CFR Arad

Last updated
CFR Arad
Full nameCFR Arad
Nickname(s)
  • Ceferiștii (The CFR People)
  • Feroviarii (The Railwaymen)
  • Arădenii (The Arad People)
Short nameCFR
Founded1921
Dissolved1999
GroundCFR Stadium

Club Sportiv CFR Arad, commonly known as CFR Arad was a Romanian football club based in Arad. Founded in 1921, [1] the club underwent several mergers and name changes throughout its history. In 1922, it merged with Gloria Arad to form Gloria CFR Arad, a team that went on to achieve notable success, including reaching the final of the 1929–30 Divizia A season. However, in 1934, the two clubs separated and continued as independent entities. [2] [3]

Contents

After the split, CFR Arad mostly competed in the second and third tiers of Romanian football, managing to reach the quarter-finals of the Cupa României in both the 1940–41 and 1950 seasons. [4] [5]

History

CFR Arad was founded in 1921. [1] and, just one year later, merged with Gloria Arad, a club established in 1913, which, under the name Gloria CFR Arad, achieved its best performances by reaching the final of Divizia A in the 1929–30 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 to Divizia B at the end of the 1939–40 season. Renamed Crișana CFR Arad, it competed in Series I during the 1940–41 season, finishing 8th, [6] and reached the quarter-finals of the Cupa României, where it was eliminated by Venus București 0–3. [4] Football activity was suspended during World War II, and after competitions resumed, CFR was assigned again to Divizia B, finishing 6th in Series I in the 1946–47 season, 5th in Series III in 1947–48, and 7th in Series II in 1948–49. [7]

In 1950, the club was renamed Locomotiva Arad and continued in Series II of the second division, finishing 10th and reaching the quarterfinals of the Cupa României, where it lost 0–1 to Locomotiva Sibiu. [5] In 1951 it narrowly avoided relegation on goal difference, ending in 10th place, tied on points with Minerul Lupeni, and reached the Round of 32 in the Cupa României, losing 1–4 to Flamura Roșie Arad. [8]

The 1952 season brought a strong campaign, ending with a 3rd-place finish and a Cupa României that ended in the Round of 16, after a 0–1 loss in extra time to Progresul Oradea. [9] In 1953, CFR ranked 6th, and in 1954, it finished 8th while also qualifying for Cupa României's Round of 32, where it was again eliminated by Flamura Roșie Arad, this time with a 0–1 defeat. [10] In 1955, CFR ended the season in 5th place. The following year, it was moved to Series I and once again finished 5th. The Railwaymen reached the Round of 32 in the Cupa României, where they lost 2–5 to Locomotiva 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 the 1957–58 season in 8th place, followed by a 6th-place finish in 1958–59. At the end of the 1959–60 campaign, the Railwaymen were relegated to the regional championship after finishing 13th in Series III. CFR Arad quickly bounced back, winning Series I of the Banat Regional Championship in the following 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 in Sibiu, returning to Divizia B. [12] [13]

In the 1961–62 season, CFR competed in Series III of Divizia B and finished 10th. The following 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-established Divizia C. Assigned to the West Series, CFR finished 5th in the 1963–64 season and claimed 1st place under Dvorszak in 1964–65, earning promotion once more. [15]

CFR Arad in the 1966-67 season. CFR Arad 1967.jpg
CFR Arad in the 1966–67 season.

In Divizia B, Arădenii competed in Series II and finished 10th in the 1965–66 season, 12th in 1966–67, 7th in 1967–68, 5th in 1968–69, 14th in 1969–70, and 9th in 1970–71, [17] a season in which they also reached the Round of 32 in the Cupa României, losing 0–3 to FC Argeș with the lineup Wesser, Cotarcă (60' Kukla), Bermozer, Alexandru, Cociuban, Gligor, Vlad, Beșcuca, Gyenge, Butaș (46' Körösi), Czako I. [18] In 1971–72, CFR finished 4th, followed by a disappointing 14th-place finish in the 1972–73 season. [17] [19]

In 1973, the club merged once again, this time with Vagonul 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 the 1978–79 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 the 1979–80 season. [22] The Railwaymen went on to place 7th in Series VIII in 1980–81 and finish as runners-up in Series IX in 1981–82. Between 1982 and 1984, the team was coached by Silviu Iorgulescu, placing 9th in Series VIII in 1982–83 and 13th in Series IX in 1983–84, before being relegated at the end of the 1984–85 season after finishing last in Series VIII. [17]

CFR won the 1985–86 Arad County Championship but lost the promotion play-off against Târnavele 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 in 1986–87 and 1988–89, and won the county title in 1989–90 season, earning promotion to Divizia C after a play-off against the Timiș 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 lasted only one season in the third tier, finishing last in Series XII and being relegated back to the fourth 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 the 1994–95 season. [27] [28]

