Parma completed the first step in their long battle to get back to the top of Italian football as they were promoted to Lega Pro on Sunday.
It marks a significant step for the club – now under the new guise of Parma Calcio 1913 – after they were declared bankrupt last year having racked up debts in excess of €218million.
The new club were admitted into Serie D and have strolled through the division unbeaten so far, winning 25 of their 35 matches.
This weekend's 2-1 victory over Delta Rovigo mathematically confirmed their rise into the third tier for next season, much to the delight of Gigi Apolloni.
"This is the culmination of a project begun months ago," said the head coach. "The boys have honoured the jersey in the name of every fan. This is a victory for the whole city."
