ACS Minerul Lupeni

The team representing the miners of the Lupeni coal basin was founded in 1920 as Jiul Lupeni.^[1] In 1926, the club briefly merged with CAMP, continuing to compete under the name Jiul Lupeni.^[2]

In the 1927–28 season, the Jiu Valley side won the Arad Regional Championship and qualified for the national tournament of Divizia A. After eliminating România Cluj 2–0 and Șoimii Sibiu 3–0, Jiul reached the final, where it lost 2–3 to Colțea Brașov. The lineup in the final, coached by Adalbert Szabo, featured Ioan 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 the Cupa României during the 1935–36 season, reaching the quarter-finals before being eliminated 2–9 by Ripensia Timișoara, the eventual winners.^[4] The Miners also competed in the inaugural season of Divizia C, finishing as runners-up in the Western League, before earning promotion to Divizia 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 the second division, finishing 4th in 1938–39, 2nd in 1939–40 and 6th in 1940–41. After the Second World War, Minerul resumed competition in Divizia B, finishing the 1946–47 season in 12th place in Series II.^[5]

During the following decade, the Miners remained in the second division, often finishing in mid-table or fighting to avoid relegation. They finished 6th in 1947–48, 5th in 1948–49, 4th in 1950 under the name Partizanul and 11th in 1951 as Flacăra. That year, the team avoided relegation following the relocation of Flacăra București to Ploiești and the subsequent dissolution of the former Flacăra Ploiești. Minerul then finished 10th in 1952, 14th in 1953—when the club reverted to the Minerul name—6th in 1954, 9th in both 1955, under coach Alexandru Mike, and 1956, and 6th in the 1957–58 campaign.^[5]

At the end of the 1958–59 season, Minerul won Series I of Divizia B and achieved promotion to Divizia A after fifteen seasons in the second division. The squad, managed by head coach Vasile Lazăr and assistant coach Adalbert 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.^[6]

With several new players, including Teodor Mihalache, Daniel Peretz, Ion Leahovici, Alexandru Dan II, Milea, Alexandru Nisipeanu, Virgil Mihăilă, M. Țurcan, D. Cucu and N. Stanciu, Minerul spent four seasons in the top flight, finishing three consecutive campaigns in 11th place before being relegated after finishing last in the 1962–63 season. In the 1959–60 Cupa României, the Red-Blacks reached the quarter-finals of the Cupa României, losing 1–3 to Dinamo Obor București.

Minerul Lupeni then spent four more seasons in the second tier, finishing 10th in 1963–64 with Ilie Cricitoiu in charge, 4th in 1964–65, 11th in 1965–66 and 13th in 1966–67 under Alexandru Florea, unexpectedly suffering relegation to Divizia C.^[3][5]

The Miners went on to spend nine consecutive seasons in the third tier before returning to Divizia B. During this period, the team finished 5th in 1967–68, runners-up in 1968–69, and 3rd in the 1969–70, 1970–71 and 1971–72 seasons. In 1972–73, under the guidance of coach Teodor Mihalache, Minerul finished 7th and qualified for the first round proper of the Cupa României, where the team was narrowly eliminated 0–1 by Steaua București. The lineup featured Șarpe, I. Rus, Șvedak, Burdangiu, Serafim, Polgar, Cristache II, Gh. Voicu, Lucuța, Cotroază and Turbatu (83' Moldovan).^[7]

In 1973–74, Minerul finished as runners-up once again, followed by a 3rd-place finish in 1974–75 under Gheorghe Teodorescu, before finally winning Series VII in the 1975–76 season and securing promotion. Under the leadership of Gheorghe Kotormány, the promotion-winning squad featured Budușan, Dodu, Roșu, Tudor, Naidin, Boloș, Dosan, Lucuță, Rusu, Nicșa, Stoinică, Lucian, Gh. Voicu and Burdangiu.^[3]

Back in Divizia B, the team competed in Series III, finishing 13th in the 1976–77 season with Petre Libardi on the bench, before suffering relegation at the end of the following campaign after placing 15th in 1977–78, with Libardi replaced by Gheorghe Kotormány after the first half of the season.^[5]

