U.S. Centese began as a continuation of U.S. Atletic Cento aimed at bringing football back to the town of Cento. Atletic Cento was founded by Vittorio Battaglia in 1986 and played championship games in the Third and Second categories in every season since 1986/87. Its first success was promotion to the Second Category at the end of the 1988/89 championship season following a win in the tie-breaking game between the teams ranking second in the two rounds of the Third Category in the Comitato di Finale Emilia. After this the team won three Discipline Cups in 1992/93, 1993/94 and 1997/98 (all in the Third Category championships of the Comitato di Finale): the association’s management attributed great importance to these Cups as recognition of the players’ outstanding sportsmanship and loyalty. In addition, the team won the 2002 Tavolini Trophy and placed first in the Third Category championships (Comitato di Ferrara) in 2003/04. For twenty years the association was led by Gabriele Ardizzoni, who was trainer and then president until his premature death in 2006. At the end of the 2007/08 season the Board of Directors decided to change the association’s name and adopt the classic blue and white in response to local fans’ nostalgia for the historic Centese Calcio team.