U Cluj
3348177
223955745
2008-07-06T18:05:37Z
Lightbot
7178666
Units/dates/other
{{Football club infobox |
clubname = "U" Cluj |
image = [[Image:Cfmuniversitateacluj.png|150px]] |
fullname = CFM Universitatea Cluj-Napoca |
nickname = ''şepcile roşii (red caps)''|
founded = September, 1919 |
ground = [[Ion Moina Stadium]], [[Cluj-Napoca]]|
capacity = 28,000 |
chairman = {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Anton Doboş]] |
manager = {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Alpar Meszaros]] |
league = [[Liga II]] |
season = [[Liga I 2007-08|2007-08]] |
position = Liga I, '''18th'''|
shirtsupplier = [[Diadora]] |
shirtsponsors = [[Banca Transilvania]]|
pattern_la1=_black_stripes|pattern_b1=_stripesonblack2|pattern_ra1=_black_stripes|
leftarm1=FFFFFF|body1=FFFFFF|rightarm1=FFFFFF|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=FFFFFF|
pattern_la2=_black_stripes|pattern_b2=_stripesonblack2|pattern_ra2=_black_stripes|
leftarm2=FF0000|body2=FF0000|rightarm2=FF0000|shorts2=000000|socks2=000000|
}}
'''"U" Cluj''' is the common name of a [[sports club]] from the city of [[Cluj-Napoca]], [[Romania]]. The name of the club is actually '''C.S. Universitatea Cluj-Napoca'''. The most important sections of the club are those of [[football]], [[Rugby football|rugby]], [[basketball]], [[handball]], [[volleyball]] and [[Athletics (track and field)|athletics]]. Traditionally, the players of the "U" Cluj teams are nicknamed '''şepcile roşii (red caps)''', from the red caps that the students from the city’s Faculty of Medicine used to wear.
In 1994 the [[football]] section of the club, that is now named '''C.F.M. Universitatea Cluj-Napoca''' was separated from the main club and became a professional football club.
==History==
The '''Universitatea''' sports club of [[Cluj-Napoca]] was founded in September 1919 by the "Sports Society of University Students" ([[Romanian language|Romanian]]: Societatea Sportivă a Studenţilor Universitari). Its first chairman was Prof. Iuliu Haţieganu, famous doctor and politician (PNTCD).
In the early years of its existence "U" Cluj only played in some local competitions, as at the time there was not any football championship at a national level. The team played the final of the “Mara Cup” in 1923 against [[Chinezul| Chinezul Timişoara]] (0-2).
"U" played in the Romanian national football championship [[Divizia A]] from 1932, when [[Divizia A]] was created. In this first season “U” finished first in its group and played the championship final against Ripensia Timişoara (0-0 and 3-5).
In the first season of the [[Romanian Cup]], in 1933-1934, “U” managed to get to the final, where it lost against Ripensia Timişoara (0-5).
In 1940 "U" had to move from [[Cluj-Napoca|Cluj]] to [[Sibiu]] as a result of the [[Second Vienna Award]], when the northern part of [[Transylvania]] was ceded to [[Hungary]]. In 1942, “U” played the final of the [[Romanian Cup]] for a second time, and lost against [[Rapid Bucureşti]] (1-7).
In 1945, after the end of the [[Second World War]] and the return of the northern part of [[Transylvania]] to [[Romania]], “U” returned to its home in [[Cluj-Napoca]].
In 1946 the name of the club was changed to '''Ştiinţa Cluj''' ([[English language|English]]: Science Cluj). In 1949 the team reached the final of the [[Romanian Cup]] for the third time, but it was once again beaten, this time by CSCA Bucureşti, now called [[Steaua Bucureşti]] (1-2).
At the end of the 1950s and the beginning of the 1960s, the manager of the team was [[Stefan Kovacs| Ştefan (Pisti) Covaci]], a very famous Romanian coach who later became the manager of [[Ajax Amsterdam]]. He was the first Romanian to coach a famous European football club.
In 1964-1965, “U” won the [[Romanian Cup]] and this remained the greatest performance of the club until these days.
In 1966 the name of the team was changed back to “U”. At the end of the 1972–1973 season, “U” found itself in the best position in the Romanian Championship [[Divizia A]] after the [[Second World War]], as it finished third in the league table, with the same number of points as the second placed team.
In 1998, “U” reached the final of [[Cupa Ligii]] but lost to [[FCM Bacău]].
