1921–22 Prima Categoria
# 1921–22 Prima Categoria

The 1921–22 Prima Categoria season was won by Novese.

During the summer of 1921, a dispute between the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC) and the largest teams within the league arose. The teams asked for a reduction of the number of participants in the 1a Divisione.

Vittorio Pozzo developed a plan to accommodate the teams' requests, however, after a vote the plan was not passed; the smaller clubs feared that they would disappear if such a reduction was introduced.

This led to the creation of a new Italian football federation, the Confederazione Calcistica Italiana (CCI), who organised the 1921–22 Prima Divisione that ran concurrent to the FIGC championship.

This separation, however, only lasted one season and the following summer FIGC accepted a reduction in the league participants.

The 1921-22 FIGC winner was U.S. Novese.

## Regulation

Tuscany was added to the main championship as the sixth region. The regional FAs remained with 48 clubs. The preliminary regional phase was the bulk of the tournament, with even twelve matchdays and regular regional football champions, while the following national phase was reduced to a spring tournament of two little groups and a final.

The main tournament was completely divided in six independent sections, and each region had its own football champions that joined the national championship.

## Teams

Consequently to the controversy with the secessionist clubs, the Regional FAs quite respected the promotion rules. Only two clubs were added to the six rightful winners of the lower secondary regional tournaments.

## Qualifications

### Piedmont

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Novese | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 1 | +17 | 14 | Qualified |
| 2. | US Torinese | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 9 | -2 | 9 |
| 3. | Pastore Torino | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 8 | Later to playoffs |
| 4. | Valenzana | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 12 | -4 | 5 | Later to playoffs |
| 5. | GC Cappuccini (E) | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 14 | -8 | 4 | Merged with Pro Vercelli |
| 6. | Biellese | - | | | | | | | - | Retired |

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | GCC | NOV | PAS | UST | VAL |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| GC Cappuccini Vercelli | — | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| Novese | 2–0 | — | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Pastore Torino | 1–0 | 0–0 | — | 0–0 | 3–2 |
| US Torinese | 3–0 | 0–6 | 0–0 | — | 2–0 |
| Valenzana | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | — |

### Liguria

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Sampierdarenese | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 7 | +18 | 18 | Qualified |
| 2. | Speranza Savona | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 12 |
| 3. | Rivarolese | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 10 | Later to playoffs |
| 4. | Sestrese | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 8 | Later to playoffs |
| 5. | SPES Genova | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 20 | -9 | 7 | Later to Div2 |
| 6. | GC Genova | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 22 | -13 | 5 | Later to Div2 |

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | GCG | RIV | SAM | SES | SSA | SGE |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| GC Genova | — | 0–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 1–2 | 3–0 |
| Rivarolese | 1–0 | — | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 |
| Sampierdarenese | 5–1 | 3–1 | — | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Sestrese | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–4 | — | 5–0 | 2–4 |
| Speranza Savona | 2–1 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | — | 3–0 |
| SPES Genova | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–3 | — |

### Lombardy

**Group A**

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Como | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 8 | +12 | 9 | Qualified |
| 2. | Chiasso | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 8 | Later to Div2 |
| 3. | Saronno | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 8 | -1 | 6 | Later to Div2 |
| 4. | Varese | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 24 | -17 | 1 | Later to Div2 |

**Group A**

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | CHI | COM | SAR | VAR |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Chiasso | — | 2–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 |
| Como | 2–2 | — | 4–1 | 7–2 |
| Saronno | 1–1 | 0–1 | — | 4–2 |
| Varese | 2–2 | 1–6 | 0–1 | — |

**Group B**

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Cremonese | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 4 | +14 | 10 | Qualified |
| 2. | Trevigliese | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 10 | -1 | 7 | Later to Div2 |
| 3. | Atalanta | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 14 | -5 | 6 | Later to Div2 |
| 4. | Stelvio (E) | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 1 | Disbanded |

**Group B**

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | ATA | CRE | STE | TRE |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Atalanta | — | 1–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 |
| Cremonese | 7–0 | — | 1–1 | 5–2 |
| Stelvio | 0–2 | 0–3 | — | 1–2 |
| Trevigliese | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | — |

**Group C**

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Enotria Goliardo | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 10 | Qualified |
| 2. | Monza | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 11 | -1 | 5 | Later to Div2 |
| 2. | Juventus Italia | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 12 | -3 | 5 | Later to Div2 |
| 4. | Casteggio | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 9 | -1 | 4 | Later to Div2 |

