Anglo-Italian Cups

Initiated in 1969 as a contest for English and Italian league teams; its primary objective was to reward Swindon Town, who had won the English League Cup in 1969 but as a third division club were not allowed to enter the Fairs' Cup. In the first seasons there were two separate tournaments, one involving half a dozen teams from either country and known as Gigi Peronace Memorial, the other a direct playoff between the winners of the Coppa Italia and the English League Cup (1969-71) or FA Cup (1975-76) and known as Anglo-Italian League Cup.

Both tournaments disappeared after a handful of editions through lack of interest and disciplinary problems surrounding the event.

Predating the Anglo-Italian Cup was a competition called the Coppa Ottorino Barassi. This was between the winners of the English Amateur Cup and the Italian Amateur Cup. After the English Amateur Cup was abolished in 1974, the champions of the Isthmian League Division 2 represented England (the Isthmian League had produced all previous English representatives except in 1969 and 1971). Simultaneous to this change (in 1975), another competition was created, the Anglo-Italian Semiprofessional Cup, which had the Italian Semi-professional Cup winners play the champions of the Isthmian League Division 1 (in 1975) and the FA Trophy winners (in 1976).

Both these tournaments disappeared when the Gigi Peronace Memorial continued as a competition between semi-professional teams from both countries in 1976. It was held as such for about a decade until another interruption followed. It was revived again in 1992/93 and played between minor full-professional sides, with finals always played at Wembley Stadium, London. It seems to have been abandoned again after four more editions.

Palmares and final results

Coppa Ottorino Barassi

competition for semi-professional teams

           venue     winners                   runners-up         remarks
      1968 home/away Leytonstone       1-1 2-2 Stefer Roma        [Leytonstone on away goals]
      1969 home/away North Shields     2-0 0-2 Almas Roma         [cup shared]
      1970 home/away Enfield           3-0 1-2 Ponte San Pietro            
      1971 home/away Skelmersdale Utd. 2-0 0-1 Montebelluna    
      1972 home/away Hendon            2-0 1-1 Monsummano            
      1973 home/away Walton & Hersham  4-0 2-0 Jesolo               
      1974 home/away          Miranese   n/p   Bishop's Stratford [organisational problems]
      1975 away/home Staines Town      1-0 2-0 Banco di Roma
      1976 away/home Sorinese          1-1 1-1 Tilbury            [5-3 pen]

Anglo-Italian Semiprofessional Cup

           venue     winners                   runners-up         remarks

      1975 away/home Wycombe Wanderers 0-1 2-0 Monza
      1976 away/home Lecce             0-1 4-0 Scarborough

Anglo-Italian League Cup

           venue     winners                   runners-up         remarks
      1969 away/home Swindon Town      1-2 4-0 Roma          
      1970 home/away Bologna           1-0 2-2 Manchester City
      1971 away/home Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 2-0 Torino         
      1972-74 not held
      1975 home/away Fiorentina        1-0 1-0 West Ham United 
      1976 away/home Napoli            0-1 4-0 Southampton

Anglo-Italian Cup

           venue     winners                   runners-up         remarks
28- 5-1970 Napoli    Swindon Town        3-0   Napoli            [abd in 79']
12- 6-1971 Bologna   Blackpool           2-1   Bologna           [aet]
24- 6-1972 Roma      Roma                3-1   Blackpool
 3- 6-1973 Firenze   Newcastle United    2-1   Fiorentina

continued as competition for semi-professional teams (under various sponsor names)

           venue     winners                   runners-up         remarks
19- 6-1976 Monza     Monza               1-0   Wimbledon
29- 6-1977 Lecco     Lecco               3-0   Bath City
Alitalia Challenge Cup
28- 6-1978 Udine     Udinese             5-0   Bath City
25- 4-1979 Chieti    Sutton United       2-1   Chieti         
15- 5-1980 Trieste   Triestina           0-0   Sutton United     [aet, 5-4 pen]
Talbot Challenge Cup
20- 5-1981 Modena    Modena              4-1   Poole Town
Gigi Peronace Memorial
10- 4-1982 Modena    Modena              1-0   Sutton United
25- 5-1983 Cosenza   Cosenza             2-0   Padova
23- 4-1984 F'villa   Francavilla         2-0   Teramo
 1- 5-1985 Livorno   Pontedera           2-1   Livorno
27- 4-1986 Piacenza  Piacenza            5-1   Pontedera

1987-92 not played; resumed as competition for minor professional teams

   1992/93           Cremonese           3-1   Derby County
   1993/94           Brescia             1-0   Notts County
   1994/95           Notts County        2-1   Ascoli
   1995/96           Genoa               5-2   Port Vale

Clubwise and countrywise lists of winners

1969-1976 (Anglo-Italian League Cup)

Bologna                   1
Fiorentina                1
Napoli                    1
Swindon Town              1
Tottenham Hotspur         1

England                   2
Italy                     3

1970-1973 (Gigi Peronace Memorial)

Blackpool                 1
Newcastle United          1
Roma                      1
Swindon Town              1

England                   3
Italy                     1

1976-1986

Modena                    2
Cosenza                   1
Francavilla               1
Lecco                     1
Monza                     1
Piacenza                  1
Pontedera                 1
Sutton United             1
Triestina                 1
Udinese                   1

Italy                    10
England                   1

1993-1996

Brescia                   1
Cremonese                 1
Genoa                     1
Notts County              1

England                   1
Italy                     3

About this document

Sources: [Grü 92], [LoP -].