In 1999, “U” was relegated into the second Romanian division, [[Divizia B]] and in 2000 it was relegated for the first time in its history into the third division, [[Liga III| Divizia C]]. Luckily, it only played one season into the third division, as in 2001 it was promoted back to [[Divizia B]]. The manager of the team at the time was the ex-Romanian international, Ioan Ovidiu Sabău who started playing football in the 1980s at "U" Cluj.
In 2005, the new objective became promotion to the first league. Unfortunately, under coach Leo Grozavu, who oftenly played highly defensive football, the team made many nil draws and the team lost second place (promotion play-off) by a point, though in the last match days they won 4-0 with the first place and the third, and 3-2 (after leading 3-0) with the 2nd place.
In the beginning of the 2006–2007 season, a new manager was brought, [[Adrian Falub]], who had never coached before yet had played over 220 matches for "U" Cluj in the first league. Under his lead, the team had a poor season early and even reached 8th position. Yet, the moment passed and the team installed itself on 1st position often separated by over 6 points to the next position. In 19th May 2007, virtual promotion was achieved after a 0-0 draw against second place contender [[Dacia Mioveni]], and thus, 3 weeks before the final match day, "U" ended the 8-year spell in the lower divisions returning to the first league, for the 52nd season in history.
==Stadium==
[[Image:Stadionul Ion Moina.JPG|thumb|right|Ion Moina Stadium]]
The first [[football]] and [[Athletics (track and field)|athletics]] stadium in [[Cluj-Napoca]] was built between 1908 and 1911 and had a capacity of 1,500. The official inauguration in 1911 was done by organizing a game between a [[Cluj-Napoca]] team and [[Galatasaray S.K.|Galatasaray]] [[Istanbul]]. It was the first game in [[Europe]] for [[Galatasaray S.K.|Galatasaray]], and the Cluj team won 8-1.
In 1961 new stands were built and the capacity of the stadium became 28,000. The new stands have an U-shaped appearance, as the name of the team that uses it.
When the team relegated to Divizia C in 2000, over half the stadium was declared structurally unsafe for hosting matches and was closed, so the stadium was left with only around 12-13,000 places. Yet, once in a match against well supported Bucharest side Steaua in the Romanian Cup on 13th October 2004, there were over 16,000 spectators attending, because many people had jumped over the bars for sector separation.
In early 2006, when the team was a promotion candidate, the problem of building a new stadium was raised, yet even now, after lots of arguments, a solid plan has not been made up, mainly due to disagreements between the local city and county councils. The conflict was mainly caused by the value of the land which the stadium was on.
==Honours==
* [[Romanian Cup]] holders: 1964-1965
* [[Romanian Cup]] finalists: 1933-1934, 1941-1942, 1948-1949
* Romanian Championship [[Divizia A]] runners-up: 1932-1933
* Romanian Championship [[Divizia A]] third place: 1933-1934, 1971-1972
* [[Cupa Ligii]] finalists: 1998
* UEFA [[Cup Winners' Cup]] last 16: 1965-1966
* [[UEFA Cup]] first round: 1972-1973
* UEFA [[Intertoto Cup]] groups: 1995-1996
The “U” Cluj Under 21 and Junior teams have been always among the best in the country and they won several National Championship titles:
* The Under 21’s were Romanian champions 3 times in: 1962-1963, 1970-1971, 1971-1972
* The Under 21’s were Romanian champions 8 times in: 1955, 1956, 1964-1965, 1966-1967, 1968-1969, 1971-1972, 1973-1974, 2000-2001
==Current first team squad==
''As of [[25 June]] [[2008]].''
