Nello Santin
Nello Santin (Eraclea, 3rd July 1946), a defender with grit, running and heart, made 274 appearances and scored 5 goals in Serie A with AC Milan, Sampdoria, Torino and Vicenza, plus 6 tokens and a goal in Serie B.
Milan discovered him at the age of 13 at the San Giovanni oratory, and he made his Serie A debut in September 1963. Seven seasons with the Rossoneri, not always as a starter but with an impressive curriculum: Scudetto (1967-68); Champions Cup (1969), Intercontinental Cup (1969), Cup Winners’ Cup (1968), Coppa Italia (1967). His incredible save on the goal line for a beaten Cudicini in the Champions Cup semi-final against Manchester Utd in 1969 is memorable.
He was loaned out to Lanerossi Vicenza in the 1970-71 season and at the end of the season he moved permanently to Sampdoria, where he stayed for three years. He joined Gigi Radice’s Torino, where he won the 1975-76 Scudetto, the last for the Maratona. One of his runs resulted in King Cecconi’s own goal and an away draw against Lazio on the 27th day, a point that proved fundamental in the fight against Juventus for the title. After three more championships under the Mole, he was transferred to Vicenza in Serie B in the 1979-80 season.
Santin had less success as a coach, reaching his peak on the bench of SPAL in Serie C2. Also active in a number of clubs on the amateur scene in Piedmont, Nello Santin is the technical director of the Talent Academy, for which he designs the training lines together with the technical manager Christian Manfredini. Sometimes he still wears the overalls to take the field with the boys, to whom he reveals a few secrets, particularly on the defensive phase.
