Naples

THE CLUB

Address Via Vicinale Paradiso, 70 - 80126, Naples
Telephone 0039 081-6133911
Website www.calcionapoli.it

The glory days of Maradona's scudetto-winning sides may be long gone, but a visit to Napoli's huge bowl-like Stadio San Paolo is still one of Italian football's more rewarding experiences.

Napoli represents an entire city against the world, the club carrying the hopes of the people of this much-maligned southern madhouse. Even when suffering the ignominy of watching Serie C football after their club went bankrupt and was resurrected by movie producer Aurelio de Laurentiis as Napoli Soccer, the fans turned out in force.

Average gates of 37,000 are bettered in the entire league by only the sides from Milan and Rome (most Serie C attendances barely touch 3,000).

Napoli's history can be divided into two distinct eras - before and after Maradona. Formed by the amalgamation of two clubs in 1926, it was 1962 before Napoli won its first major honour, the Coppa Italia, and by the time of the Argentinian's arrival in 1984, the scudetto was still elusive.

But club president Corrado Ferlaino's high-cost gamble on a player who had failed at Barcelona proved a masterstroke and even a $1 million shortfall in the transfer fee was overcome in a day when fans queued to make donations.

With Ciro Ferrara at the back and Careca as a partner, Maradona took on the northern clubs and beat them with sheer, exhilarating genius as Napoli became every neutral's darling. The night of their 1987 title win, hundreds of donkeys (the club's symbol) were released onto the streets and no one slept for a week, let alone worked.

Two years later, the UEFA Cup arrived, then another scudetto, but the end was nigh. In 1991, Maradona tested positive for cocaine and fled. From then on, the club stumbled from one financial crisis to another.

Relegated in 1998, Napoli was bought by a consortium of local businessmen and bounced back in 2000 - only for another relegation and then bankruptcy.

In August 2004, a new team - Napoli Soccer - was created under film producer Aurelio De Laurentiis. On 23 May, 2006, De Laurentiis restored the club's name back to S.S.C. Napoli. In 2004-05 season they were promoted to Serie B as champions; their final game attracted a Serie C record of 51,000 fans.

Nevertheless, Maradona's shadow still looms large. Returning for Ciro Ferrara's farewell match in 2005, Diego didn't even need to kick a ball to fill the San Paolo to capacity.

THE STADIUM

Three miles west of the city centre in Fuorigrotta, the Stadio San Paolo holds 75,000 passionate fans. From the train station, take the FS Metropolitana to Campi Flegrei on the Gianturco-Bagnoli line. The stadium is a short walk between the palm trees of Piazzale Tecchio. The ticket offices are ahead - away fans will be in the Distinti by Curva A, Napoli ultras in Curva B. Nearby is the Caffetteria degli Azzurri, at Via Giambattista Marino 13a.