Clubul Sportiv Viitorul Minerul Lupeni, commonly known as Minerul Lupeni, is a

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, a ...

n football club based in

Lupeni Lupeni (; German: ''Schylwolfsbach'', Hungarian: ''Lupény'') is a mining city in the Jiu Valley in Hunedoara County, Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Jiu Valley. It is located ...

Hunedoara County Hunedoara County () is a county (''județ'') of Romania, in Transylvania, with its capital city at Deva. The county is part of the Danube–Criș–Mureș–Tisa Euroregion. Name In Hungarian, it is known as , in German as , and in Slovak ...

which competes in Liga IV – Hunedoara County, the fourth tier of the

Romanian football league system The Romanian football league system, also known as the football pyramid, refers to the system in Romanian club football that consists of several football leagues bound together hierarchically by promotion and relegation. The first three leagues ar ...

. Established in 1920 as ''Jiul Lupeni'', the club changed its name several times to ''Partizanul (1950), Flacăra (1951), Minerul (1953 and 1957) and Energia (1956)''. Dissolved in 2010, the club from

Jiu Valley The Jiu Valley ( ro, Valea Jiului ) is a region in southwestern Transylvania, Romania, in Hunedoara county, situated in a valley of the Jiu River between the Retezat Mountains and the Parâng Mountains. The region was heavily industrialised and ...

was re-founded as Viitorul Minerul Lupeni in 2021.

History

The team of miners from the Lupeni coal basin was founded in 1920 as Jiul Lupeni. In 1926, the club merger for a short time with CAMP playing under the name of Jiul Lupeni. In the 1927–28 season, the

team managed to won the Arad Regional Championship qualified for the national tournament of the

Divizia A The Liga I (; ''First League''), also spelled as Liga 1, is a Romanian professional league for men's association football clubs. Currently sponsored by betting company Superbet, it is officially known as the SuperLiga. It is the country's top ...

and managing to reach the final of the competition, where lost in front of Colțea Brașov with 2–3. The lineup from the final with Adalbert Szabo as coach:

Ioan Kiss Ioan Kiss (1902 – 19 November 2006) was a Romanian footballer who played as a goalkeeper. International career Ioan Kiss played four friendly matches for Romania, making his debut on 25 April 1926 under coach Teofil Morariu Teofil may ref ...

– Eugen Szabados, Rupp – Alexandru Berkessy, Szüle, Gentl – Kertesz, Aurel Guga, Bognar, Joseph Kilianovitz, Meszner. Renamed as Minerul, the club played for the first time in Cupa României in the 1935–36 season, but was eliminated in the quarter-finals by the strong team of Ripensia Timişoara 2–9, the team that won the trophy in that season. Also, The Miners played in the first season of the Third Division finishing as runners-up in the Western League and promoted to

Second Division In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...

at the end of the 1937–38 season of Divizia C. The Red-Blacks played the next three seasons in the Second Division Championship finished fourth in 1938–39, second in 1939–40 and sixth in 1940–41. After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, Minerul continued to evolve in

Divizia B The Liga 2, most often spelled as Liga II, is the second level of the Romanian football league system. The league changed its name from Divizia B just before the start of the 2006–07. It is currently sponsored by Casa Pariurilor, a betting ...

, finishing the 1946–47 season on 12th place in the second series. The Miners played the next decade in the Second Division often finishing at mid-table or fighting to save from relegation: 6th ( 1947–48), 5th ( 1948–49), 4th (

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 crashes in a snowstorm. All 19 ...

), 11th (

1951 Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the Uni ...

) spared from relegation due to the move of

Flacăra București ''Flacăra'' (Romanian for "The Flame") is a weekly literary magazine published in Bucharest, Romania. History and profile ''Flacăra'' was started in 1911. The first issue was published on 22 October 1911. The founder was Constantin Banu and t ...

at Ploiești and disappearance of former Flacăra Ploiești (

Prahova Ploiești Prahova may refer to: * Prahova (river), Romania * Prahova Valley, Romania * Prahova County, named after the river Prahova, Romania ** Prahova Ploieşti, a football club based in Ploieşti, Romania ** Stadionul Prahova, a football-only stadium in ...

), 10th (

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh ...

), 14th ( 1953), 6th ( 1954), 9th (

1955 Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yiji ...

), 9th (

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim Elliot and Pete Fleming, are kille ...

), 6th ( 1957–58). At the end of the 1958–59 season, Minerul finished 1st in the Serie I of the Second Division and promoted in

after fifteen seasons in

. The squad managed by Vasile Lazăr as head coach and

Adalbert Pall Adalbert Bela Pall (1 April 1918 - 1 August 2001) was a Romanian football midfielder. International career Adalbert Pall played five matches at international level for Romania, including three at the 1947 and 1948 Balkan Cup editions. Honours ...

as assistant coach was composed of: 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 Carol Creiniceanu (1 February 1939 – 14 January 2012) was a Romanian association football player. He was part of the Romanian team that reached quarterfinals at the 1964 Summer Olympics. International career Carol Creiniceanu played three ga ...

among others. With some new players such as Teodor Mihalache, Daniel Peretz, Ion Leahovici, Alexandru Dan II, Milea, Alexandru Nisipeanu, Virgil Mihăilă, Mihai Țurcan, D.Cucu, N.Stanciu among others, Minerul played four years in the First Division finishing three seasons in a row on 11th place, before being relegated at the end of the 1962–63 season when finished on the last place. The Red-Blacks reached the quarter-finals of the

1959–60 Cupa României The 1959–60 Cupa României was the 22nd edition of Romania's most prestigious football cup competition. The title was won by Progresul București against Dinamo Obor București. Format The competition is an annual knockout tournament. In ...

