Stefano Ferretti was born on March 2 1960 in Rome. A product of the Lazio youth sector, he debuted in Serie A on October 29 1978, in Lazio Vicenza 4-3.
The previous year he had made one appearance in the Intertoto Cup (Lazio -Sparta Rotterdam 3-2, May 21, 1978)
In 1980 Bruno Giordano, Lionello Manfredonia, Pino Wilson and Massimo Cacciatori were arrested at Pescara for the TotoNero scandal. Lazio were in deep trouble and not very far off the relegation zone. Led by Vincenzo D’Amico, the Biancocelesti full of youngsters, managed to beat Catanzaro in a dramatic match and move to safer waters. Ferretti played the last twenty minutes of that match and the subsequent four games.
In the summer of 1980 he was loaned to Empoli in C1 and appeared 31 times with 3 goals. In 1981 he returned to Lazio, who had been relegated to Serie B the previous season and gave a good contribution even if it was not a good year for the Biancocelesti.
In 1982, after Italy won the world cup, there was an amnesty for the players that had been banned in 1980 and Bruno Giordano and Lionello Manfredonia were allowed to play. Lazio were hot favourites for a return to Serie A, but in the autumn transfer window, Ferretti signed for Spal in Serie C1. He stayed four years in Emilia Romagna and in 1986 left for Ancona again in Serie C1.
In 1987 he moved to Pescara. He stayed for seven years (three of which in Serie A) and became one of the leaders of the Biancazzurri. His two last two years of active football were played with Novara in Serie C2 and Chieti in C1. At the end of the 1995-96 season he retired.
Once he stopped active football he became a manager and was head coach for a number of minor teams.
He was a good midfield player, had a cracking shot, and it was a pity he missed out on Lazio’s 1983 promotion to Serie A. He appeared in 40 games (6 in Serie A, 26 in Serie B, 7 in Coppa Italia and one in Intertoto) with 4 goals (3 in Serie B and one in Coppa Italia).
Lazio Career
Season | Total apperances (goals) | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia | Intertoto Cup |
1977-78 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
1978-79 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
1979-80 | 5 | 5 | - | - | - |
1981-82 | 30 (4) | - | 26 (3) | 4 (1) | - |
1982-83 | 3 | - | - | 3 | - |
Total | 40 (4) | 6 | 26 (3) | 7 (1) | 1 |
Sources