Jean Francois GILLET 2000-
A quality goalkeeper who became the first Belgian to sign for the club in 2000. Gillet, an expert penalty stopper, is nicknamed the ‘Cat from Liege’ thanks to his remarkable agility. His Bari stint almost came to an end in 2003 when he joined Treviso on loan following a fall out with then boss Marco Tardelli, before returning a year later.
Giovanni LOSETTO 1982-93
Bari born and bred, Losetto holds a club record of 318 League appearances after wearing the outfit’s colours in Serie A, B and C. A tough tackling defender, he made his debut in 1982 and was part of the team which won successive promotions from the Third to the First Division between 1983 and 1985. He also netted 15 goals for the side.
Gaetano DE ROSA 1997-04
Born in Dusseldorf, Germany, De Rosa proved to be a massive success at the club, especially under the tutelage of boss Eugenio Fascetti. Having made his Serie A debut for Napoli, the elegant sweeper joined Bari from Serie C side Savoia and wore the captain’s armband with pride before turning to Reggina in 2004.
Sandro CARLINI 1939-50
A regular at the back for Bari in the 1940s, the stopper holds the honour of playing in Serie A on 179 occasions – easily a club record. He was also part of the side which ended the 1946-47 Serie A campaign in seventh, which is still their best ever finish in the top flight.
Gianluca ZAMBROTTA 1997-99
Although primarily a winger for Bari, the 1997 signing from Como would also play at the back and in attack for the southerners. It took him just 59 Serie A games, accompanied by 11 goals, to catch the eye of Juventus, who swooped in 1999. The versatile Zambrotta also won his maiden Italian cap while with Bari and went on to net the 2006 World Cup.
Raffaele COSTANTINO 1928-30 & 1935-39
Known as ‘Faele’ and ‘Reuccio’ to the Bari faithful, the gifted right-winger was one of the first southerners to regularly appear for the national side. He was actually the first Bari player to be selected and score for the Azzurri, as well as achieving the amazing feat of winning his opening six caps while in Serie B with the outfit. He netted 47 goals in 137 games for his hometown club before also coaching the team after hanging up his boots.
David PLATT 1991-92
An English goalscoring midfielder who first caught the eye of Serie A clubs during Italia ’90. He joined Bari for a club record of £5.5m in 1991 from Aston Villa and instantly settled to life on and off the pitch in the peninsula. He scored 11 goals in 29 top-flight games, which was enough to see him complete an £8m switch to Juventus after just one term.
Zvonimir BOBAN 1991-92
A genius with the ball at his feet. He joined Bari on loan thanks to Milan and although his stay was brief, he showed enough in only 17 League games to underline just how much of a talent he was. Blessed with a deft touch, inspired vision and tactical sense, it was unsurprising that he won almost everything there was to lift when he moved to the Rossoneri at the end of the season. He eventually left the latter in 2001.
Annibale FROSSI 1933-34
A spectacle-wearing winger who only spent one campaign at Bari, but a memorable one at that. He joined from Padova in 1933 and grabbed 12 goals in 30 games, which caught the attention of national boss Vittorio Pozzo. Frossi won Gold at the 1936 Olympics where he finished as top scorer with seven goals in four games. As a Coach, he often insisted that the perfect game was one which ended 0-0.
Igor PROTTI 1992-96
Bari’s most deadly striker in Serie A history with 31 goals, most of those came in the unforgettable 1995-96 campaign where he topped the scorers’ chart with Giuseppe Signori on 24 – even if it wasn’t enough to keep the side in the top flight. Signed from Messina, Protti played his best football at the San Nicola and struggled after moves to Lazio and Napoli, before ending his career in style at Livorno. His Bari stint terminated with 51 goals in 112 games.
Antonio CASSANO 1999-01
Arguably the most talented player that the city has ever produced, Cassano rose through the youth ranks to net a sublime individual goal on his home debut against Inter. Infinite skill, but a fiery character to keep under control, ‘Il Gioiello di Bari Vecchia’ scored just six times in 48 League games for the side before joining Roma for a massive £20m at the tender age of just 19.
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Old school Italian tactician who bossed the side for a record 190 League games over six seasons – despite his past as Coach of hated rivals Lecce. Fascetti, who replaced Giuseppe Materazzi mid-season, immediately tasted relegation but brought the club straight back to Serie A where they remained for a further three campaigns. He was also responsible for the unveiling of Bari sensation Antonio Cassano.