The club was founded in 1920 and played in the Emilian amateur divisions for most of its history until its first promotion to Serie D in 1968. In this era, the club merged with other local football teams to eventually form the current US Sassuolo Calcio in 1974. In 1984, it first gained promotion to Serie C2, the lowest level of professional football in Italy. However, they were relegated again in 1990 and subsequently spent most of the decade back in Serie D. In 1998, a second-place finish ensured promotion back to Serie C2.