2009–10 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione
The 2009–10 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione season was the thirty-second football league season of Italian Lega Pro Seconda Divisione since its establishment in 1978, and the second since the renaming from Serie C to Lega Pro.
It was divided into two phases: the regular season, played from September 2009 to May 2010, and the playoff phase from May to June 2010.
The league was composed of 54 teams divided into three divisions of 18 teams each, whose teams were divided geographically. Teams played only other teams in their own division, once at home and once away for a total of 34 matches each.
Teams that finished first in the regular season, plus one team winning the playoff round from each division were promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione; teams that finished last in the regular season, plus two relegation playoff losers from each division were relegated to Serie D. In all, six teams were promoted to Prima Divisione, and nine teams were relegated to Serie D.
Events
Start of season
On July 9, the Covisoc organization announced that 11 Seconda Divisione clubs did not pass the financial requirements in order to be admitted to the league. The clubs were allowed to appeal the decision until July 11. Seven were eventually saved. Of the remaining four, two did not bother to file submissions even before the review started, one did not appeal Covisoc's decision, while the fourth team lost on appeal.The league was to feature six teams relegated from 2008–09 Lega Pro Prima Divisione: Pro Sesto, [S.S. S.S. Sambenedettese Calcio|Sambenedettese Calcio|Sambenedettese], Legnano, Pistoiese,
Juve Stabia, and Potenza. Three vacancies were created from this group. Two teams were excluded from the 2009–10 season as they did not pass the financial requirements: Sambenedettese did not appeal the commission's decision, while Pistoiese lost on appeal. On July 30, Potenza was called up to Prima Divisione to fill a vacancy.
It was to feature nine teams promoted from 2008–09 Serie D as division winners: Biellese - Girone A, P.B. Vercelli - Girone B, Sacilese - Girone C, Crociati Noceto - Girone D, Sporting Lucchese - Girone E, Pro Vasto - Girone F, Villacidrese - Girone G, Brindisi - Girone H, and Siracusa - Girone I.
The remaining 39 teams were to come from the group of teams that played in 2008–09 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione that were neither relegated nor promoted. Another four vacancies were created from this group. Ivrea failed to register for the upcoming season. Alessandria - 2nd in Girone A, Andria - 5th in Girone C, and Viareggio - 2nd in Girone B - all promotional playoff losers in the Second Divisione 2008–09 season were called up to Prima Divisione anyway to fill vacancies.
The eight vacancies were successively filled as follows:
- Spezia - 2nd in 2008–09 Serie D - Girone A, replacing first place Biellese
- Nocerina - 2nd in 2008–09 Serie D - Girone H, winner of the playoffs
- Vico Equense - 2nd in 2008–09 Serie D - Girone I, finalist in the playoffs
- Fano - 2nd in 2008–09 Serie D - Girone F, selected by the league
- FeralpiSalò - 4th in 2008–09 Serie D - Girone D, selected by the league
- Valenzana - 16th in 2008–09 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione - Girone A, originally relegated for losing in the playouts.
- Poggibonsi - 15th in 2008–09 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione - Girone B, originally relegated for losing in the playouts.
- Isola Liri - 17th in 2008–09 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione - Girone C, originally relegated for losing in the playouts.
Promotion Playoffs
Girone A
Spezia promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione.Girone B
Gubbio promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione.Girone C
hc - higher classified team winsCisco Roma promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione.