That result would only be delaying the inevitable, it turned out, as Udinese ended the 1931/32 season third from bottom on 25 points, this time five points adrift of safety. They almost bounced straight back the following year, in 1932/33, winning their Prima Divisione group with 39 points, 62 goals scored and just 18 conceded, but they were unable to see the job through in the four-team play-off tournament against Reggiana, Siena and Sanremese.

Udinese came within a whisker of clinching promotion back to Serie B in the 1933/34 season, even after centre-forward Walter D’Orodico had been sold to Padova. Udinese dominated much of the campaign, stringing together a run of 20 games unbeaten in the process, but ended level on points with Pisa – meaning a play-off would be required to decide who went up. Udinese’s preparations for the crunch game were rocked when president Lao Menazzi Moretti resigned after outcry at his decision not to oppose the choice of venue for the game (initially Milan, then changed to Rome). Pisa ran out 3-1 winners in the capital and were promoted at Udinese’s expense.

The long-awaited upturn in Udinese fortunes did finally come in the 1938/39 season. President Enea Caine and coach Luigi Miconi succeeded in assembling a balanced side with plenty of quality in every position, and sure enough they ended the regular Serie C season at the top of the table on 41 points, four clear of Treviso in second. Before they could start focusing on Serie B, however, they would have to successfully negotiate another play-off, facing Brescia, Reggiana and Savona. Udinese went into their final play-off game, against Savona, needing just a point to secure promotion – and they duly delivered with a 0-0 draw. The final play-off table read Brescia on eight points and Udinese on seven (both teams gaining promotion), ahead of Reggiana on five and Savona bottom on four. 

The long-awaited upturn in Udinese fortunes did finally come in the 1938/39 season. President Enea Caine and coach Luigi Miconi succeeded in assembling a balanced side with plenty of quality in every position, and sure enough they ended the regular Serie C season at the top of the table on 41 points, four clear of Treviso in second. Before they could start focusing on Serie B, however, they would have to successfully negotiate another play-off, facing Brescia, Reggiana and Savona. Udinese went into their final play-off game, against Savona, needing just a point to secure promotion – and they duly delivered with a 0-0 draw. The final play-off table read Brescia on eight points and Udinese on seven (both teams gaining promotion), ahead of Reggiana on five and Savona bottom on four. 

 

Udinese’s starting eleven that season was Gremese (Tonello), Ciroi, Venier (Forniz), Dianti, Gallo, Serri (Miani), Bertoli, Faini, Zorzi, (Ferigo), Tabanelli and Sdraulig (Marini).

 

Ahead of the 1939/40 Serie B campaign, the forwards Walter D'Odorico and Aldo Spivach returned to Udinese to add more firepower to the side’s front line alongside Paolo Tabanelli. The Hungarian coach Imre Payer was appointed to manage the side, but the move didn’t yield the desired results and Luigi Miconi was soon brought back in to replace him, guiding the side to a mid-table finish on 33 points.

 

Renowned coach Pietro Piselli – an excellent gymnast, despite having a wooden leg – took charge of the team for the 1940/41 season, leading them to 11th place.

 

Luigi Miconi returned as coach for the 1941/42 season, securing a ninth-place finish, while Ferenc Molnar was the man in charge for the majority of the 1942/43 season. The team performed poorly, and Molnar was replaced with Gino Bellotto too late for the latter to steer Udinese clear of the relegation zone. They finished third from bottom on 26 points, their struggles due in part to the inevitable departures of some of their key players, like midfielder Attilio Gallo, full-back Luigi Zorzi and left winger Walter Del Medico, all of whom were sold to AC Milan.

 

The Second World War would disrupt Italian football for the next few seasons, with players returning home to avoid being enlisted by the Germans. The Italian Football Association set up a number of local tournaments to avoid long journeys, with Udinese performing poorly in these under the stewardship of Alfredo Foni.