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| Full name | Asociația Club Sportiv Minerul Lupeni | ||
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| Nicknames |
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| Founded | 1920; 105 years ago (1920) asJiul Lupeni 2021; 4 years ago (2021) asViitorul Minerul Lupeni | ||
| Ground | Minerul | ||
| Capacity | 5,000 | ||
| Owners | Lupeni Municipality Emil Părău | ||
| Chairman | Florin Spînu | ||
| Manager | Aurel Moldovan | ||
| League | Liga III | ||
| 2024–25 | Liga III, Seria IX, 1st | ||
Clubul Sportiv Minerul Lupeni, commonly referred to asMinerul Lupeni, is aRomanianfootball club based inLupeni,Hunedoara County, which competes inLiga III, the third tier of theRomanian football league system. Established in 1920 asJiul Lupeni, the club changed its name several times toPartizanul (1950), Flacăra (1951), Minerul (1953 and 1957) and Energia (1956).[1] Dissolved in 2010, the club fromJiu Valley was re-founded as Viitorul Minerul Lupeni in 2021.
The team of miners from theLupeni coal basin was founded in 1920 as Jiul Lupeni.[1] In 1926, the club merged briefly withCAMP, continuing to play under the name Jiul Lupeni.[2]
In the1927–28 season, theJiu Valley team won the Arad Regional Championship, qualified for the national tournament ofDivizia A, eliminatingRomânia Cluj (2–0) andȘoimii Sibiu (3–0), and reached the final, losing 2–3 toColțea Brașov. The lineup in the final, coached by Adalbert Szabo, featuredIoan Kiss – Eugen Szabados, Rupp – Alexandru Berkessy, Szülle, Gentl – Kertesz,Aurel Guga, Bognar, Joseph Kilianovitz, and Meszner.[2][3]
Renamed Minerul, the team made its first appearance in theCupa României during the1935–36 season, reaching the quarter-finals before being eliminated 2–9 byRipensia Timișoara, the eventual winners.[4] The Miners also played in theinaugural season of thethird division, finishing as runners-up in the Western League and earning promotion toDivizia B at the end of the 1937–38 Divizia C season. That squad featured Sepreny – Sebok, Baki – Maior, Iuliu Peter, Racolțea – Comsloșan, Ilieș, Zelenak, Sorger and Băcilă.[3]
The Red-Blacks spent the next three seasons in thesecond division, finishing 4th in1938–39, 2nd in1939–40, and 6th in1940–41. After theSecond World War, Minerul resumed competition inDivizia B, finishing the1946–47 season in 12th place in Series II.
During the next decade, the Miners remained in the second division, often finishing mid-table or fighting to avoid relegation, 6th in1947–48, 5th in1948–49, 4th in1950 under the name Partizanul, and 11th in1951 as Flacăra. That year, the team avoided relegation due to the relocation ofFlacăra București to Ploiești and the subsequent dissolution of the formerFlacăra Ploiești. Minerul went on to place 10th in1952, 14th in1953 — when the club was renamed again as Minerul — 6th in1954, 9th in both1955 under coach Alexandru Mike, and1956, and 6th in the1957–58 campaign.
At the end of the1958–59 season, Minerul won Series I ofDivizia B and achieved promotion toDivizia A after fifteen seasons in the second division. The squad, managed by head coach Vasile Lazăr and assistant coachAdalbert Pall, included Ioan Kiss II, Simion Plev, Alexandru Coman, Vasile Keresteș, Ștefan Szöke, Ioan Groza, Carol Mihaly, Constantin Cotroază, I. Pall, Mircea Onea,Tudor Paraschiva,Carol Creiniceanu, among others.[5]
With a number of new players such as Teodor Mihalache, Daniel Peretz, Ion Leahovici, Alexandru Dan II, Milea, Alexandru Nisipeanu, Virgil Mihăilă,M. Țurcan, D. Cucu, N. Stanciu, Minerul spent four seasons in thetop flight, finishing three consecutive seasons in 11th place before being relegated after finishing last in the1962–63 season. In1959–60, the Red-Blacks reached the quarter-finals of theCupa României, losing 1–3 toDinamo Obor București.
