120 Years of Genoa Cricket and Football Club

One hundred and twenty years is a considerable milestone, an appointment that deserves attention and a stage performance. When it is then the world of football with its capacity to involve the world of sportsmen and women that is being honoured, the homage must be able to embrace empathetically, with due suggestion, the city of reference, its inhabitants and the fans who love the magic of football everywhere. We are talking about the anniversary of the oldest football club in Italy: the glorious Genoa Cricket and Football Club. Date of foundation, 7 September 1893. An adventure studded with records carved into the palmares of the football history of the Bel Paese. His was the victory of the first national championship for clubs in 1898, and his is a string of records now impossible to equal (the first Italian team to play a match abroad in 1903, to sew the tricolour on its chest in 1924 and to win a championship without defeat in the 1922/23 championship to name but a few). The postage stamp that the AASFN wanted to dedicate to the Ligurian club, places in the philatelic vignette created by Meloria Comunicazione the original wording with which the club's founding act was signed 120 years ago, in the premises of the British consulate in Genoa, by a large group of prominent personalities. In the background a splendid choreography of the Gradinata Nord at the Marassi stadium, named after Luigi Ferraris, the historic captain of the early 20th century. In the centre of the sketch is the red and blue symbol integrated into the official coat of arms by the heraldic figure of the Griffon. On the right, finally, in a classic period image, appears Dr. James Spensley, the true architect of the birth of Genoa as a purely football club. Thanks to him from 10 April 1897 the club was opened to Italians and on 2 January 1899 took the name Genoa Cricket and Football Club. Spensley became doctor, coach, goalkeeper (sometimes defensive central) and captain. A philanthropist and pioneer of scouting in Italy. Under his leadership Genoa won, in addition to the first championship in 1898, the national titles of 1899, 1900, 1902, 1903 and 1904. A prestigious history interwoven with authentic values, embellished now by this stamp signed ‘Ladabox.com’, for a place of honour in the philatelic world.