Associazione Calcio Cesena is a relatively young football club, founded in 1940 by Alberto Rognoni, Arnaldo Pantani and Renato Piraccini. The latter had already started a football team in Cesena in the 1920's called Renato Serra, but the team was dissolved in the 1930's. The team, that is based in the Emilia-Romagna region, had ambitions and already 17 years after the birth of the team they had their stadium 'La Fiorita' ready. A stadium they sill use today, but it has been named after Dino Manuzzi after his death in 1980. Manuzzi was the president for Cesena from 1964-1980. Dino Manuzzi is an important person in Cesena's history. After he took command of Cesena from Alberto Rognoni in 1964 things started to happen fast. Fours later Cesena saw it's first promotion to Serie B under trainer Cesare Mesucci. Guided by Gigi Radice, the 1972/73 season was the year when Cesena saw it's first promotion to Serie A. Surprisingly they achieved, their so far only, UEFA Cup partecipation only three years later, though making it a short-lived campaign. The same season they got relegated to Serie B. After Dino Manuzzi's death Cesena were elevating between Serie A and B through the 80's and start 90's being in Serie A the seasons 1981 -83 and 1987-1991. Cesena's history is characterized by jumping back and forth between the divisions several times. They returned to Serie C in 1991 after 23 years absence. In 1994 they fought all the way back to qualification for Serie A, but missed the opportunity for another campaign in the top flight and in 1997 they were back in Serie C. Once again Cesena made a respectful fight back to the Serie A qualification in 2006, failed once again, and got relegated once again to Serie C in the 2007-08 season. From that season on it has gone fast. The following season Cesena earned promotion to Serie B on the last day after. The same thing happened the year after when Cesena in the last round won 1-0 over Piacenza and therefore ending as runner-up in Serie B and was back in the top flight after 19 years absence.
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