FC Politehnica Timișoara
Dan Păltinișanu | |||
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Fotbal Club Politehnica Timișoara (Romanian pronunciation: [poliˈtehnika timiˈʃo̯ara]), commonly known as Politehnica Timișoara or simply Poli Timișoara, was a Romanian football club from Timișoara, Timiș County, established in 1921[1] and dissolved in 2012. During its existence, the team won two Cupa României trophies and was twice runner-up in the Liga I. It amassed 49 seasons in the latter competition.
Named after and initially run by the
Politehnica obtained its highest result in the national championship after finishing second in the 2008–09 Liga I. It repeated the performance in the 2010–11 season, but was relegated after not being able to obtain a new participation license due to unpaid debts, and was eventually dissolved in 2012.
Following Politehnica Timișoara's dissolution, two entities claimed to be its moral successors—ACS Poli Timișoara and SSU Politehnica Timișoara. The Polytechnic University, the owner of the brand and all of FC Politehnica records, ceased these for free use to ACS Poli between 2012 and 2021, but then moved them to SSU Politehnica starting from 2021. SSU also inherited the old club's fanbase since inception.
History
Beginnings and lower leagues (1921–1945)
The club was founded in 1921 by the
Its initial aim was to provide an opportunity for university students to work on their fitness within a competitive environment. The logistics of the sport proved problematic, as there were limited financial means available. Thanks to contributions gathered from university professors and employees, the club bought their first football kits, with white-black vertical stripes, and rented the "Patria" football stadium. It was not until 1928 that the club developed its own training grounds, "Politehnica", which were built by volunteers. Players for the team were chosen on merit from the pool of Timișoara students and high-schoolers, who trained after school hours during the week and played football on weekends. The football landscape in the city was already developed at that time, with CAT, RGMT and Chinezul dominating locally.[2]
After spending three years in the District Championships II, Politehnica won promotion to the first tier in 1924, by defeating Kadima Timișoara. The club became established in the years to come, even finishing 2nd in the 1926–27 District Championships I, when Politehnica lost out to Chinezul by a single point, who were one of Romania's most famous football names at the time. However, the competitive level could not be easily sustained by a university club, as it was subject to the inflow and outflow of players conditioned by their student status. After a decline towards the end of the decade, the low-point came at the beginning of the 1930s, between 1931 and 1933, when due to insufficient material resources, Politehnica had to suspend its football activities.
Until the second World War, Politehnica was far from the number one Timișoara football club. Chinezul and then Ripensia won multiple Romanian championship, whereas the students' club failed to achieve similar results.[3] It did, however, propel several players to the Romania national football team, with the likes of Sfera, Ignuţa, Deheleanu, Chiroiu, Pop, Protopopescu and Sepi all wearing the national jerseys.[4]
Becoming one of the city's notable clubs (1945–1991)
With Romania under a communist regime, these decades were a challenge for Politehnica, as the club represented an educational institution of the highest tier. The numerous promotions and relegations between the first two national leagues were contrasted by the two Romanian cups won and the club's first forays into international football.[2]
Politehnica was first promoted to Romanian top league, the
The next decade saw the club struggle to remain in the first league, particularly towards the end of the 60s. However, it was then that the club's modern identity started taking shape. Firstly, in 1963, the largest stadium in Timişoara was completed. It was initially named "1 Mai", honoring the
When Politehnica returned to the first league in 1973, after struggling to win promotion for several years, it went on to celebrate one of its best streaks in the top flight. With the likes of
The club remained steady and managed to win its
After being relegated in 1983, Politehnica yo-yo-ed between Divizia A and the Divizia B, with promotions in 1984,[15] 1987,[16] 1989[17] and relegations in 1986[18] and 1988.[19] Fans ironically called this period as the 'ABBA years'. As the Romanian Revolution, which started in Timișoara, signalled the end of an era, Politehnica managed to grab its most impressive result yet in European competitions, by eliminating Atlético Madrid (2–0 and 0–1) in the 1990–91 UEFA Cup.[20]
After privatisation (1991–2001)
By state order, all public institutions were forced to relinquish and reorganize any owned sports clubs in 1991, to effectively privatize them. As a result, alongside the newly organized football club appeared a non-profit association, AFC Politehnica Timișoara.[21] The latter, consisting of previous club players and staff, was mandated with owning and protecting the club records and intellectual property.[22]
The club's swan song near the top of Romanian football for the next decade was to be the 1991–92 season. Poli finished 5th and also reached the
An inability to rebound lead to mounting financial pressures. The club was temporarily owned by a Timișoara based businessman between 1998 and 2000, before the local authorities accepted the bid of an Italian investor, Claudio Zambon, to take over Politehnica.
