Crotone-based Autolinee Romano runs a bus service Mon-Sat only, at 6am (direct) and mid-afternoon (via Catanzaro) from the airport, journey times to Crotone 2hr 15min/3hr. There are significantly more Ryanair flights, including from London Stansted, to Lamezia, 105km (65 miles) west of Crotone.

It is located 15km (9.5 miles) south of town. The surprise defeat of Lazio provided Crotone with unexpected salvation at the end of their first top-flight campaign in 2017 – the same may be needed in the late spring of 2018.īeing reopened to international traffic in the summer of 2018, Crotone’s Sant’Anna Airportclosed in 2016 following bankruptcy. More than 30 years after Catanzaro’s relegation and seven seasons after Reggina’s, Crotone had become the third side from Calabria to reach Serie A. Claiming the Vrenna brothers had suspicious links, the fellow Calabrians muddied the waters as Crotone concentrated on Serie A accession.Ī draw at Modena in April 2016 sealed the issue, legalities settled in Crotone’s favour later that year. Looking set for long-sought promotion in 2016, Crotone were challenged by rivals Catanzaro – in the high court.

With more backing and influence, Crotone made skittish appearances in the second flight, becoming established after 2008. In 2017, he passed the reins over to Gianni. At Crotone, he became known as simply ‘Il Presidente’, thanks to his 30-plus years at the helm. With his fingers in broadcast media, tourism and gastronomy, the older Vrenna was a significant mover and shaker in the region. This changed from the 1990s onwards, when the Vrenna brothers, former Crotone nightclub owners Raffaele and Gianni, took over the club. Scida and, until modern times, his successors, only knew regional or Serie C football. City mayor and club president Silvio Messinetti, duly named the new stadium after him. Earlier that year, one wet January day, on its way to a friendly match with Castrovillari, the team bus had overturned and Crotone captain Scida had been crushed to death. Founded as Società Sportiva Crotona, the later Pythagoreans of FC Crotone also once took the name of Società Sportiva Milone, after the Olympic champion wrestler Milo said to have once saved the life of Pythagoras.įirst based at the Marinella by the seafront, the club moved to its current ground, the Ezio Scida, in 1946. Once home to Pythagoras, the town was founded by the Ancient Greeks as Kroton, and produced many an Olympic champion.įootball also came early to these parts. Towards the climax of the promotion season in 2016, a few supporters unable to find a ticket checked themselves in as patients in order to see the match below.Ĭrotone itself has bar quarter ranged around a long stretch of lively beach. The Stadio Ezio Scida, near Crotone train station and even closer to the bus terminal, is set beneath blue Calabrian skies and overlooked by the city’s main hospital. On match-day Sundays, regional public transport by road or rail is scant at best.īut those who make it here are in for a treat.

The nearest main airport of Lamezia Terme is more than 100km away. Ryanair later promised to start up inland flights from summer 2018. With local club FC Crotone having gained a first-ever promotion to Serie A in 2016, the likes of Juventus, Inter and Milan have had to work out the logistic of getting their over-indulged superstars down to this remote part of Calabria, once part of Ancient Greece.Ĭrotone Airport caved in under bankruptcy that same year. It isn’t only the adventurous football traveller has been presented with an interesting set of challenges when considering Crotone, way down in the toe of Italy.

Crotone stadio ezio scida