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| Juventus, 1903 |
The reason for this venture to southern Europe is our old friend Juventus - or the Old Lady as they are known in Italy. As you may have read, Juventus will be playing in a brand new stadium this season which in a move deemed unconventional by many in their homeland, is completely owned by the club.
Some of you will be surprised to know that it is highly unusual for Italian clubs to own their own stadiums. Instead, they usually lease the grounds from the local council or other authorities. It’s akin to Manchester United renting Old Trafford from Salford City Council, rather than owning it themselves and being in complete control of any renovation work.
In these times of small government and big society (remember that?), it’s almost unthinkable that football grounds in England would be the assets of local councils, although perhaps that would go some way to arresting the ever-increasing ticket prices we see in our football and even bring clubs closer to community they are based in?
Anyway, I digress. Whilst Juve’s new 41,000 capacity stadium is a story in itself, the opposition for the grand opening of the stadium is the more remarkable element of the Old Lady’s reinvention. Imagine your club is opening a new stadium; how would they mark the official opening? Invite the local rivals? The champions? Barcelona? All would surely bring in the crowds and be considered fitting opponents for such a prestigious moment in the club’s history.
Well Juventus have taken a different approach, for the opposition for the grand opening of their still-to-be-named new stadium will be none other than Notts County. Yes, Notts County of League One; Notts County who are not even Nottingham’s best team, let alone England’s; Notts County whose last appearance in England’s top flight was in the 1991/1992 season.
But there is good reason for England’s other Magpies to be the guests of honour on Juve’s big night: if it wasn’t for Notts County, the likes of Alex Del Piero would be walking out on to the field in bright pink every week. For in their formative years, Juve wore pink kits - with black ties of course - until in 1903 John Savage (of Juventus) was entrusted with the task of sourcing a new, presumably less effeminate, colour scheme for the club. Before the Old Lady’s supporters could say “match fixing” a shipment of Notts County shirts was on its way to Turin, and Juventus have worn the famous black and white stripes ever since.
It’s a classic example of how England influenced football across the globe in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, although the fortunes of Juventus and Notts County since then could hardly have been more different.
However, inviting County to open the new stadium remains a touch of class from a club that in recent years has only attracted headlines for the wrong reasons. Stripped of a title, demoted to Serie B and now seemingly stuck amongst Italy’s also-rans, the Old Lady is in much need of rejuvenation. The decision to invite County shows an appreciation of the foundations that made the club great in the first place, which is a welcome diversion from the constant horizon scanning that we’ve grown used to from Europe’s top clubs in recent years.
With the new stadium expected to bring a great deal more revenue - gate receipts will go to the club and not rent to the council, naming rights are also being sold - and also attract the type of passionate crowds that famously stayed away from the Stadio del Alpi, the Old Lady’s journey to redemption begins in earnest next month when Martin Allen’s Notts County visit Turin on 8 September. Who knows, this could be the start of the next chapter in the story of a club that started out pretty in pink.
For more information on the history of Juventus and their links to Notts Country, visit the club’s excellent English website.
