| Full name | Fotbal Club Politehnica Iaşi | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Trupa din Copou (Copou Squad) Alb-albaştrii (The White and Blues) |
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| Founded | 27 April 1945 | ||
| Dissolved | 2010 | ||
| Ground | Emil Alexandrescu (Capacity: 11,390) |
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| Website | Club home page | ||
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| Current season | |||
Fotbal Club Politehnica Iaşi (shortened to Poli Iaşi) was a football club from Iaşi, Romania. Its colours were blue and white. Its home stadium was the Emil Alexandrescu Stadium. It was founded in 1945 and dissolved in 2010.
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Politehnica was established on April 27 1945, and first received this name in 1967. Politehnica alternated between Romania's second and first leagues; they were present in the Liga I during the periods: 1960/61, 1962–1967 (under the name CSMS Iaşi), 1968–1972, 1973–1981, 1982–1990, 1995/96, and 2004-2010.
2004/05 season
The start of the 2004/05 season was disastrous, the team winning only two points in eight rounds. After manager Vasile Simionaş was replaced with Ionuţ Popa, Politehnica won the following fixture away against would-be champions Steaua Bucureşti, Adrian Cristea scoring the only goal of the match. The team gradually lifted itself from the bottom of the table, finally finishing 9th with 38 points.
In the Romanian Cup they were elimitated in the first round (sixteen-finals) by UTA Arad with 1-0.
2005/06 season
The 2005/06 season was a relatively good one for the Iaşi-based team, whose objective was to avoid relegation. They narrowly lost both matches against the future champions Steaua and the away match with runners-up Rapid Bucureşti, all with the score of 1-0, after three penalty kicks. They also lost 2-0 against Dinamo Bucureşti at home, after a better first half and some controversial decisions by the referee. However, they drawed away against a weakened Dinamo team, after a second-half goal by Daniel Rednic. Politehnica Iaşi eventually finished 10th with 39 points.
In the Romanian Cup they reached the quarter-finals, eliminating Unirea Dej (2-0) and FC Vaslui (2-1 AET) in the progress. They were eliminated by Rapid after a last-minute goal and after the referee disallowed a controversial goal scored in the second half by Politehnica.
During the season Politehnica experienced major financial problems, which resulted in the impossibility to buy better players for the team and difficulties encountered in receiving the club license necessary for playing in the 2006/07 season in Liga I. The license was finally obtained after the efforts made by chairman and mayor of Iaşi Gheorghe Nichita.
2006/07 season
Politehnica Iaşi started the season with the same financial problems, resulting in only four players joining the team in the pre-season break and many salaries and debts paid late. In addition, the conflict between Gheorghe Nichita and Iaşi prefect Radu Prisăcaru concerning public funding of the club and interference by the press spiced up the atmosphere. Despite all odds, Politehnica kept itself between the top six teams after the first 12 matches and was unbeaten for eight consecutive matches (seven in Liga I and one cup match), drawing at home with Steaua (1-1), Rapid and FCU Politehnica Timişoara (0-0). A negative run followed with one point in seven league matches and was followed by a 4-0 away victory against local rivals Ceahlăul Piatra Neamţ. Politehnica finally finished 13th with 40 points.
The team qualified for the second time in a row in the quarter-finals of the Romanian Cup, disposing of Universitatea Cluj (2-1) and Farul Constanţa (1-0), however, they were eliminated by Poli Timişoara, score 1-2.
2009/10 season
The club relegated from the Liga I at the end of the season and was dissolved.
Politehnica Iaşi had a great rivalery with FCM Bacău and Ceahlăul Piatra Neamţ and later on with FC Vaslui, other great clubs from the Moldavia region.