Two seasons followed in Series VII of Divizia C, with the team finishing as runners-up in 1978–79 and earning promotion at the end of the 1979–80 campaign by winning the series. The squad, led by Mihai Basarab and assistant coach Constantin Cotroază, included Homan, Grigore, Leordean, Truică, Burdangiu, Dumitru, I. Popa, Boloș, I. Marian, Dosan, P. Popa, Moraru, Voicu, Leca, Covaci, Iacob, Tudor, Sămăreanu, Burchel and Bălosu.^[3]

Two more seasons followed in Series III of Divizia B, where Minerul finished 10th in the 1980–81 season and 16th in 1981–82, resulting in another relegation to the third tier.^[3]

Minerul earned another promotion at the end of the 1982–83 season, winning Series IX of Divizia C with Petre Libardi on the bench. The squad included Lixandru, Teleche, Rusu, Sebestyen, I. Popa, Truică, Mușat, Voicu, Sălăjean, P. Popa, Nichimiș, Cean, Colceag, Chitac, Dordea, Grigore, Pantilimon, Ene, Henzel, Morar, Vînătoru, Dina and Căldărar.^[3]

In their first season back in the second tier, the Jiu Valley side, competing in Series III under the guidance of Petre Libardi, secured an 8th-place mid-table finish, followed by a 9th-place finish in the 1984–85 campaign. However, the 1985–86 season marked a clear decline, as a series of poor results during the first half of the championship led to Petre Libardi being replaced by Gheorghe Tătaru. The managerial change failed to improve the results, and Minerul Lupeni finished the season in last place, resulting in relegation back to Divizia C.^[5][8][9]

In the 2004–05 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, Botezatu, Dobra, Lumperdean, Câmpean, Drăghici, Pilea, Acs, Cr. Barbu, Amaximoaie, Cișmariu, Damian, I. Radu, Baroană, M. Szoradi, Daj, Toader, Noață, Diaconescu, Elisei, Tr. Barbu, Ciorea and V. Stancu.^[10]

In the 2005–06 season, following a reorganisation of the league system, no fewer than six teams were to be relegated from each of the three series. Minerul started well with Adrian Matei on the bench, but the second half of the season began with Gabriel Stan, who lasted only five rounds. He was followed by Iosif Rus, and after three more matches, Dan Mănăilă took over from round 23. Lupeni secured safety on the final matchday, finishing 10th. Standout players that season included Urai, Luca, Boroncoi, V. Stancu, Itu, Mihovici, Török and Bălău.^[10]

The Red-Blacks continued to compete in Series II of the second division, finishing 5th in the 2006–07 season under Dan Mănăilă and 12th in 2007–08 with Marin Tudorache in charge.^[11]

Tudorache was dismissed in September 2008 following a home defeat against Jiul Petroșani and was replaced on an interim basis by Ion Dumitra and assistant coach Iosif Rus. During their interim spell, Minerul's cup run ended in the Round of 32 of the 2008–09 Cupa României with a 0–4 defeat against Unirea Urziceni. As neither Dumitra nor Rus held the required coaching licences, Carol Creiniceanu was appointed official head coach at the beginning of November 2008. However, after undergoing surgery in December, Creiniceanu was unable to continue leading the team. Dumitra and Rus subsequently resumed control and led Minerul until the end of the season, finishing 8th in the 2008–09 campaign. The squad comprised, among others, Bănică, G. Ciucă, Murdărea, Dragomir, Irina, Pocian, C. Bar, Dumitra, Militaru, Daj, Nicorec, M. Roman, Iambor, Apostol, Bozian, Ișfan, Chițu and Vlăduți.^[12][13][14]

In the 2009–10 season, Minerul finished 12th, and during the 2010–11 season withdrew from the competition and effectively ceased activity.^[15]

Liga I

• Runners-up (1): 1927–28

Liga II

• Winners (1): 1958–59
• Runners-up (1): 1939–40

Liga III

• Winners (5): 1937–38, 1975–76, 1979–80, 1982–83, 2004–05
• Runners-up (6): 1936–37, 1968–69, 1973–74, 1978–79, 1991–92, 2025–26

Liga IV – Hunedoara County

• Winners (1): 2023–24
• Runners-up (1): 2022–23

The footballers mentioned below have played at least 1 season for Minerul Lupeni and also played in Liga I for another team.