Honours

Divizia C

Liga IV – Arad County

Banat Regional Championship

Former managers

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Evoluția denumirilor echipelor de-a lungul anilor" [Evolution of team names over the years] (in Romanian). romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Asociații, Cluburi, Societăți Sportive sau/și Cultural Sportive" [Sports and/or Cultural Sports Associations, Clubs, and Societies](PDF) (in Romanian). Ministerul Tineretului și Sportului (Ministry of Youth and Sports). 4 March 1999. p. 171–172. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2025– via mts.ro.
  3. 1 2 Ionescu, Mihai; Tudoran, George (1984). Fotbal de la A la Z. Editura Sport-Turism. p. 154–155.
  4. 1 2 "Romanian Cup - Season 1940 - 1941". romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 4 August 2025. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Romanian Cup - Season 1950". romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  6. ↑ "Divizia B - Season 1940-41 - Edition 7". romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 2 June 2025. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  7. ↑ "Divizia B - Season 1948-49 - Edition 10". romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 5 August 2025. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  8. ↑ "Romanian Cup - Season 1951". romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  9. ↑ "Romanian Cup - Season 1952". romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  10. ↑ "Romanian Cup - Season 1954". romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 26 February 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  11. ↑ "O interesantă etapă de Cupă înaintea unei importante etape de campionat" [An interesting Cup stage before an important championship stage](PDF) (in Romanian). Sportul Popular. 15 September 1956. p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 2 August 2025– via bibliotecadeva.ro.
  12. ↑ "In seria I C.F.R. Arad, iar în seria a II-a Metalul Oțelu Roșu au terminat pe locul 1" [In series I C.F.R. Arad, and in the series II, Metalul Oțelu Roșu finished in 1st place] (in Romanian). Drapelul Roșu. 13 June 1961. p. 4. Archived from the original on 7 January 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2025– via adt.arcanum.com.
  13. ↑ "Știința Galați, Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț, C.F.R. Arad, Carpați Sinaia și I.R.A.Tg. Mureș s-au calificat în Categoria B" [Știința Galați, Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț, C.F.R. Arad, Carpați Sinaia and I.R.A.Tg. Mureș qualified to Category B](PDF) (in Romanian). Sportul Popular. 24 July 1961. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2025– via bibliotecadeva.ro.
  14. ↑ "Pregătiri în tabăra ceferiștilor" [Preparations in the Railwaymen's Camp](PDF) (in Romanian). Flacăra Roșie. 10 August 1962. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025– via digital.bibliotecaarad.ro.
  15. ↑ "CFR Arad în categoria B" [CFR Arad in Category B](PDF) (in Romanian). Flacăra Roșie. 23 June 1965. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025– via digital.bibliotecaarad.ro.
  16. ↑ "Echipe din Categoria B" [Category B teams](PDF) (in Romanian). Sport. March 1967. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 August 2025. Retrieved 2 August 2025– via bibliotecadeva.ro.
  17. 1 2 3 "Liga 3 clasamente" [Liga 3 tables]. romaniansoccer.ro. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  18. ↑ "Desfășurarea meciurilor de fotbal din „16-imile" Cupei României" [The football matches in the Round of 16 of the Romanian Cup](PDF) (in Romanian). Sportul Popular. 8 March 1971. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 February 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025– via bibliotecadeva.ro.
  19. ↑ "Talente există, dar este nevoie de mai multă muncă!" [Talent exists, but more work is needed!](PDF) (in Romanian). Fotbal. 23 May 1973. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025– via bibliotecadeva.ro.
  20. ↑ "Una dintre primele echipe de fotbal din Arad, la care a jucat Duckadam, a fost dizolvată de legionari" [One of the first football teams in Arad, where Duckadam played, was dissolved by the legionnaires] (in Romanian). adevarul.ro. 4 July 2013. Archived from the original on 21 December 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  21. ↑ "Divizia C - Season 1978-79 - Edition 23". romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 13 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  22. ↑ "Divizia C - Season 1979-80 - Edition 24". romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 13 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  23. ↑ "Clasamentul final al campionatului județean de fotbal" [Final standings of the county football championship](PDF) (in Romanian). Flacăra Roșie. 15 July 1986. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025– via digital.bibliotecaarad.ro.
  24. ↑ "Meci de baraj" [Play-off match](PDF) (in Romanian). Flacăra Roșie. 8 July 1986. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025– via digital.bibliotecaarad.ro.
  25. ↑ "În primul meci de baraj pentru divizia C" [In the first playoff match for division C](PDF) (in Romanian). Flacăra Roșie. 10 July 1990. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025– via digital.bibliotecaarad.ro.
  26. ↑ "Divizia C - Season 1990-91 - Edition 35". romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  27. ↑ "Barajul pentru Divizia C" [Play-off for Divizia C](PDF) (in Romanian). Flacăra Roșie. 27 June 1995. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025– via digital.bibliotecaarad.ro.
  28. ↑ "În urma meciului de baraj, echipa din Șofronea rămâne În Divizia C" [Following the play-off match, the team from Șofronea remains in Divizia C](PDF) (in Romanian). Flacăra Roșie. 30 June 1995. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025– via digital.bibliotecaarad.ro.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.