Minerul Lupeni then spent four more seasons in the second tier, finishing 10th in1963–64 with Ilie Cricitoiu in charge, 4th in1964–65, 11th in1965–66, and 13th in1966–67 under Alexandru Florea, unexpectedly relegated to Divizia C.[3]
The Miners went on to spend nine consecutive seasons in the third tier before returning toDivizia B. During this period, the team placed 5th in1967–68, finished as runners-up in1968–69, and secured 3rd place in the1969–70,1970–71, and1971–72 seasons. In1972–73, under the guidance of coach Teodor Mihalache, Minerul finished 7th and qualified for thefirst round proper of theCupa României, where the team was narrowly eliminated bySteaua București 0–1. The lineup featured Șarpe, Iosif Rus, Șvedak, Gheorghe Burdangiu, Adrian Serafim, Ioan Polgar, Cristache II, Gheorghe Voicu, Lucuța, Constantin Cotroază, Turbatu (83’ Moldovan).[6]
In1973–74, Minerul finished as runners-up once again, followed by a 3rd place in1974–75 under Gheorghe Teodorescu, and finally won Series VII in the1975–76 season, securing promotion. Under the leadership of Gheorghe Kotormány, the promotion-winning squad featured Budușan, Adrian Dodu, Constantin Roșu, Tudor, Alexandru Naidin, Nicolae Boloș, Ioan Dosan, Lucuță, Rusu, Nicșa, Stoinică, Lucian, Gheorghe Voicu, and Gh. Burdangiu.[3]
| Period | Name |
| 1920–1936 | Jiul Lupeni |
| 1936–1950 | Minerul Lupeni |
| 1950–1951 | Partizanul Lupeni |
| 1951–1953 | Flacăra Lupeni |
| 1953–2011 | Minerul Lupeni |
| 2011–2021 | Inactive at senior level* |
| 2021–2024 | Viitorul Minerul Lupeni |
| 2024–present | Minerul Lupeni |
Back inDivizia B, the team competed in Series III, finishing 13th in the1976–77 season withPetre Libardi on the bench and suffering relegation at the end of the following campaign after placing 15th in1977–78, with Libardi replaced by Gheorghe Kotormány after the first half of the season.
Two seasons followed in Series VII of thethird division, with the team finishing as runners-up in1978–79 and earning promotion at the end of the1979–80 campaign by winning the series. The squad, led by Mihai Basarab and his assistant Constantin Cotroază, included S. Homan, Grigore, Leordean, Truică, Gh. Burdangiu, Dumitru, I. Popa, N. Boloș, I. Marian, I. Dosan, P. Popa, Moraru, Voicu, R. Leca, Covaci, Iacob, Tudor, Sămăreanu,L. Burchel, and Bălosu.[3]Two more seasons followed in Series III of Divizia B, where Minerul placed 10th in the1980–81 season and 16th in1981–82, resulting in another relegation to the third tier.[3]
Minerul managed a new promotion at the end of the1982–83 season, winning Series IX of Divizia C with Petre Libardi on the bench. The squad included Lixandru, D. Teleche, Rusu, Sebestyen, I. Popa, Truică, Mușat, Voicu, Sălăjean, P. Popa, V. Nichimiș, Cean, Colceag, Chitac, Dordea, Grigore, Pantilimon, Ene, S. Henzel, Morar, Vînătoru, Dina, and Căldărar.[3]
In the2004–05 season, Minerul Lupeni won Series VII of Divizia C and returned to Divizia B after nineteen years of absence. The squad, coached by Iosif Rus, included Ardelean, I. Botezatu – Dobra, L. Lumperdean, Câmpean, Drăghici, Pilea, Francisc Acs, Cr. Barbu, Amaximoaie – R. Cișmariu, Damian, I. Radu, Baroană, M. Szoradi, R. Daj, L. Toader, S. Noață – Diaconescu, Elisei, Tr. Barbu, M. Ciorea, and V. Stancu.[7]