**Group C**

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | CAS | ENO | JUV | MON |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Casteggio | — | 0–2 | 1–0 | 4–1 |
| Enotria Goliardo | 3–2 | — | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Juventus Italia | 2–1 | 3–3 | — | 1–0 |
| Monza | 1–0 | 1–2 | 6–3 | — |

**Group D**

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Esperia Como | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 7 | Qualified |
| 2. | Pavia | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | Later to Div2 |
| 2. | Pro Patria et Libertate | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 6 | Later to Div2 |
| 4. | A.C. Libertas (E) | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 5 | Disbanded |

**Group D**

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | ESP | LIB | PAV | PRO |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Esperia Como | — | 1–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 |
| A.C. Libertas | 2–1 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 |
| Pavia | 1–0 | 1–2 | — | 2–0 |
| Pro Patria et Libertate | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — |

**Final round**

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Esperia Como | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 6 | +5 | 9 | Qualified |
| 2. | Cremonese | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 9 | +3 | 6 |
| 3. | Como | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 8 | -1 | 5 | Later to playoffs |
| 4. | Enotria Goliardo (E) | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 13 | -7 | 4 | Later disbanded |

**Final round**

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | COM | CRE | ENO | ESP |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Como | — | 2–0 | 4–1 | 0–3 |
| Cremonese | 2–0 | — | 3–0 | 6–3 |
| Enotria Goliardo | 2–1 | 3–1 | — | 0–2 |
| Esperia Como | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | — |

### Veneto

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Petrarca Padova | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 14 | +5 | 14 | Qualified |
| 2. | Udinese | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 8 | +11 | 12 |
| 3. | Bentegodi Verona | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 24 | 17 | +7 | 9 | Later to playoffs |
| 3. | Treviso | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 19 | -9 | 9 | Later to playoffs |
| 5. | Legnaghese | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 15 | -4 | 8 | Later to Div2 |
| 6. | Schio | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 20 | -8 | 8 | Later to Div2 |

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | BEN | LEG | PET | SCH | TRE | UDI |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bentegodi Verona | — | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 8–1 | 0–3 |
| Legnaghese | 3–2 | — | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 |
| Petrarca Padova | 3–2 | 2–0 | — | 5–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Schio | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–1 | — | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Treviso | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | — | 2–1 |
| Udinese | 2–2 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | — |

### Emilia

**Group A**

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Piacenza | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 4 | +6 | 6 | Qualified |
| 2. | Parma | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 5 | Qualified |
| 3. | US Mantovana | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 | -8 | 1 | Later to Div2 |

**Group A**

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | PAR | PIA | USM |
| - | - | - | - |
| Parma | — | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Piacenza | 1–0 | — | 5–0 |
| US Mantovana | 1–2 | 2–2 | — |

**Group B**

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Virtus Bologna | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 7 | Qualified |
| 2. | SPAL | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 | Qualified |
| 3. | Carpi | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 6 | Later to Div2 |
| 4. | Reggiana | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 5 | Later to Div2 |

**Group B**

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | CAR | REG | SPA | VIR |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Carpi | — | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Reggiana | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | 0–4 |
| SPAL | 0–0 | 4–0 | — | 0–0 |
| Virtus Bologna | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | — |

**Group B**

**Qualification playoff**


    Played on 8 January 1922.

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| - | - | - |
| SPAL | 1-1 a.e.t. | Carpi |

**Group B**

**Tie-breaker**


    Played on 15 January 1922 in Bologna.

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| - | - | - |
| SPAL | 3–1 | Carpi |

**Relegation playoff**


    Played on 22 and 29 January 1922.

| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Reggiana | – | US Mantovana | 3–2 | 2–9 |

Since the aggregate rule wasn't applied, a tie-breaker was needed.

**Relegation playoff**

**Tie-breaker**


    Played on 5 February 1922 in Ferrara.

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| - | - | - |
| Reggiana | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | US Mantovana |

**Final round**

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | SPAL | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 5 | +7 | 9 | Qualified |
| 2. | Virtus Bologna | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 8 |
| 3. | Parma | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 13 | -5 | 4 | Later to playoffs |
| 4. | Piacenza | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 14 | -7 | 3 | Later to playoffs |

**Final round**

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | PAR | PIA | SPA | VIR |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Parma | — | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
| Piacenza | 3–0 | — | 2–2 | 1–2 |
| SPAL | 2–0 | 4–0 | — | 1–0 |
| Virtus Bologna | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — |

