Fotbal Club Tractorul Brașov, commonly known as Tractorul Brașov, was a Romanian football club based in Brașov, Brașov County. It was founded in 1927 as IAR Brașov, the team of the Industria Aeronautică Română aircraft factory, and adopted the Tractorul name after the factory was converted to tractor production after the Second World War.

The club spent most of its history in the Romanian second and third divisions. It won a Divizia B series in 1935–36 and three Divizia C series. Tractorul ceased senior activity in 2006 after giving up its newly obtained Liga II place for financial reasons.

History IAR Brașov (1927–1948) The club was founded in 1927 as IAR Brașov, representing the workers of Industria Aeronautică Română.

IAR entered Divizia B in 1935–36 and won Series IV in its first season, with nine wins, two draws and three defeats. It subsequently finished last in the promotion tournament for Divizia A.

In 1937, negotiations were held over a possible merger with ACFR Brașov under the name FC Brașov, but the merger did not take place. IAR subsequently withdrew from professional football and continued in the Brașov district championship.

After the Second World War, the club returned to Divizia B.

Tractorul Brașov (1948–1982) In 1948, the IAR factory became Uzina Tractorul Brașov and the football team was renamed Tractorul Brașov.

After several seasons in regional football, Tractorul returned to Divizia B in 1953. Its best post-war second-tier result came in 1955, when it finished third in Series I.

Angelo Niculescu coached the club between 1957 and 1959.

Tractorul was relegated to Divizia C in 1964–65. The club finished second in its Divizia C series in 1965–66, 1966–67 and 1968–69 before winning the series in 1969–70.

A second Divizia C title followed in 1972–73, bringing Tractorul back to Divizia B. The club remained in the second tier until its relegation in 1981–82.

1982–2002 Tractorul finished second in Divizia C in 1982–83 and reached the Round of 16 of the 1982–83 Cupa României.

The club won Series XII of 1983–84 and returned to Divizia B.

With the exception of the 1989–90 season, Tractorul spent most of the following period in the second division. During the 1990s, it regularly finished in the upper half of its series.

The club was also known for developing players who later competed at a higher level, including Vasile Maftei, Gabriel Tamaș, Florin Bratu, Andrei Mărgăritescu and Daniel Isăilă.

After the 2001–02 season, financial problems led Tractorul to give up its second-division place and continue in Divizia C.

Final years (2002–2006) Tractorul continued independently in Divizia C after 2002. The club was separate from Forex Brașov, which was founded in 2002 and later used part of the former Tractorul sports complex.

In 2005–06, Tractorul finished second in Series VIII behind FC Ghimbav. As Ghimbav was not eligible for promotion, Tractorul obtained a place in the second division.

The club was unable to finance another season in the second tier and relinquished its place in June 2006. Tractorul did not enter the following national championship and its senior team ceased activity.

Chronology of names Name Period Industria Aeronautică Română Brașov (IAR Brașov) 1927–1948 Tractorul Brașov 1948–1950 Metalul Tractorul Orașul Stalin 1950–1956 Energia Tractorul Orașul Stalin 1957–1958 Tractorul Orașul Stalin 1958–1960 Tractorul Brașov 1960–2006

Stadium Tractorul played at the Tractorul Stadium in northern Brașov, next to the industrial complex. The ground dated from the IAR period and was later repaired after being damaged during the Allied bombing of Brașov in 1944.

Part of the sports complex was later acquired by interests associated with Forex Brașov, and the ground became known as the Forex Stadium. The former grandstand was subsequently demolished.

