Piero Cucchi was born in Boffalora Sopra Ticino (Milan) on June 27, 1939.
He started his football with the Torino youth sector but in 1955 joined Piacenza in Serie C. He stayed two years with the "Lupi" (The Wolves) making 37 appearances with 7 goals.
In 1960 he joined Savona again in Serie C. He remained three seasons in Liguria with "Gli Striscioni" (The Striped ones) playing 88 games with 13 goals.
In 1963 he moved up a division to play for Varese in Serie B. In his first year he played 34 games with 1 goal and helped the "Bosini" win promotion to Serie A. In his first year in the top flight he played 26 games with 1 goal (against Roma ...) and the Lombards stayed up. The following year he played less, only 9 times, and Varese were relegated. In 1966-67 he regained his first team place and got 36 games with 3 goals.
In 1967 he joined Lazio in Serie B. In his first year Lazio came 11th under Roberto Gei and then Bob Lovati. Cucchi played 25 league games with 2 goals (Perugia, Catania) and 2 games in Coppa Italia .
In his second year Juan Carlos Lorenzo was in charge with Bob Lovati on the bench for bureaucratic reasons (no foreign managers were allowed). Cucchi played 32 games with 1 goal (Genoa) plus 2 in Coppa Italia and made a huge contribution to Lazio's promotion. Lazio won the championship and were back in Serie A.
He started the next season with Lazio playing 7 league games with 1 goal (Fiorentina in 5-1 drubbing) and 3 in Coppa Italia but then parted ways. In the Autumn transfer market session he joined Ternana in Serie B.
He stayed with the Rossoverdi for three seasons playing 73 games with 9 goals. In his last season in Terni he won his fourth promotion to Serie A.
In 1972-73 he moved just slightly further north to Arezzo in Serie B where he played 26 times.
His last club in 1973-74 was one of his former ones, Savona in serie C where he played a final 21 games with 1 goal.
He then retired at 35 after 416 professional league games and 38 goals.
He stayed in football and became a manager. First with Savona in 1974 -75 and then had an endless number of teams from north to south mainly in the C1 and C2 divisions. He won several promotions; Derthona D to C2 (1977-78), Giarre C2 to C1 (1987-88), Ischia Isolaverde C2 to C1 (1990-91), Juve Stabia C2 to C1 (1992-93) and Catania C2 to C1 (1998-99). So a managerial career not without satisfaction.
At Lazio he played a total of 71 games and scored 4 goals. He is remembered as a hardworking midfielder who only stayed just over two seasons but played a major role in Lazio's Serie B winning side of 1968-69 and consequent promotion back to the big time.
Lazio career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
1967-68 | 27 (2) | - | 25 (2) | 2 |
1968-69 | 34 (1) | - | 32 (1) | 2 |
Jul-Nov 1969 | 10 (1) | 7 (1) | - | 3 |
Total | 71 (4) | 7 (1) | 57 (3) | 7 |
Sources