, losing 3–1 to Dinamo Obor București. Minerul withdrew from the championship during the 2010–11 Liga II season and dissolved after ninety years of existence.Comisia de disciplină a Federaţiei Române de Fotbal
In the fall of 2021, the former captain of Minerul, Adrian Lumperdean, together with his brother, Emil Lumperdean and their nephew, Lucu Lumperdean, decided to bring back to life the football tradition from Lupeni, laying the foundations of Viitorul Minerul Lupeni. In the beginning, the three members of the Lumperdean family, along with the local authorities of

, revived the groups for children and youths and later enrolled the seniors team in the 2022–23 season of Liga IV – Hunedoara County.

Honours

Liga I The Liga I (; ''First League''), also spelled as Liga 1, is a Romanian professional league for men's association football clubs. Currently sponsored by betting company Superbet, it is officially known as the SuperLiga. It is the country's top ...

*Runners-up (1): 1927–28

Liga II The Liga 2, most often spelled as Liga II, is the second level of the Romanian football league system. The league changed its name from Divizia B just before the start of the 2006–07 Liga II, 2006–07. It is currently Sponsor (commercial), sp ...

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

Liga III The Liga 3, most often spelled as Liga III, is the third level of the Romanian football league system. Its name was changed from Divizia C to Liga III before the start of the 2006–07 season. It was the first in this format (six series of 18 ...

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

Notable players

The footballers mentioned below have played at least 1 season for Minerul Lupeni and also played in

for another team. *

Ștefan Onisie Ștefan Onisie (23 November 1925 – 7 July 1984) was a Romanian footballer and manager. He was a part of Steaua's Golden Team of the 1950s. International career Ștefan Onisie played six games at international level for Romania, making his de ...

* Cristian Bălgrădean *

Mircea Popa Mircea Popa (born 21 June 1962) is a Romanian former football right-back. His son, Horațiu Popa was also a footballer. International career Mircea Popa played three friendly games at international level for Romania, making his debut in a 2–2 ...

Lucian Burchel Lucian Ovidiu Burchel (born 20 March 1964) is a Romanian former footballer and manager. International career Lucian Burchel played two friendly games at international level for Romania against Iraq. Honours Minerul Lupeni *Divizia C: 1982–83 ...

Cornel Irina Cornel Reluș Irina (born 7 December 1976) is a Romanian former professional footballer who played as a defender. In his career Irina played in over 200 matches for Jiul Petroșani and was also the captain of "the Miners". Nicknamed "the Bombe ...

Horațiu Lasconi Horațiu Victor Lasconi (born 8 April 1963) is a Romanian former footballer who played as a forward and midfielder. In 2016 Lasconi was awarded the Honorary Citizen of Petroșani title. International career Horațiu Lasconi played three friend ...

* Tudor Paraschiva *

* Aurel Guga *

Andrei Stocker Andrei Stocker (born 22 November 1942) is a Romanian former footballer who played as a central defender and a referee. Career Andrei Stocker, nicknamed "Keke" was born on 22 November 1942 in Aninoasa, his parents being Transylvanian Saxon miner ...

Aurel Moise Aurel Moise (born 1 November 1956) is a Romanian former football goalkeeper. Honours Politehnica Timișoara *Divizia B The Liga 2, most often spelled as Liga II, is the second level of the Romanian football league system. The league changed ...

Sándor Schwartz Sándor Schwartz ( ro, Alexandru Schwartz, 18 January 1909 - 1994) was a Romanian football player, who participated in the 1934 FIFA World Cup for the Romania national football team. Schwartz joined Ripensia Timişoara in 1930, and played fo ...

Tiberiu Csik Tiberiu Csik (born 12 December 1971) is a Romanian former professional footballer who played as a defender. After retirement Csik was associated for many years with his hometown team, Olimpia Satu Mare, in various positions ( main coach, yout ...

Ovidiu Vezan Ovidiu Vezan (born 20 March 1985) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up ...

Former managers

* Vasile Lazăr *

Petre Libardi Petre Libardi (27 August 1942 – 14 August 2005) was a Romanian footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. Club career Petre Libardi was born on 27 August 1942 in Câmpulung-Muscel and started playing football at Minerul Câmpulung. He ...

Gogu Tonca Gogu Tonca (2 May 1947 – 23 October 2010) was a Romanian footballer who played as a central defender and a manager. Career Gogu Tonca was born on 2 May 1947 in Bucharest and started practicing boxing before reorienting towards football at the ...

Adrian Matei Adrian Matei (born 25 February 1985 in Bucharest, Romania) is a Romanian figure skater Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Ol ...

Gabriel Stan Gabriel Stan (born 25 June 1952) is a Romanian football manager. He is sometimes nicknamed Gabello. Coaching career Braşov Stan is known as the last manager to qualify FC Brașov in a European competition. In the 2000–2001 Romanian Divis ...

* Dan Mănăilă * Marin Tudorache *

Petre Gigiu Petre Gigiu (born 18 September 1953) is a Romanian former football player and current manager. Coaching career Gigiu managed a number of clubs in his native Romania and abroad in Germany, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Churchill Brothers 201 ...

Ionel Augustin Ionel Augustin (born 11 October 1955) is a Romanian retired footballer who played as a striker. Club career Ionel Augustin, nicknamed ''Oneață'' was born on 11 October 1955 in Bucharest and started to play football in 1966 at junior level at ...

References

External links

Unofficial Website
Football clubs in Romania Football clubs in Hunedoara County Association football clubs established in 1920 Hunedoara County Liga I clubs Liga II clubs Liga III clubs Liga IV clubs Mining association football teams in Romania 1920 establishments in Romania {{romania-footyclub-stub