History of S.S. Lazio - The 1960s: The First Seasons of Serie B

The 1960s: The First Seasons of Serie B

The 1960s did not start brightly for Lazio. They finished their 1960-61 campaign in a record low 18th place, last, and were relegated alongside Napoli and Bari.

Their first season in B, 1961-62, ended in grave disappointment as they missed out on direct promotion back to the top flight by a solitary point. The following season made up for that though, as they were promoted back to A with a third placed finish. Their coach of the day was an Argentine, Juan Carlos Lorenzo, and Lazio's tight defence ensured a credible 8th place finish in 1964 with a paltry 21 goals scored and a stingy 24 conceded. A 3-0 away win over Juventus was a highlight of the season.

The club was soon hit by a financial crisis, and the presidency of the club was taken up by Umberto Lenzini, an Italian American, who made a significant impact upon the history of the club. Lazio were soon relegated back into Serie B and despite being expected to challenge for promotion, they could only manage a poor 11th place. Juan Carlos Lorenzo returned to the bench which he had left four years earlier, and with some new signings, he led Lazio to win Serie B in 1969. Stars of the side in those years included midfielder Nello Governato, who later went on to work as a manager for the club.