| Full name | CFR Arad | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | |||
| Short name | CFR | ||
| Founded | 1921 | ||
| Dissolved | 1999 | ||
| Ground | CFR Stadium | ||
Club Sportiv CFR Arad, commonly known asCFR Arad was aRomanianfootball club based inArad. Founded in 1921,[1] the club underwent several mergers and name changes throughout its history. In 1922, it merged with Gloria Arad to formGloria CFR Arad, a team that went on to achieve notable success, including reaching the final of the1929–30National Championship season. However, in 1934, the two clubs separated and continued as independent entities.[2][3]
After the split, CFR Arad mostly competed in thesecond andthird tiers ofRomanian football, managing to reach the quarter-finals of theCupa României in both the1940–41 and1950 seasons.[4][5]
CFR Arad was founded in 1921.[1] and, just one year later, merged withGloria Arad, a club established in 1913, which, under the name Gloria CFR Arad, achieved its best performances by reaching the final ofNational Championship in the1929–30 season. However, in 1934, after twelve years, the club split into Gloria Arad and CFR Arad. Following the separation, CFR returned to competing in the regional championships, while Gloria Arad experienced its peak years in the Romanian top flight.[2][3]
CFR Arad earned promotion toDivizia B at the end of the 1939–40 season. Renamed Crișana CFR Arad, it competed in Series I during the1940–41 season, finishing 8th,[6] and reached the quarter-finals of theCupa României, where it was eliminated byVenus București 0–3.[4] Football activity was suspended duringWorld War II, and after competitions resumed, CFR was assigned again to Divizia B, finishing 6th in Series I in the1946–47 season, 5th in Series III in1947–48, and 7th in Series II in1948–49.[7]
In1950, the club was renamed Locomotiva Arad and continued in Series II of thesecond division, finishing 10th and reaching the quarterfinals of theCupa României, where it lost 0–1 toLocomotiva Sibiu.[5] In1951 it narrowly avoided relegation on goal difference, ending in 10th place, tied on points withMinerul Lupeni, and reached the Round of 32 in theCupa României, losing 1–4 toFlamura Roșie Arad.[8]
The1952 season brought a strong campaign, ending with a 3rd-place finish and aCupa României that ended in the Round of 16, after a 0–1 loss in extra time toProgresul Oradea.[9] In1953, CFR ranked 6th, and in1954, it finished 8th while also qualifying forCupa României's Round of 32, where it was again eliminated byFlamura Roșie Arad, this time with a 0–1 defeat.[10] In1955, CFR ended the season in 5th place. Thefollowing year, it was moved to Series I and once again finished 5th. The Railwaymen reached the Round of 32 in theCupa României, where they lost 2–5 toLocomotiva Timișoara. The lineup comprised Bătrîn — Florescu, Popescu, Meszaroș — Tudoroiu, Blaj — Bacoș, Don, Ioanovici, Stan, and Tomescu.[11]
In 1957, the club reverted to the name CFR Arad and finished the1957–58 season in 8th place, followed by a 6th-place finish in1958–59. At the end of the1959–60 campaign, the Railwaymen were relegated to the regional championship after finishing 13th in Series III. CFR Arad quickly bounced back, winning Series I of theBanat Regional Championship in thefollowing season and defeating Metalul Oțelu Roșu (0–1 away and 2–0 at home) in the championship final. It then topped the promotion play-off series held inSibiu, returning toDivizia B.[12][13]
In the1961–62 season, CFR competed in Series III of Divizia B and finished 10th. Thefollowing year, now renamed CFR–IRTA Arad,[14] and coached by Francisc Dvorszak, the team finished last in its series and was relegated to the newly re-establishedDivizia C. Assigned to the West Series, CFR finished 5th in the1963–64 season and claimed 1st place under Dvorszak in1964–65, earning promotion once more.[15]
In Divizia B,Arădenii competed in Series II and finished 10th in the1965–66 season, 12th in1966–67, 7th in1967–68, 5th in1968–69, 14th in1969–70, and 9th in1970–71,[17] a season in which they also reached the Round of 32 in theCupa României, losing 0–3 toFC Argeș with the lineup Wesser, Cotarcă (60' Kukla), Bermozer, Alexandru, Cociuban, Gligor, Vlad, Beșcuca, Gyenge, Butaș (46' Körösi), Czako I.[18] In1971–72, CFR finished 4th, followed by a disappointing 14th-place finish in the1972–73 season.[17][19]
In 1973, the club merged once again, this time withVagonul Arad, competing under the names Unirea Arad and Rapid Arad until 1978. That year, CFR Arad split off again, merged with Constructorul Arad, was renamed CFR Constructorul Arad, and took over its place in Divizia C, competing in Series IX and finishing in 7th place during the1978–79 season.[1][20][21]
In 1979, the club dropped the Constructorul name, reverted to its original CFR Arad, and continued to compete in the third division under head coach Antoniu Bacoș, ranking 4th in Series IX in the1979–80 season.[22] The Railwaymen went on to place 7th in Series VIII in1980–81 and finish as runners-up in Series IX in1981–82. Between 1982 and 1984, the team was coached bySilviu Iorgulescu, placing 9th in Series VIII in1982–83 and 13th in Series IX in1983–84, before being relegated at the end of the1984–85 season after finishing last in Series VIII.[17]
CFR won the 1985–86Arad County Championship but lost the promotion play-off againstTârnavele Blaj, suffering a two-legged defeat (1–3 away, 0–2 at home). The lineup included Buruian, Bășcărău, Kimak, Roșca, Bagosi (Schwartzkopf), Nicolovici (Cohan), Bădin, Caracioni, Melnic, Găman, and Pătroi.[23][24]
In the following seasons, they finished as runners-up in1986–87 and1988–89, and won the county title in 1989–90 season, earning promotion to Divizia C after a play-off against theTimiș County champions, Electromotor Timișoara (3–0 at home and 0–2 away). The squad consisted of Huțan – Barb, Tamaș, Moț, Dănăilă, Bran, Caracioni (Mărușter), Sziklar, Viszhanyo (Drida), Seviciu, and Anghel.[25] However, the Railwaymen lastedonly one season in the third tier, finishing last in Series XII and being relegated back to thefourth division.[26] After finishing 3rd in Series A of the Arad County Championship, the club was relegated to the fifth tier at the end of the1994–95 season.[27][28]
Ioan Reinhardt (1953–1956) Francisc Dvorszak (1962–1965)Silviu Iorgulescu (1982–1984) Ilie Don Antoniu Bacoș