{| style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; width: 180px; border: #99B3FF solid 1px"
|-----
| align="center" | <small>
|-----
| <div style="position: relative;">
[[Image:Univclujsquad.jpg|211px]]
{{Image label|x=0.24|y=0.15|scale=350|text=<font size=1 color="Black">[[Pieter Merlier|'''33 Merlier'''<br/>]]</font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.14|y=0.26|scale=350|text=<font size=1 color="Black">[[Zsolt Szilágyi|'''TBD Szilágyi'''<br/>]]</font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.34|y=0.26|scale=350|text=<font size=1 color="Black">[[Andrei Cordoş|'''2 Cordoş'''<br/>]]</font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.42|y=0.31|scale=350|text=<font size=1 color="Black">[[Milan Jovanović (born 1983)|'''24 Jovanović'''<br/>]]</font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.02|y=0.31|scale=350|text=<font size=1 color="Black">[[Bogdan Unguruşan|'''18 Unguruşan'''<br/>]]</font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.33|y=0.42|scale=350|text=<font size=1 color="Black">[[Zeno Bundea|'''22
Bundea'''<br/>]]</font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.18|y=0.42|scale=350|text=<font size=1 color="Black">[[Laurenţiu Buş|'''7
Buş'''<br/>]]</font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.02|y=0.47|scale=350|text=<font size=1 color="Black">[[Petre Budean|'''78 Budeanu'''<br/>]]</font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.47|y=0.47|scale=350|text=<font size=1 color="Black">[[Alin Mircea Savu|'''20 Savu'''<br/>]]</font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.08|y=0.61|scale=350|text=<font size=1 color="Black">[[Viorel Sântejudean|'''TBD Sântejudean'''<br/>]]</font>}}
{{Image label|x=0.36|y=0.61|scale=350|text=<font size=1 color="Black">[[Flavius Băd|'''15 Băd'''<br/>]]</font>}}
</div>
|}
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player | no=1 | nat=Romania | pos=GK | name= [[Călin Moldovan]]}}
{{Fs player | no=2 | nat=Romania | pos=DF | name= [[Andrei Cordoş]]}}
{{Fs player | no=5 | nat=Romania | pos=MF | name= [[Bogdan Dolha]]}}
{{Fs player | no=7 | nat=Romania | pos=MF | name= [[Laurenţiu Buş]]}}
{{Fs player | no=12 | nat=Romania | pos=GK | name= [[Mircea Oltean]]}}
{{Fs player | no=15 | nat=Romania | pos=FW | name= [[Flavius Băd]]}}
{{Fs player | no=16 | nat=Romania | pos=MF | name= [[Rareş Soporan]]}}
{{Fs player | no=18 | nat=Romania | pos=DF | name= [[Bogdan Unguruşan]]}}
{{Fs player | no=20 | nat=Romania | pos=MF | name= [[Alin Mircea Savu|Alin Savu]]}}
{{Fs player | no=21 | nat=Brazil | pos=MF | name= [[Edvan do Nascimento]]}}
{{Fs player | no=22 | nat=Romania | pos=MF | name= [[Zeno Bundea]]}}
{{Fs player | no=24 | nat=Montenegro | pos=DF | name= [[Milan Jovanović (born 1983)|Milan Jovanović]]}}
{{Fs player | no=30 | nat=Romania | pos=DF | name= [[George Şoltuz]]}}
{{Fs player | no=33 | nat=Belgium | pos=GK | name= [[Pieter Merlier]]}}
{{Fs player | no=78 | nat=Romania | pos=MF | name= [[Petre Budean]]}}
{{football squad mid}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=GK | name= [[Bogdan Fărcaş]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=DF | name= [[Zsolt Szilágyi]]|other=[[captain (football)|captain]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=DF | name= [[Tudor Dobrău]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=DF | name= [[Cosmin Cruşoveanu]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=MF | name= [[Valeriu Matiş]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=MF | name= [[Marius Morar]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=MF | name= [[Robert Villand]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=MF | name= [[Paul Ţene]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=MF | name= [[Dan Văscan]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=MF | name= [[Gheorghe Tăut]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=FW | name= [[Ciprian Suciu]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=FW | name= [[Călin Vădana]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=FW | name= [[Adrian Borza]]}}
{{Fs player | no=TBD | nat=Romania | pos=FW | name= [[Viorel Sântejudean]]}}
{{Fs end}}
===Squad Changes during the 2008/09 Season===
'''In'''
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Bogdan Fărcaş]] - back from loan;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Zsolt Szilágyi]] - back after injury;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Tudor Dobrău]] - back from loan;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Cosmin Cruşoveanu]] - back from loan;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Valeriu Matiş]] - from juniors;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Marius Morar]] - back from loan;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Robert Villand]] - back from loan;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Paul Tene]] - from juniors;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Dan Văscan]] - back from loan;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Gheorghe Tăut]] - back from loan;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Ciprian Suciu]] - back from loan;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Călin Vădana]] - back from loan;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Adrian Borza]] - back from loan;
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Viorel Sântejudean]] - back from loan;
'''Out'''
* {{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Andre Astorga]];
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Sorin Rădoi]];
* {{flagicon|Serbia}} [[Nemanja Jovanović]] to ''[[FC Vaslui]]'';
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Dorin Goga]] to ''[[Politehnica 1921 Ştiinţa Timişoara|Poli Timişoara]]'';
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Claudiu Răducanu]];
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Cristian Dancia]] to ''[[CS Otopeni]]'';
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Marius Suller]];
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Gigel Coman]];
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Cristian Silvăşan]];
* {{flagicon|France}} [[Fabien Boudarène]] to ''[[Vannes OC]]'';
* {{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Erison da Silva Santos|Bayano]];
* {{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Fábio Bilica]];
* {{flagicon|Romania}} [[Radu Sabo]].
