Calangianus, which ended 2–0 for Olbia on 24 August 1924. Then, in the 1924–25 season, the Galluresi were runners-up in the Torneo Sardegna. On 4 November 1924, it took place the first derby between Torres and the then Terranovese to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Torres. The Sassaresi won 2–1 The game between Olbia and Torres, known as the Derby del Nord Sardegna, is the most played derby on the island, with more than 100 matches. It is a fierce rivalry between both fans.
The official return to the fields and the competitive resumption at the federal level took place in the 1938–1939 season under the name G.I.L. Terranova, where the boys, led by coach-player Salvatore Satta known as "Menelik", obtained their first historic promotion to Serie C by winning the Sardinian First Division thanks to the goals of top scorer Flavio Piras and the other members of the team formed by: Spano A., Jodice, Piccaredda G.M., Dejana, Satta, Pulina, Piro C., Picciaredda F., Piras, Crola and Careddu, Aloia, Pittalis.
The fledgling G.I.L. Olbia's first season in Serie C, with Gesuino Sardo as president and Mario De Palma on the bench, was not too fortunate. In fact, after the first victory in Serie C (1–0) against Stabia, a series of defeats followed, which led to the Sardinian First Division, after just one year, remaining there for three consecutive seasons until the suspension of the championships due to the Second World War.
From after World War II to the 1970s
After suspending sporting activities because of the war, in the summer of 1947, the bianchi played again in Serie C, finishing in 6th place. Still, due to financial difficulties, they renounced registration at the end of the season, deciding to restart from the Sardinian First Division.
In the 1948–1949 Sardinian First Division, Olbia was relegated at the end of a season of passion, remaining agonistically inactive for two seasons. However, the football activity continued locally, thanks to a group of local youngsters represented by Mariano Spano, Tonino Varrucciu and Bruno Garrucciu.
After the period of inactivity, the turning point came at the end of the 1951–1952 Sardinian First Division with the arrival of Italian world champion Gino Colaussi. He ended his career as a player, playing seven matches and scoring one goal during the championship. Then he began his career as a coach. The following year, Olbia was promoted to Serie D. Thanks to Colaussi on the bench, young promises like Gustavo Giagnoni were launched. At Olbia, he played 77 matches with 23 goals before launching his successful career as a player and coach at the highest level.
Subsequently, Olbia reached first place in 1956–1957 and returned to the Interregional Championship, later renamed Serie D.
Fifteen years later, between Serie D and a brief, successful experience in the Sardinian First Division in 1963–1964, in 1968, Olbia played Serie C for the third time, under the presidency of Elio Pintus and Paolo 'Palleddu' Degortes on the bench. After winning the group F of Serie D, the club returned to the professional ranks after an absence of twenty years thanks to the goals of Benvenuto Misani, Selleri and the saves of Bettella.