Franco Pezzullo

Franco Pezzullo was born in Rome on May 31, 1940.

Source Lazio Wiki

He grew up in the Lazio youth sector and in 1959-60 joined the first team squad.

In his first season the manager was Fulvio Bernardini and Lazio finished 12th and came 3rd in Coppa Italia. The main keeper was Idilio Cei who played 25 league games, then Roberto Lovati with 9 and Pezzullo only played 1 game in the Italo-French Friendship Cup.

In 1960-61 the manager was first Bernardini and then, from the tenth fixture onwards, former player Enrique Flamini (plus Jesse Carver as technical director from game 15). Lovati had retired and Pezzullo played more, making 14 league appearances and 2 in Coppa Italia, but Lazio were relegated for the first time in their history.

In 1961-62 in Serie B Cei was fit again and Pezzullo only played 1 game in Coppa Italia. It was an unlucky season and Lazio finished 4th, narrowly missing out on promotion (not helped by a ridiculously disallowed goal against Napoli who eventually came 3rd by one point). The Biancocelesti had three different managers; Paolo Todeschini (1-21), Roberto Lovati (22-27) and Carlo Facchini (28-38).

Pezzullo then left Lazio and joined Salernitana in Serie C. He stayed two seasons and the Granata finished 4th and 6th. Pezzullo played 65 league games. His teammates included Lazio connections, Egidio Fumagalli (1958-61), Clemente Mattei (1956-58, 1959-61), Oliviero Visentin (1959-61) and Franco Cordova (1976-79).

In 1964 Pezzullo stayed in Campania but moved to Caserta and joined Casertana in Serie C. He stayed two seasons and the Rossoblu finished 3rd and 4th. He played 34 league games.

The 1966-67 season he spent at Livorno in Serie B. The manager was former Lazio player Carlo Parola (but particularly Juventus) and the Amaranto finished 16th. The main keeper was Renato Bellinelli and Pezzullo played 6 league games. One of his teammates was future Lazio player and later manager Giuseppe Papadopulo (1969-72 and 2005).

In 1967-68 he played for Potenza for a season in Serie B. The Leoni were relegated but Pezzullo played regularly, making 29 league appearances.

Pezzullo then returned to Casertana for one season. The "Falchetti" (Falcons) were in Serie C and finished 2nd (with 6-point docking). Pezzullo played 27 league games.

His last professional season, 1969-70, was spent at Modena in Serie B. The manager was former Lazio player Leandro Remondini (1947-50) and the Canaries finished 12th. The main keeper was Santino Ciceri and Pezzullo played 10 league games.

He then continued playing locally for Ladispoli, on the coast near Rome, at amateur level.

After retiring he had a brief coaching experience at Bari in 1976-77. He was assistant to Giacomo Losi and the Cockerels won promotion to Serie B. He also coached the U19s.

Pezzullo was a goalkeeper. He played 185 league games, mainly in Serie B and C.

He was at Lazio for three seasons. He was unlucky in that he was blocked for playing time by great keeper Idilio Cei and then the year he played more regularly coincided with the club's first ever relegation to Serie B.

Lazio Career

Season	Total games	Serie A	Serie B	Coppa Italia
1959-60	1	1	-	-
1960-61	16	14	-	2
1961-62	1	-	1	-
Total	18	15	1	2

Sources

Lazio Wiki