In the2005–06 season of Divizia B, following a reorganization of the league system, no fewer than six teams were to be relegated from each of the three series. Minerul began well withAdrian Matei on the bench, but the second half of the season began withGabriel Stan, who lasted only five rounds. He was followed by Iosif Rus, and after three more matches, from round 23 onward, Dan Mănăilă took over. Lupeni secured safety after the final matchday, finishing 10th. Standout players that season included A. Urai, C. Luca,Fl. Boroncoi, V. Stancu,L. Itu, Mihovici, T. Török, and M. Bălău.[7]The Red-Blacks continued to compete in Series II of the second division, ranking 5th in the2006–07 season under Dan Mănăilă, 12th in2007–08 with Marin Tudorache in charge.[8]
Tudorache was dismissed in September 2008 after a home defeat toJiul Petroșani, and was replaced byIon Dumitra and assistant coach Iosif Rus as interims.[9] Since neither held the required coaching licenses,Carol Creiniceanu was appointed as the official head coach at the beginning of November 2008. However, Creiniceanu underwent surgery in December and was unable to lead the team.[10] Dumitra and Rus resumed control and led the team until the end of the campaign, finishing 8th in the2008–09.That season, Minerul also reached the Round of 32 in theCupa României, losing 0–4 toUnirea Urziceni. The squad includedN. Bănică,I. Dragomir,C. Irina, R. Pocian, C. Bar,I. Dumitra, R. Daj,O. Nicorec, M. Roman, S. Chițu, Al. Vlăduți. Substitutes: G. Ciucă, I. Murdărea, Dragoș Militaru, B. Iambor, V. Apostol, B. Bozian, D. Ișfan.[11]
In the2009–10 season, Minerul finished 12th, and midway through the2010–11 season withdrew from the competition and was effectively dissolved.[12]
In the fall of 2021, former captain Adrian Lumperdean, together with his brother Emil Lumperdean and their nephew Lucu Lumperdean, revived the football tradition in Lupeni by founding Viitorul Minerul Lupeni.[13]
Initially, the Lumperdean family, with support from the local authorities, relaunched the club by forming youth and junior teams. Later, the senior team was entered in the2022–23 season ofLiga IV – Hunedoara County. Coached by Dan Voicu, the Red-Blacks finished 1st in the regular season and 2nd after the conclusion of the Final Four.
In thefollowing campaign, the team changed its name to Minerul Lupeni, finishing 2nd in the regular season and winning the county title at the end of the Final Four play-off, which secured their place in the promotion play-off.[14] The team led by Dan Voicu lost to Viitorul Arad after a 0–0 draw away and a 0–3 defeat at home. The squad included Fl. Raț, A. Tonca, Mazilu, Ciocîrlan, Matei, Arcuși, S. Prem, M. Bănceanu, D. Creciunesc, B. Iepure, Belei, Harangozo, Băcăran, D. Mândreci, Sllio, Roșian, Maria, Glăvan, and S. Popescu.[15][16]
However, the team was accepted intoLiga III due to the withdrawal of other clubs.[17][18] In the2024–25 campaign, under the leadership of Aurel Moldovan, Minerul ranked 2nd in the regular season and 1st after the play-off round of Series IX, qualifying for the promotion play-off, where it lost in the first round againstCSM Olimpia Satu Mare.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Board of directors[edit]
| Current technical staff[edit]
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The footballers mentioned below have played at least 1 season for Minerul Lupeni and also played inLiga I for another team.
Ion Bălănescu (1960–1961) Teodor Mihalache (1972–1973)Petre Libardi (1976–1977)Adrian Matei (2004–2006)Gabriel Stan (2005–2006) Dan Mănăilă (2006–2007)Marin Tudorache (2007–2008)Ion Dumitra (2008)Petre Gigiu (2009–2010)Ionel Augustin (2010) Dan Voicu (2022–2024) Vasile Lazăr Gheorghe KotormányGogu Tonca
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