FC UTA Arad

UTA Arad
Full name Fotbal Club UTA Arad
Nickname(s) Bătrâna Doamnă
(The Old Lady)
Short name UTA
Founded 1945
Ground Francisc von Neumann
(Capacity: 7,287)
Chairman Giovanni Catanzariti
Manager Roland Nagy
League Liga II
2010–11 Liga II, Seria II, 8th
Website Club home page
Home colours
Away colours
Current season

UTA Arad is a football club based in Arad, Romania, founded in 1945. During its history the club won the Romanian championship six times, only Steaua Bucharest, Dinamo Bucharest and Venus Bucharest winning more titles, and the Romanian Cup twice. They currently play in the 2011–12 season of Liga II.

Contents

History

The club was founded in 1945 under the name of IT Arad (Industriile Textile Arad - Arad Textile Industries) under the ownership of baron Francisc von Neumann. Team colours: red-white.

The beginning of the clubs history was the most successful in performances and this because a lot of valuable players were in the squad. So, between 1946-1954 the club won the championship 4 times (1946-47, 1947-48, 1950, 1954) and the cup twice (1947-48, 1953). Coaches Francisc Dvorsák and Coloman Braun-Bogdan benefited during this period of a lot of international and famous players, such as: Al. Márky, Gyula Lóránt, A. Páll, I. Reinhardt, Sándor Mészáros, Gh. Băcuţ I, Ad. Kovács, A. Mercea, L. Bonyhádi, I. Petschowski, M. Tóth III, M. Vass, Z. Farmati, I. Stiebinger, N. Dumitrescu III, Justin Apostol, I. Nicşa, I. Catranici, Fr. Kiss, G. Szűcs, Gh. Lupeş, J. Kapás, M. Carpineţ, G. Serfőző, N. Popa, Gh. Váczi, R. Duşan, G. Bíró, I. Don, S. Bojtos, L. Băcuţ II.

A second period, which was full outstanding performances, was during 1966-1970, when, under the coach Nicolae Dumitrescu III, they imposed their supremacy in the championship and in the European cups. They won another two titles (1968-69 and 1969-70) and played one Romanian cup final (1965-66). Also during this period they played in the European Cup, succeeding an outstanding performance in September 1970 when they eliminated the defending champions Feyenoord from the race. Players used during this period: C. Weichelt, G. Birău, D. Chivu, Hr. Meţcaş, I. Igna, V. Jac, Em. Flănuţ, N. Pantea, F. Domide, M. Ţîrlea, M. Axente, Gh. Gornea, I. Bătrâna, A. Bákos, Şt. Czakó, I. Petschowski, J. Pozsony, I. Şchiopu, M. Petescu, I. Lefter, I. Moţ, V. Sima, L. Brosovsyki, Fl. Dumitrescu, T. Brîndescu, I. Atodiresei, V. Bodea, A. Kun II, E. Móricz, P. Regep, O. Dembrovszki, M. Vidac, D. Kalinin, P. Popovici.

A third period, longer in time, but this time, not upwards, but downwards, started after 1975. Furthermore, at the end of the 1978-79 season the club relegated for the first time in history to the Divizia B, registering until 1993 a modest evolution. Despide such a decline, the squad numbered a lot of valuable players, such as: Şt. Kukla, Şt. Gáll, D. Ologeanu, S. Colnic, C. Uilecan, M. Coraş, E. Schepp, L. Nedelcu II, S. Iorgulescu, M. Jivan, D. Gáspár, L. Giurgiu, D. Cura, I. Bîtea, H. Duckadam, L. Bubela, M. Leac, I. Bódi, Em. Hirmler, M. Ţîrlea II, Gh. Váczi II, C. Găman, Fr. Tisza, S. Vuia, J. Csordas, I. Nagy, R. Nagy.

In 1993 UTA comes back to the Divizia A, but only for a short time, because after two seasons, it relegates back to the Divizia B and enters a cloudy period, performance wise, with few perspectives to evade from the competitional anonymity. Players used during this period: L. Ivan, A. Papp, M. Sinescu - L. Dronca, Al. Gaica, F. Lingurar, Ad. Lucaci, G. Neagu, R. Negrilă, D. Nini, F. Petre, M. Plişca, Cl. Riviş, M. Ţucudean - Călin Mariş, Ad. Negrău, Cr. Puskás, Ad. Slave, D. Târţău, M. Ţîrlea II, Ad. Ungur.

The general balance of the divisionay presences is as following: 38 seasons in the Liga I (1946–1979, 1981–1982, 1993–95, 2002–03, 2006–2008) and 24 seasons in the Liga II (1979–1981, 1982–1993, 1995–2002, 2003–2006, 2008–present).

During the years, the club has changed its name a couple of times: IT Arad (1945–1949), Flamura Roşie Arad (1950–1957) and UTA Arad since 1958. There were e few variations on the same theme: FCM UTA (1984–1985, 1985–1986, 2006–2010), CSM UTA (1985, 1986–1995) and FC UTA (1995–2006, 2010-Present).

Besides the titles won with the senior squad, the club has also won 5 titles with the junior squad (1957–58, 1958–59, 1967–68, 1995–1996, 2000–2001).

Within the club a series of fotball personalites activated, such as: Baron von Neumann (the clubs founder), Gh. Ivan, Em. Gherghel, Al. Dan, Fl. Domide, M. Bretoteanu, M. Florea, Al. Paniţ, L. Josan, E. Kresner, I. Petroveanu, Iosif Grozav, D. Vătran, Ion Popa, Dan Ologeanu, M. Lupaş, T. Gherlea.

Supporters

UTA also have a large group of supporters named Speta Ultra Rossa, Directivo Ultra, Rasa, Commando Hooligans and Red Skorpions. Their main rivalry is with the supporters of Poli Timişoara.

Honours

Domestic

Liga I

Romanian Cup

  • Winners (2): 1947–48, 1953
  • Runners-up (2): 1950, 1965–66

Liga II

European

UEFA Cup:

  • Winners (0):, Best result: Quarter-Finalist: 1971–72

European record

European Cup
Season Round Club Home Away Aggr.
1969–70 First round Legia Warsaw 1–2 0–8 1–10
1970–71 First round Feyenoord 0–0 1–1 1–1 (a)
Second round Red Star Belgrade 1–3 0–3 1–6
UEFA Cup
Season Round Club Home Away Aggr.
1971–72 First round Austria Salzburg 4–1 1–3 5–4
Second round Zagłębie Wałbrzych 2–1 1–1 3–2
Third round Vitória Setúbal 3–0 0–1 3–1
Quarter finals Tottenham Hotspur 0–2 1–1 1–3
1972–73 First round IFK Norrköping 1–2 0–2 1–4

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Mădălin Smaranda
6 DF Gabriel Siminic
7 MF Jackie Nicolae
8 DF Alin Gligor
9 FW Alexandru Capătă
10 FW Claudiu Drăgan
11 DF Predrag Počuča
12 GK Roberto Bodea
14 DF Claudiu Pascariu
15 MF Alin Ignea
18 MF Florin Gâlcă
No. Position Player
19 DF Calvin
20 MF Florin Purece
21 FW Cornelius Miron
23 MF Florin Hidişan
24 MF Cornel Nădăban
25 DF Ionuţ Bălan
26 MF Norbert Varga
28 GK Remo Amadio
27 FW Octavian Drăghici
30 MF Andrei Neagoe
91 MF Marius Chindriş

Famous players

External links