Honours Divizia B Series winners (1): 1935–36

Divizia C Winners (3): 1969–70, 1972–73, 1983–84 Runners-up (6): 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1982–83, 2005–06

Notable former players

Iuliu Bodola Florin Bratu Daniel Isăilă Vasile Maftei Andrei Mărgăritescu Gabriel Tamaș

Former managers

Angelo Niculescu (1957–1959) Silviu Ploeșteanu (1968–1969) Dragoș Cojocaru (1973–1975) Nicolae Oaidă (1978–1979) Gabriel Stan (1982–1983) Eugen Moldovan (1998–1999) Aurel Țicleanu (2001–2002) Dorel Purdea (2004) Bondoc Ionescu-Crum

League history

Season Tier Division Place Notes 2005–06 3 Divizia C (Series VIII) 2nd Club dissolved after the season 2004–05 3 Divizia C (Series VIII) 4th 2003–04 3 Divizia C (Series IV) 4th 2002–03 3 Divizia C (Series II) 9th 2001–02 2 Divizia B (Series I) 8th (R) Withdrew after the season and ceded its Divizia B place 2000–01 2 Divizia B (Series I) 9th 1999–00 2 Divizia B (Series I) 5th 1998–99 2 Divizia B (Series I) 14th 1997–98 2 Divizia B (Series I) 5th 1996–97 2 Divizia B (Series I) 11th 1995–96 2 Divizia B (Series I) 5th 1994–95 2 Divizia B (Series II) 4th 1993–94 2 Divizia B (Series II) 4th 1992–93 2 Divizia B (Series II) 7th 1991–92 2 Divizia B (Series III) 5th 1990–91 2 Divizia B (Series II) 6th 1989–90 2 Divizia B (Series II) 15th Survived relegation play-off 1988–89 2 Divizia B (Series II) 8th 1987–88 2 Divizia B (Series II) 5th 1986–87 2 Divizia B (Series II) 9th 1985–86 2 Divizia B (Series II) 10th 1984–85 2 Divizia B (Series II) 4th 1983–84 3 Divizia C (Series XII) 1st (C, P) Promoted 1982–83 3 Divizia C (Series XII) 2nd 1981–82 2 Divizia B (Series II) 17th (R) Relegated 1980–81 2 Divizia B (Series II) 11th 1979–80 2 Divizia B (Series I) 13th 1978–79 2 Divizia B (Series I) 14th 1977–78 2 Divizia B (Series I) 14th 1976–77 2 Divizia B (Series II) 14th 1975–76 2 Divizia B (Series II) 7th

Season Tier Division Place Notes 1974–75 2 Divizia B (Series II) 11th 1973–74 2 Divizia B (Series II) 9th 1972–73 3 Divizia C (Series XII) 1st (C, P) Promoted 1971–72 3 Divizia C (Series XII) 2nd 1970–71 3 Divizia C (Series VIII) 3rd 1969–70 3 Divizia C (Series VIII) 1st (C) Lost promotion play-off 1968–69 3 Divizia C (Series VIII) 2nd 1967–68 3 Divizia C (West Series) 8th 1966–67 3 Divizia C (West Series) 2nd 1965–66 3 Divizia C (South Series) 2nd 1964–65 2 Divizia B (Series I) 13th (R) Relegated 1963–64 2 Divizia B (Series I) 7th 1962–63 2 Divizia B (Series II) 10th 1961–62 2 Divizia B (Series II) 11th 1960–61 2 Divizia B (Series II) 5th 1959–60 2 Divizia B (Series III) 12th 1958–59 2 Divizia B (Series I) 8th 1957–58 2 Divizia B (Series I) 11th 1957 2 Cupa Primăverii (Series II) 4th 1956 2 Divizia B (Series I) 7th 1955 2 Divizia B (Series I) 3rd 1954 2 Divizia B (Series I) 7th 1953 3 Regional Championship (Stalin) 1st (C, P) Promoted 1949–52 Competed in the regional championship 1948–49 3 Divizia C — Competition dissolved during the season 1947–48 2 Divizia B (Series II) 12th (R) Relegated 1946–47 2 Divizia B (Series II) 8th 1937–46 Competed in regional championships; national leagues suspended during World War II 1936–37 2 Divizia B (East Series) 8th 1935–36 2 Divizia B (Series IV) 1st (C) Lost promotion play-off 1927–35 Competed in regional championships

See also Colțea Brașov Brașovia Brașov FC Brașov CFR Brașov Corona Brașov

References

External links Tractorul Brașov at RomanianSoccer.ro