==Great players of all times==
Lazăr Sfera, Sepi Graţian, Orza, Andrei Sepci, Sever Coracu, Tony Dascălu, Mircea Luca, Medrea brothers, Viorel Mateianu, [[Zoli Ivansuc]], [[Petru Emil]], Remus Câmpeanu, Traian Georgescu, Mircea Neşu, [[Dan Anca]], Mihai Adam, Alexa Uifăleanu, Solomon, Mustăţea, Câmpeanu II, Marcel Coras, Ciocan, Tegean, Batacliu, Marcel Lăzăreanu, Viorel Mureşan, Dobrău, Dobrotă, Muzsnai, [[Florin Prunea]], Zoltán Iasko, Meszaros, [[Anton Doboş]], Cristinel Pojar, Andrei Zanc, [[Ioan Ovidiu Sabău]], Horaţiu Cioloboc, Zoltán Ritli, Zoltan Kadar, Vasile Brătianu II, [[Adrian Falub]], [[Cristian Dulca]], [[Cristian Coroian]], [[Alin Minteuan]], Francisc Dican, Ovidiu Maier, Marius Predatu, [[Tiberiu Bălan]], [[Liviu Mihai]], George Florescu, [[Răzvan Cociş]], [[Gabriel Giurgiu]], [[János Székely (football)|János Székely]], [[Gabriel Jula]], [[Zsolt Szilágyi]]
==Supporters==
[[Image:Uclujsuporteri.jpg|thumb|right|”U” Cluj supporters during a Second Division game]]
“U” has many supporters in [[Cluj-Napoca]], but also in some other parts of [[Romania]], especially in [[Transylvania]]. One of the reasons for the team’s popularity is that in [[Cluj-Napoca]] there are some of the most important Romanian universities, including the [[Babes-Bolyai University]], the largest in the country with more than 45,000 students. The majority of the ex-students of these universities remain “U” Cluj supporters even after their graduation when they spread all-over the country.
The ultras groups of "U" Cluj are: UCG (Ultra Curva Groapa), Ultras 19, Fanatics, Boys, F.O.R.T. , Kamikaze Girls and others.
==Contact==
Address: '''P-ţa Lucian Blaga, nr.1, Cluj-Napoca, Romania'''
==Old crests==
<gallery>
Image:Stiinta-Cluj.png|Old crest
Image:Stiinta-Cluj1.png|Old crest
Image:Fcuclujlogo.png|Old crest
Image:Universitatea-Cluj1.png|Old crest
</gallery>
==External links==
*[http://www.universitateacluj.ro CFM Universitatea Cluj official web page]
*[http://www.ucluj.ro Universitatea Cluj supporters web page]
*[http://www.sepcile-rosii.com Şepcile roşii (Red caps)]
*[http://www.cronicabestiala.sepcile-rosii.com/ Cronica Bestiala]
{{fb start}}
{{Ro Divizia A}}
{{Football in Romania}}
{{fb end}}
[[Category:Football (soccer) clubs established in 1919]]
[[Category:Romanian football clubs]]
[[Category:Cluj-Napoca]]
[[Category:University and college sports clubs]]
[[Category:Multi-sport clubs]]
[[Category:Liga I clubs]]
{{Link FA|ro}}
[[de:Universitatea Cluj]]
[[es:U Cluj]]
[[fr:CF Universitatea Cluj-Napoca]]
[[it:U Cluj]]
[[lt:CFM Universitatea Cluj-Napoca]]
[[hu:Universitatea Cluj-Napoca]]
[[nl:U Cluj]]
[[pl:Universitatea Kluż-Napoka]]
[[ro:U Cluj]]