Upon returning to Italy, Spezia President Charlie Stillitano spoke to the Club’s media: “The final against Cremonese? I remember the whirlwind of emotions I felt that night, first the excitement, then the sinking feeling that everything was lost, and finally the hope that we might still pull off a draw. Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out the way we had all hoped. Still, that must not become an insurmountable obstacle or a reason to lose heart. We're starting over now, and I can say that, as a club, our goal is to build something solid and lasting. There’s a lot of work ahead of us, and we’re ready to take it on with conviction.
Knowing how to get back up after falling short of a dream is what matters most, because that’s football. Some teams never recover from a tough loss, and that’s a real problem. Instead, we need to look back, learn from it, and move forward. I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my own life, my path in the business world has been far from perfect, but I always remember the words of Joe Torre, the Italian-American baseball coach: losing isn’t the problem, what matters is learning from the defeat.
Three months after RAM Spezia Holdings took over the club, I can confidently say that Thomas Roberts is very pleased. I’ve known him for 45 years, he’s a serious, committed person. He’s invested in sports before, but always as a silent partner. This, however, is something new for him. It’s personal. We’re in contact nearly every day, and we're constantly exchanging ideas, not just between us, but also with people here in Spezia like Andrea Gazzoli, Andrea Corradino, and Stefano Melissano. We talk about everything: the stadium, the training center, the youth sector, but we always start with the team, because that’s our beating heart.
The response from Spezia fans to the 2025/26 season ticket campaign has been incredible, a positive shock, really. Even though I’ve known the city and the club for quite a while, thanks to my close ties with the Platek family, I didn’t expect such a warm reception. After the way the playoffs ended, it would have been understandable if fans were disheartened. Instead, they responded with enthusiasm, setting a new record for early season ticket renewals. This fanbase gives so much to the team, and for both Thomas and me, it’s a joy to be building something for them. We have a responsibility to work with integrity, everything we do is for the team and for the people of this city.
Strong roots are everything, without them, without a solid foundation, you can’t build anything that lasts. And here in Spezia, that sense of heritage is remarkable. When I tell friends in Spain or England that our club is over 100 years old, they’re amazed. We want to grow, and we believe we can, but we’ll always need our roots, first and foremost the people of Spezia and the long, rich history of this club.
From a commercial standpoint, we’ve also seen real progress. In just one season, we’ve more than doubled the number of club partners. That shows that when you focus on your local community and territory, the results follow. Football is unpredictable, good things happen, bad things happen, but beyond the team, it’s essential to build strong relationships with both sponsors and fans. This is a time to assess where we are, and the fact that we’re seeing this kind of support, even in Serie B, is a very encouraging sign.
Infrastructure? It’s absolutely critical for a club’s development. Just think of the players who come here and tell us how beautiful the stadium is. I’ve been around the game a long time, and I can honestly say our stadium is one of the most beautiful in Italy.
We also need to focus on the Ferdeghini and Follo. Ferdeghini is where our team’s roots lie, it’s the heart of our youth sector. We’re completing a new pitch there as we speak. Follo, of course, must also be a priority. That’s where the players live day to day, the stadium is where they play once a week, maybe once every two, but Follo is their home. I’ve had the privilege of speaking with some of football’s greatest minds, Sir Alex Ferguson, Ancelotti, Mourinho, and they all say the same thing: players need to feel at home every single day.
Lately, we’ve signed several young players, which shows we’re not just focused on the present, we have a clear vision for the future. I’ve seen firsthand how our staff works with the younger players, and I’ve been genuinely impressed. They’re an integral part of the team and represent everything we’re building toward.
At a club level, we wanted to send a clear message of stability and continuity with the contract renewals of CEO Andrea Gazzoli and Sporting Director Stefano Melissano. When you come into a new environment, it’s easy to think about changing everything, but that would’ve been a serious mistake. I’ve seen similar situations unfold, even at Manchester United. When the Glazers bought the club, they were smart enough to keep Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill in place, and they won everything. Once they left, the club went through a tough time.
From day one, we held meetings with Coach D’Angelo, Gazzoli, Corradino, and Melissano. I told them I wanted to keep everything intact. I even told the coach, with a few matches still to go, that I wanted him to stay on, regardless of whether we ended up in Serie A or remained in Serie B, and the same goes for the entire team working with Gazzoli.
This Sunday, I’ll be with the team for the friendly against Lecce and I’ll let them know that both Tom Roberts and I are proud of the work being done. We fully support what our coach has been saying from day one, that in a tough league like Serie B, the first goal is to hit 45 points as soon as possible. Then we’ll look ahead and see what’s possible. But the most important thing is to stay grounded and focused on the daily work.
When people in Spezia call me ‘Pres,’ it feels like a dream. I love the idea that we’re caretakers—not owners. We feel a deep sense of responsibility toward the fans and the city. I’m not the important one, the players are, the coach is, Gazzoli and the rest of the team are. Everyone else is more important than we are, and that’s exactly what makes me happy.
Sir Alex Ferguson at the Picco? I’ve been told he’s coming, along with some friends from Real Madrid. When I was with Ancelotti during the Club World Cup, we talked more about Spezia than we did about Brazil. Our only focus is Spezia Calcio".
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