ITA Arad

Asociația Fotbal Club UTA Arad (), commonly known as UTA Arad or simply UTA, is a Romanian professional football club based in the city of Arad, Arad County, which competes in the Liga I. The UTA acronym stands for ''Uzina Textilă Arad'' ("Textiles Factory of Arad").

Founded in 1945 as ''IT Arad'', the team has won six national titles and two Cupa României. Domestically, UTA is one of the most successful Romanian sides of the 20th century, sharing with Chinezul Timișoara the record for the most title wins outside Bucharest. This earned UTA the nickname of ''Campioana Provinciei'' ("the Provincial Champion"), which it lost at the conclusion of the 2020–21 season when newcomer CFR Cluj claimed its seventh Liga I trophy.

UTA Arad's decline started with a relegation to the second division in 1979, and it appeared sparringly in the top flight before being dissolved in 2014. A new entity started its way back to the top from the Liga IV, the fourth level of the Romanian league system, and managed to return to the Liga I in 2021.

"The Old Lady" plays in red and white uniforms at the new Francisc von Neuman Stadium, which was opened in 2020 and can seat 12,700 persons. UTA holds a long-standing rivalry with neighbouring Politehnica Timișoara, with whom it contests the West derby.

History

Establishment and first success (1945–1965)

The "old lady" was founded by the baron Francisc von Neuman, the owner of the Arad Textile Company, on April 18, 1945. The colors of the club (white – red) were inspired by Arsenal's colors, Neuman being a great fan of this team.

''It was here, on the corner, where the UTA platform is. Where the stadium is today, across the street. He held a meeting, there were many of his friends, engineers, trusted people. He said he wants to make a football team, who has a name to propose? Someone said Gloria, who was gone, someone else proposed to be like the factory: ITA. It was their factory! Good. And what colors should the team have? After many discussions it was noted to be white with green. Nobody knows today that for a few minutes, UTA had these colors: white-green. Then the baron, who had in mind the red-white combination of Arsenal, but he was so delicate he did not want to impose anything, was saved by someone from the community who said he could not "white with green, because are Nazi colors." People woke up and the colors remained white and red like on Highbury. Like Highbury was going to be the stadium, just a little smaller.'' (Dionisie Piros)

The first football match of the newly established team was on 27 May 1945 against Banatul Sânnicolau Mic, score 2–3. The composition of the first team was: Tudor, Bocşa, Tamaş, Lingurar, Dvorszak, Szurdi, Găluţ, Mărienuț, Haller, Cosnita, Brosovszky. Coaches: Francis Dvorszak, Joszef Szallay and Gheorghe Albu.

On 1 September 1946 on the occasion of the match between ITA and Ciocanul București, score 1–0, took place the inauguration of the stadium in Arad, Francisc von Neuman Stadium. At that time it was considered the most beautiful stadium in the country.

The club enters in the National Football Championship, in the 1946–47 edition, bearing the name ITA., the initials of the company. The first participation, in the first league, bring the first title of champion, with a difference of 11 points ahead of the second place, occupied by the Carmen București. The composition of the first championship team was: Alexandru Marky, Gyula Lóránt, Gheorghe Băcuț, Adalbert Pall, Francisc Mészáros, József Pecsovszky, Adalbert Kovács, Ioan Reinhardt, Andrei Mercea, Ladislau Bonyhádi, Mátyás Tóth. Ladislau Bonyhádi becomes the goalscorer of the championship with 26 goals.

In the 1947–48 edition, ITA. won the second championship title, with an impressive goal difference of 129–21, record unbeaten until today and Ladislau Bonyhádi contributed with 49 goals, also an all-time record. In this edition the final of the Cupa României was against CFR Timișoara, also won with the score of 3–2. The winning team was: Alexandru Marky, Moise Vass, Zoltan Farmati, Gheorghe Băcuț, Adalbert Pall, József Pecsovszky, Adalbert Kovács, Ioan Reinhardt, Ladislau Bonyhádi, Iosif Stibinger, Nicolae "Coco" Dumitrescu.

At the end of 1948–49 season, ITA was ranked only 9th.

In the 1950 edition, under the name of ''Flamura Roșie'', the club won a new title of champion. In the same year they qualified in the Cupa României final, but lost 1–3 in front of CCA București. The team used in the final of the cup was: Alexandru Marky, Moise Vass, Zoltan Farmati, Adalbert Pall, Ioan Reinhardt, Ladislau Băcuț, Silviu Boitoş, Mihai Carpinet, József Pecsovszky, Andrei Mercea, Nicolae "Coco" Dumitrescu.

In 1951 the club was ranked 4th at the end of the competition.

In 1952 the "old lady" occupied the 8th place, and in 1953 was on the third place and won a new edition of the Romanian Cup, against CCA București, score 1–0. The winning team was: Francisc Kiss, Gavril Szücs, József Kapás, Zoltan Farmati, Mihai Carpineţ, Gavril Serfözö, Nicolae Popa, Gheorghe Wencesla, Adalbert Kovács, Andrei Mercea, Nicolae "Coco" Dumitrescu, Mircea Popovici, Gheorghe Lupeş. Coach: Coloman Braun-Bogdan.

In 1954, under the direction of the coach Braun-Bogdan, the white and reds won the fourth title of champion. The members of the team were: Francisc Kiss, Gavril Szücs, József Kapás, Dusan, Zoltan Farmati, Gavril Serfözö, Vichentie Birău, Gheorghe Váczi, Ilie Don, Andrei Mercea, Nicolae "Coco" Dumitrescu.

In 1955 ''Flamura Roșie'' occupied the 5th place at the end of the competition, in 1956 they finished on the 6th place, and at the end of the 1957–58 edition the club finished on 10th place.

In 1958 the club changed its name from ''Flamura Roșie'' to UTA. (Arad Textile Factory).

In the following years UTA occupied the following positions at the end of the championship: 1958–59 – 8th, 1959–60 and 1960–61 – 7th, 1961–62 – 10th, 1962–63 and 1963–64 – 11th, 1964–65 – 5th.

The second Golden Generation (1965–1975)

In 1965 Nicolae "Coco" Dumitrescu and Ioan Reinhardt were appointed as coaches, and at the end of 1965–66 edition, UTA finished the domestic competition on the 10th place, but qualified again in the final of the Romanian Cup, where, however, will lose with the score of 0–4 against the Steaua București. The team used in the final of the cup was: Carol Weichelt, Gavrilă Birău, Dumitru Chivu, Christos Metskas, Ioan Igna, Vasile Jac, Emil Floruţ, Nicolae Pantea, Flavius Domide, Mihai Țârlea, Mircea Axente, Ladislau Pecsovszky.

In the 1966–67 edition of the Divizia A, it occupied the 11th position. In the same period the club participated in the 5th edition of the Balkan Cup, being assigned in the 1st Series with Cherno More Varna, Partizani Tirana and Fenerbahçe. UTA had a modest run and only succeeded in one match out of six, a victory against Fenerbahçe in Arad, score 1–0.

In the 1967–68 edition it occupied the 4th place at the end of the season.

In the 1968–69 Divizia A season it became the champion of the country for the fifth time. The squad was: Gheorghe Gornea, Ion Bătrina, Gavrilă Birău, Ștefan Bakos, Ştefan Czako, Mircea Axente, Eugen Pojoni, Petru Șchiopu, Mircea Petescu