Identity crisis, glory years and downfall (2002–2012)
In 2002, AEK Bucharest were promoted to Liga I, Romanian football's top division, for the first time,[28] whereupon Anton Doboș, the club's owner, moved it to Timișoara.[2] It was renamed Politehnica AEK Timișoara after merging with CSU Politehnica, a club owned and run by the Politehnica University, and received the full support of local authorities and white-purple fans. After a rocky first season, which required a spectacular relegation play-off against Gloria Buzău[29] to avoid demotion, Poli AEK consolidated during the next season, finishing on a safe mid-table position. Moreover, starting with the 2004–05 season, the team changed its name to FCU Politehnica Timișoara, trying to reestablish its former identity.[30]
Financially difficulties looming, Politehnica changed ownership once more. Former president Anton Doboș stayed on at the club for another year in a new position, while Balkan Petroleum Ltd., owned by Marian Iancu, took full charge. Significant investments in the transfer market transformed the club overnight, as it received the nickname "EuroPoli" for its newly found ambitions to reach the top of Romanian football.[2]
During the takeover by Marian Iancu, a dispute regarding the proprietary rights for the club name, colors and records arose. After prolonged litigation, Politehnica was forced to change its name to FC Timișoara, following a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.[2] It was deemed that the colors and records dating before 2002 were lost in favor of former Politehnica Timișoara owner, Claudio Zambon.[2] The Italian had struck a deal with AFC Politehnica, the non-profit association which owned said proprietary items, when he left Timișoara during the 2001–02 season.[2][31]
Results on the pitch improved immediately after the takeover, but a leap to the Liga 1 podium proved elusive until 2008–09, when Politehnica finished runner-up, a feat repeated two seasons later. The club did, however, rejoin European football the season before that by qualifying for the
In November 2010, the Romanian Court of Appeal returned Politehnica's name, colors and records to FC Timișoara.[2][35]
Despite finishing second in the
The Romanian Football Federation announced before the start of the 2021–22 Liga II championship, that the Polytechnic University of Timișoara, the owner of the logo, history and all of Politehnica Timișoara's football records, approves the use of these by SSU Politehnica Timișoara.[2] So from a legal point of view, from now on, this team will be considered as the official and legal successor of the old FC Politehnica Timișoara team.[2]
Support
Historically, Poli has been the most prominent football club in Timișoara after 1945, playing consistently in either the first or the second tier of Romanian football. Local rivalries with
were relevant until the early 2000s. Afterwards, the former was relegated to a semi-professional status in the lower leagues and the latter was dissolved in 2008.Nationally, Politehnica Timișoara's most important rivalries were the ones with
Honours
Domestic
Leagues
Cups
European record
Competition | S | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UEFA Champions League / European Cup | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 |
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup / European Cup Winners' Cup | 2 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 11 | −6 |
UEFA Europa League / UEFA Cup | 6 | 22 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 20 | 38 | −18 |
Total | 9 | 32 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 27 | 53 | −26 |
Players
Most capped players
# | Name | Career | Matches | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sorin Vlaicu | 1987–2001 | 288 | 29 |
2 | Simion Surdan | 1963–1975 | 282 | 58 |
3 | Constantin Varga | 1986–1999 | 274 | 71 |
4 | Dan Păltinișanu | 1970–1985 | 271 | 24 |
5 | Stelian Anghel | 1974–1984 | 262 | 72 |
6 | Adrian Stoicov | 1987–1998 | 246 | 3 |
7 | Iosif Lereter | 1957–1967 | 227 | 89 |
8 | Gheorghe Șerbănoiu | 1975–1984 | 222 | 13 |
9 | Aurel Șunda | 1979–1987 | 218 | 10 |
10 | Emerich Dembrovschi | 1966–1981 | 208 | 51 |
Notable former players
See also
References
- ^ a b "History". fcupoli.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "Poli Timișoara, centenar tumultuos "Înainte de '89, trebuia să fii ori cu Dinamo, ori cu Steaua. Poli a refuzat prostituția sportivă"" [Poli Timișoara, tumultuous centenary "Before '89, you had to be with either Dinamo or Steaua. Poli refused sports prostitution"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 4 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- ^ "Romania – List of Champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
- ^ Jiva, Mircea (1973). Haide "Poli"!. Bucuresti: Editura Stadion. pp. 18–26.
- ^ "Season 1947–48". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Season 1948–49". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Season 1950". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Season 1951". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Season 1952". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Season 1958–59". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ a b "History of Poli". Tempo Poli.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Season 1966–67". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "1970–1980". StatisticiFotbal.ro. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ a b "1980–1990". StatisticiFotbal.ro. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ "Season 1983–84". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Season 1986–87". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Season 1988–89". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Season 1985–86". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Season 1987–88". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ a b "1990–2000". StatisticiFotbal.ro. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ "Boiţ: "Crăciun i-a dat palmaresul lui Zambon!"". Retrieved 4 December 2017.
- ^ "Poli – transfer de identitate!". ProSport. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
- ^ "Season 1993–94". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Season 1995-95". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Season 1996–97". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Vinovaţi în afacerea Poli-Claudio Zambon". 8 September 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
- ^ "Ioan Carțiș: "Am încredere că se va căuta soluția cea mai bună"". 28 June 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
- ^ "Season 2001–02". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Poli remaining in Divizia A". Agenda. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008.
- ^ "Season 2004–05". RomanianSoccer.ro.
- ^ "Arbitration CAS 2006/A/1109" (PDF). Court of Arbitration for Sport. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 October 2011.
- ^ "Poli qualified to UEFA Cup after 16 years". Realitatea TV. Archived from the original on 4 February 2011.
- ^ "Poli qualified in UEFA Champions League". Timpul. 22 May 2011.
- ^ "2000–2010". StatisticiFotbal.ro. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ "comunicare" (PDF). Opinia Timişoarei.
- ^ "13 cluburi din Liga I au primit licenţa pentru sezonul 2011–2012". FRF. 31 May 2011. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013.
- ^ "CFR Timișoara, legendă a fotbalului bănățean". Ripensia Sport Magazin. 3 August 2016.
- ^ "Poveste UMT-ului". Ripensia Sport Magazin. 27 January 2016.
- ^ "Fan friendship". Tempo Poli. [permanent dead link]