Prima Divisione

Prima Divisione (First Division) was the name of the first level of the Italian Football Championship from 1921 to 1926. The competition was initially founded in opposition to the FIGC by the richest clubs of Northern Italy, which disagreed the old format of the championship, based on plethoric regional groups. In 1921–22, two concurrent championships took place, before FIGC accepted the new format for 1922–23.

History

The Prima Divisione was divided in two leagues: Lega Nord (Northern League) and Lega Sud (Southern League). The Lega Nord championship was the main competition, and it was divided in two groups of twelve teams each. The winners of the two groups qualified for the final (Northern League Final) while the last team was relegated in Seconda Divisione (Second Division). The Lega Sud championship was still divided in many regional groups; the best two teams of Campania, Lazio and Apulia and the winners of the Sicily and Marches groups qualified for the semifinals (Southern League Semifinals) of two groups. The winners of the semifinals advanced to the final. The winners of the two leagues qualified for the Finalissima (literally The Biggest Final). The team that won the national final won the scudetto, firstly introduced for the 1923-24 champions Genoa.

Because of the fascist Carta di Viareggio, in 1926 the Prima Divisione championship was renamed as Divisione Nazionale (National Division), merging the best southern clubs into the Northern League. The second level of the Italian football consequently took the name of Prima Divisional, as it happened in England in 1992. In 1929 with the creation of the Serie A and Serie B championships the Prima Divisione became the third level of the Italian Football. In 1935 with the creation of the Serie C championship the Prima Divisione became the fourth level of the Italian football. In 1948 with the creation of the Promozione championship the first division became the fifth level of the Italian championship. In 1952 with the creation of the IV Serie championship the Prima Divisione became the sixth level. In 1959 the Prima Divisione championship was replaced by local Prima Categoria, Seconda Categoria and Terza Categoria championships.

Winners
Year Winner Runners-up Top scorer (club) (goals)
1921–22Pro VercelliFortitudo Roma
1922–23GenoaLazio
1923–24GenoaSavoia Heinrich Schoenfeld (Torino) (22)
1924–25BolognaAlba Roma Mario Magnozzi (Livorno) (19)
1925–26JuventusAlba Roma Ferenc Hirzer (Juventus) (35)

Winners (Lega Nord)
Year Winner Runners-up Top scorer (club) (goals)
1921–22Pro VercelliGenoa
1922–23GenoaPro Vercelli
1923–24GenoaBologna Heinrich Schoenfeld (Torino) (22)
1924–25BolognaGenoa Mario Magnozzi (Livorno) (19)
1925–26JuventusBologna Ferenc Hirzer (Juventus) (31)

Winners (Lega Sud)
Year Winner Runners-up Top scorer (club) (goals)
1921–22Fortitudo RomaPuteolana
1922–23LazioSavoia
1923–24SavoiaAlba RomaFulvio Bernardini (Lazio) (19)
1924–25Alba RomaAnconitanaFulvio Bernardini (Lazio) (16)
1925–26Alba RomaInternaplesBukovich (Alba Roma) (25)

Northern League

Founding members
Club
 Appearances in
First Division		 Appearances in
Second Division		 League
left
Alessandria5--
Andrea Doria5--
Brescia5--
Bologna5--
Casale5--
Genoa5--
Internazionale5--
Juventus5--
Legnano5--
Livorno5--
Mantova41-
Milan5--
US Milanese23-
Modena5--
Novara5--
Padova5--
Pisa5--
Pro Vercelli5--
Savona23-
Spezia41-
Torino5--
Venezia14-
Verona5--
Vicenza13left in 1923–24

FIGC joining clubs
Club
 Appearances in
First Division		 Appearances in
Second Division		 League
left
Cremonese4--
Esperia Como12left in 1925
Lucchese13-
Novese22-
Pastore Torino11left in 1924
Petrarca Padova13-
Rivarolese13-
Sampierdarenese4--
Spal13-
Speranza Savona13-
U.S. Torinese11left in 1924
Udinese22-
Virtus Bologna21left in 1925
Club
 Appearances in
First Division		 Appearances in
Second Division		 League
left
Derthona (from CCI)23-
Reggiana (from FIGC)22-
Parma (from FIGC)13-

See also
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