### Tuscany

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Pro Livorno | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 8 | +14 | 15 | Qualified |
| 2. | Lucca | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 10 | +15 | 13 |
| 3. | Libertas Firenze | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 16 | -5 | 12 | Later to playoffs |
| 4. | Viareggio | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 16 | +2 | 11 | Later to playoffs |
| 5. | Prato | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 18 | -8 | 5 | Later to Div2 |
| 6. | CS Firenze | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 24 | -18 | 4 | Later to Div2 |

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | CSF | LIB | LUC | PRA | PRO | VIA |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| CS Firenze | — | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| Libertas Firenze | 2–0 | — | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Lucca | 8–0 | 6–0 | — | 1–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 |
| Prato | 3–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | — | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| Pro Livorno | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 |
| Viareggio | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | — |

## Semifinals

### Group A

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Novese | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 4 | +8 | 7 | Qualified |
| 2. | Petrarca Padova | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| 3. | Pro Livorno (E) | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 | -8 | 1 | Merged with AS Livorno |

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | NOV | PET | PRO |
| - | - | - | - |
| Novese | — | 1–1 | 3–0 |
| Petrarca Padova | 1–3 | — | 1–1 |
| Pro Livorno | 2–5 | 0–2 | — |

### Group B

**Classification**

| P | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | Sampierdarenese | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 5 | Qualified |
| 1. | SPAL | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 5 |
| 3. | Esperia Como | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 | -2 | 2 |

**Results table**

| Home \ Away | ESP | SAM | SPA |
| - | - | - | - |
| Esperia Como | — | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Sampierdarenese | 1–0 | — | 2–0 |
| SPAL | 4–3 | 2–0 | — |

**Qualification playoff**


    Played on April 30, 1922, in Milan.

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| - | - | - |
| Sampierdarenese | 2-1 | SPAL |

## National Finals

    Played on May 7 and 14, 1922.

| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Sampierdarenese | 0-0 | Novese | 0-0 | 0-0 |

### Repetition

    Played on May 21, 1922, in Cremona.

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| - | - | - |
| Novese | 2-1 | Sampierdarenese |

## References and sources

* Almanacco Illustrato del Calcio - La Storia 1898-2004, Panini Edizioni, Modena, September 2005

## Qualifications to the Northern League

This FIGC was very poor, and risks of a general bankruptcy was real. The FIGC had a sole resource, its FIFA membership, during the talks that started with the Northern League.

The rich League proposed that FIGC’s Prima Categoria became the Second Division of its CCI’s championship. An agreement was found in late June: the Colombo Compromise by the boss of newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The League imposed its idea of a 24 clubs First Division and a 48 clubs Second Division from 1923. The FIGC obtained a special 36 clubs championship for 1922-23, including champions and runner-ups of the disbanded Regional FAs. More, a third club of each regional FA could test its strength against a League bottom club.

To respect as possible its clubs, the FIGC decided a test-match between the third and the forth clubs of each region. All other clubs went directly to Division Two.

    Played on July 2, 1922.

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| - | - | - |
| Pastore Torino | 4-0 | Viareggio |
| Como | 1-2 | Piacenza |
| Bentegodi Verona | 2-7 | Sestrese |
| Rivarolese | 2-0 | Valenzana |
| Parma | 1-2 | Treviso |
| Libertas Firenze | 2-1 | Enotria Goliardo |

## Barrage

On mid-July Sundays, the six FIGC’s qualification winners could try to match the Northern League’s six bottom clubs.

    Home/away matches on July 9 and 16.

| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Brescia | X (*) | Sestrese | 2-0 | 0-5 |
| Internazionale | 4-1 | Libertas Firenze | 3-0 | 1-1 |
| Piacenza | 1-6 | Livorno | 1-4 | 0-2 |
| Rivarolese | 2-1 | Venezia | 0-0 | 2-1 |
| Spezia | 2-3 | Pastore Torino | 1-1 | 1-2 |
| Treviso | 0-2 | Derthona | 0-1 | 0-1 |

(*) Since the away goal rule wasn't applied, a tie-break was needed:

    Played on July 23, 1922, in Piacenza.

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| - | - | - |
| Brescia | 2-0 | Sestrese |

Rivarolese and Pastore Turin were the sole two FIGC clubs which joined the regional champions and runners-up in the new First Division.

## Footnotes

* 1 2 3 Forfeit.
* 1 2 After extra time.
* ↑ The 1st leg, in Piacenza, suffered the referee's absence so the first match became 'friendly'. Livorno won 4-2. On July 16 the match was repeated, again in Piacenza, and Livorno won 4-1. Anyway, Piacenza retired before playing the second leg.
