Nuorese has a long history of playing in
Serie C2 and top amateur leagues and also featured a young
Gianfranco Zola during the 1980s. In 2004 the club, then playing in the
Eccellenza league, was acquired by former
Torino chairman
Roberto Goveani, with the aim to lead the
Verdeazzurri back into professionalism. Under Goveani, and under the captaincy of former
Cagliari mainstay
Gianluca Festa, Nuorese promptly won two promotions in a row, being crowned
Eccellenza Sardinia champions in 2004–05 and
Serie D – Girone B winners in 2005–06, thus returning to play in
Serie C2 the following season. Playing in
Serie C2/A in 2006–07, Nuorese finished in fourth place, then losing the promotion playoff semifinal round to third-placed
Pergocrema, 3–1 on aggregate. Nuorese played again in Serie C2/A for the 2007–08 season, finishing the season in eighth place; however, due to its failure to present proper documentation to confirm their football membership, the club was dropped from professional leagues for the 2008–09 season. Nuorese was successively admitted to play amateur, regionally based
Promozione league in 2008–09. Noted players who spent days at Nuorese include
Pietro Paolo Virdis,
Gianfranco Zola and, more recently,
Gianluca Festa and former
Belgium international
Luis Oliveira. ==References==