In 1863 the birth of football gave rise to the emergence of key figures in the development of the game, whose task was to compile reports on the main protagonists of the sport. Day by day, year by year, but, fundamentally, match by match they evolved, and became more and more important to the clubs they belonged to. These “scouts” as they are now known, provide the clubs they work for with a precise all-round assessment of matches and players, and advice on the best ones to choose for their growth and development. The importance of the scout is widely recognised but not always reflected at the institutional level. In the current difficult and complex climate a group of five professional scouts with extensive international experience decided to form the AIOC (Italian Association of Football Scouts) to represent protect and promote scouts, and to write a new chapter in their history.