Avellino are back in calcio’s second tier for the first time in seven years after finishing top of Serie C Group C last season.

Here, Destination Calcio shines a spotlight on the Serie B newcomers.

Who are they?

Serie A regulars across the late 1970s and 1980s Avellino have had quite the rollercoaster ride since being founded in 1912. After six decades bouncing around the lower echelons of Italian football, they got their first taste of Serie B in 1973 and climbed to Serie A five years later.

A decade in the top flight followed, before relegation in 1988 set in motion a slow but inexorable decline. Bankrupt in 2010, Avellino were re-founded under a different name just months later as they began life in non-professional football, before eventually reclaiming their badge, name and historic results five years later.

The respite proved to be short-lived, as Avellino fell on hard times again and were excluded from Serie B in 2018 after going to the wall once more. Another slow climb from the non-professional game ensued, but they are at last back in calcio’s second tier.

Football in Campania may be dominated by Napoli, but the Biancoverdi retain a prominent spot in calcio’s folklore and not just for the array of young talent they have nurtured.

Avellino took on their traditional green colour as a nod to local spirit Anthemis and wheeled out a stunning Ajax-inspired shirt in the 1970s, with a green vertical band on a white background.

The Irpini play at the Stadio Partenio, Campania’s third-largest stadium after the Stadio Diego Maradona in Naples and the Stadio Arechi in Salerno. It has been home since 1970.

How big are they?

Avellino may have been Serie A regulars in the 1980s, but when it comes to local bragging rights they remain firmly in the shadow of Campania neighbours Napoli. It is a similar dynamic at national level, where the Biancoverdi are normally mentioned only when it comes to 1980s nostalgia.

And yet, Avellino retain a strong fan base, as evidenced by last season’s average home crowd of just over 7,500 – the second-biggest across 60 Serie C clubs, behind Catania.

What has been their best season/defining moment?

Promotions, rather than silverware, have been Avellino’s barometer of success throughout their history. They reached Serie A in 1978 after finishing third in Serie B under the guidance of Paolo Carosi and remained in calcio’s top tier for the next decade, despite churning through 10 managers.

In an era when Serie A was arguably the greatest league in the world, Avellino punched mightily above their weight, finishing eighth in 1982 and 1987.

Who are their cult heroes?

Avellino’s heydays in the 1980s coincided with a number of flamboyant signings at the Partenio, namely Brazil internationals Juary and Dirceu, who became cult heroes in Campania. The same goes for Austrian centre-forward Walter Schachner, who scored 13 league goals in 48 games across three seasons after joining from Torino.

The Irpini have also been a staging post for several calcio icons, who have gone onto better and bigger things. Stefano Tacconi spent three seasons at the Partenio before joining Juventus, while Andrea Carnevale and Sandro Tovalieri arrived in Campania in the early stages of their careers before becoming prolific scorers elsewhere.

But when it comes to cult heroes, the name of Luigi Castaldo stands head and shoulders above the rest. Only three players have played more games for Avellino than Castaldo’s 206, and his 70 goals in all competitions make him the club’s record scorer.

Why should I visit?

Located 30 miles east of Naples, Avellino retains some of its Romanesque architecture despite a series of violent earthquakes and disastrous volcanic eruptions from Mount Vesuvius.

Almost reduced to rubble by the devastating earthquake that hit Irpinia in November 1980, which caused almost 3,000 deaths, the Clock Tower has been entirely rebuilt and stands proud as the city’s symbol.

Avellino, of course, is also the town Tony Soprano’s family hails from in The Sopranos after his grandparents emigrated from Campania to the US at the beginning of the 20th century.