Club Sportiv Metalurgistul Cugir commonly known as Metalurgistul Cugir, is a Romanian football club based in Cugir, Alba County, currently playing in the Liga III, the third tier of the Romanian football.
Metalurgistul Cugir was founded in 1939 and played twenty-six seasons in the second tier of Romanian football, along with two seasons in the Heroes' Cup, a competition that replaced Divizia B during the World War II period.
History The team was founded in 1939 with the support of the management of the Cugir Metallurgical Plant, under the name Asociația Sportivă Metalurgistul Cugir (ASM Cugir).
Romania's entry into World War II suspended sports competitions. However, during the war, the Romanian Football Federation organized the War Championship and the Heroes Cup. The 1942–43 season of the Heroes Cup – a competition that replaced the second division between 1942 and 1944 – was organized into three series based on geographical criteria. The "Uzinele Metalurgice Cugir" team, guided by player-coach Grațian Sepi – a former Romania national football team player with 14 goals in 23 appearances – dominated the strong Serie II, consisting of ten teams, finishing with a three-point lead over Jiul Petroșani. In the promotion play-off against UA Brașov, the winner of Series III, "Cugirenii" won the first match played in Cugir 5–0, and a week later in Brașov, the match ended in a 1–1 draw. In the end, UM Cugir missed promotion to the War Championship – the first division at that time – losing to UD Reșița, the winner of Series I, after a spectacular two-legged tie (5–3 and 0–5).
After the end of World War II, UM Cugir competed in the 1946–47 season of Divizia C, finishing 8th out of 10 in Series X, and reached the Round of 32 of the Cupa României in the 1947–48 season, being eliminated by CFR Timișoara, 1–4. The team also participated in the 1948–49 season of the third division, this time under the name Metalul Cugir. By the time Divizia C was shut down in February 1949, the team was in last place out of 14 in Series I.
In the 1961–62 season, AS Cugir won the Hunedoara Regional Championship title and was subsequently promoted to Divizia B after finishing 1st in Series III of the promotion play-off held in Mediaș. Among those who were part of the team led by player-coach Iosif Petschovschi were goalkeeper Rusu and field players Niculescu, Sadi, Dumitru Dinea, Munteanu, Tîrnoveanu, Dumitru, Focșa, Bulbucan, Boitoș, Petschovschi II and Mihai.
In Divizia B, the team was coached by Colea Vâlcov for the following two seasons, finishing 6th in Series III in 1962–63 and 5th in Series II in 1963–64, after the second division was reduced to two series in 1963.
Honours Liga III Winners (3): 1981–82, 1989–90, 2020–21 Runners-up (6): 1985–86, 1988–89, 2003–04, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2021–22 Liga IV – Alba County Winners (1): 2012–13 Runners-up (1): 2011–12 Liga V – Alba County Winners (1): 2009–10 Runners-up (1): 2008–09
Players
First team squad
Out on loan
Club Officials
Board of directors
RoleName Owner Town of Cugir President Ciprian Pahone Vice-president Daniel Popa Board member Sorin Tomescu
Current technical staff
RoleName Manager Lucian Itu Assistant coach Traian Avram Goalkeeping coach Nicușor Bănică Club doctor Cristian Dima Kinetotherapist Aurel Radu
Former players
Vasile Chiroiu Alexandru Moldovan Iosif Petschovschi Grațian Sepi Constantin Zamfir
Former managers
Rudolf Kotormány (1954–1956) Iosif Petschovschi (1961–1962) Colea Vâlcov (1962–1964) Gheorghe Bărbulescu (1964) Gheorghe Dungu (1965–1966) Ștefan Onisie (1979–1981) Ion Barbu (1982–1983) Călin Moldovan (2015–2019) Lucian Itu (2019–) Ladislau Băcuț
League history
Season Tier Division Place Notes Cupa României 2026–27 3 Liga III TBD 2025–26 3 Liga III (Seria VII) 6th 2024–25 3 Liga III (Seria VII) 6th 2023–24 3 Liga III (Seria IX) 7th 2022–23 3 Liga III (Seria IX) 4th 2021–22 3 Liga III (Seria IX) 2nd 2020–21 3 Liga III (Seria IX) 1st (C) 2019–20 3 Liga III (Seria V) 4th 2018–19 3 Liga III (Seria IV) 5th 2017–18 3 Liga III (Seria V) 4th 2016–17 3 Liga III (Seria V) 2nd Round of 32 2015–16 3 Liga III (Seria IV) 3rd 2014–15 3 Liga III (Seria V) 2nd 2013–14 3 Liga III (Seria V) 3rd 2012–13 4 Liga IV (AB) 1st (C) Promoted 2011–12 4 Liga IV (AB) 2nd 2010–11 4 Liga IV (AB) 3rd 2009–10 5 Liga V (AB) 1st (C) Promoted
Season Tier Division Place Notes Cupa României 2008–09 5 Liga V (AB) 2nd 2003–04 3 Divizia C (Seria VII) 2nd Disbanded 2002–03 3 Divizia C (Seria VI) 7th 2001–02 3 Divizia C (Seria VI) 7th 2000–01 3 Divizia C (Seria VI) 12th 1999–00 3 Divizia C (Seria IV) 14th 1998–99 3 Divizia C (Seria IV) 17th 1997–98 3 Divizia C (Seria IV) 14th 1996–97 3 Divizia C (Seria IV) 11th 1995–96 3 Divizia C (Seria IV) 14th 1994–95 3 Divizia C (Seria IV) 7th Round of 16 1993–94 3 Divizia C (Seria III) 8th Round of 32 1992–93 2 Divizia B (Seria II) 17th (R) Relegated 1991–92 2 Divizia B (Seria II) 11th 1990–91 2 Divizia B (Seria III) 13th 1989–90 3 Divizia C (Seria XI) 1st (C) Promoted Round of 16 1988–89 3 Divizia C (Seria IX) 2nd 1987–88 3 Divizia C (Seria X) 5th
References
External links