FC Unirea Dej
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| Full name | Fotbal Club Unirea Dej | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Uniriștii Alb-Albaștrii (The White and Blues) | ||
| Short name | Unirea Dej | ||
| Founded | 1921 | ||
| Ground | Unirea | ||
| Capacity | 6.000 | ||
| Owner | Dej Municipality | ||
| Chairman | Adrian Gavriș | ||
| Head coach | Adrian Falub | ||
| League | Liga III | ||
| 2023–24 | Liga II, 17th of 20 (relegated) | ||
| Website | https://unireadej.ro/ | ||
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Fotbal Club Unirea Dej, commonly known as Unirea Dej, is a Romanian professional football club based in Dej, Cluj County, that competes in the Liga III, the third tier of the Romanian football.
It is one of Romania's oldest football teams, founded in 1921, although it never reached the Liga I. Unirea's home field, Stadionul Unirea, has 5,000 seats. In 2004 Unirea Dej became the reserve team of CFR Cluj, until the summer of 2007. It has an average attendance of about 300 fans.
History
Unirea Dej was founded in 1921[1] and, for over four decades, played in regional and district championships. In the 1961–62 season, Unirea won the Cluj Regional Championship and finished 2nd in Series III of the six-team promotion play-off held in Mediaș, just behind AS Cugir, thus earning promotion to Divizia B for the first time in its history.[2]
Since September 2008 the club has collaborated with AC Milan. The Italian club wishes to build a sports base for young players. "We will be an associated club with AC Milan, and Unirea shorts will have Milan's crest," said a staff member. Eusebiu Şuvagău has been the head coach until summer 2010. He was replaced by Constantin Olariu who left the team in October 2010 being replaced by Ioan Tătăran. When Tătăran became technical director of FC Maramureş Universitar Baia Mare in July 2011, Şuvagău returned as head coach.[3]
In the 2020–21 season, Unirea Dej finished 2nd in Series IX of the third league and reached the promotion play-off. Unirea defeated Minaur Baia Mare (0–0 in Baia Mare and 3–1 in Dej) and SCM Zalău (0–0 at home, 1–1 in Zalău). After 14 years of absence, and exactly when the club celebrated 100 years since its founding, Unirea earned promotion back to Liga II.[4]
The team coached by Dragoș Militaru finished 9th in the 2021–22 regular season of Liga II. In the play-out, the blue-and-whites achieved five victories and suffered only one defeat, ranking in second place.
Honours
- Winners (3): 1965–66, 1993–94, 2003–04
- Runners-up (7): 1970–71, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1980–81, 1991–92, 2020–21
- Winners (1): 1961–62
Players
First team squad
- As of 10 September 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Club Officials
Board of directors
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Current technical staff
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Notable former players
The footballers enlisted below have had international cap(s) for their respective countries at junior and/or senior level and/or significant caps for FC Unirea Dej.
- Romania
Gheorghe Albu- Laur Aștilean
- Teodor Balmoș
- Costel Bădan
- Andrei Boroștean
- Sandu Borș
- Alin Burdeț
- Ionuț Cazan
- Ovidiu Ceclan
- Octavian Chihaia
- Cătălin Ciucur
- Angelo Cocian
- Sorin Corpodean
- Sergiu Costin
- Constantin Cremenițchi
- Vasile Curileac
- Ciprian Deac
- Ioan Deac
- Adrian Dulcea
- Andrei Estinca
- Adrian Falub
- Alexandru Gego
- Sabin Goia
- Marius Grad
- Emil Haitonic
- Dumitru Halostă
- Cristian Ivan
- Cristian Lupuț
- Dumitru Mitu
- Aurel Nalați
- Onișor Nicorec
- Constantin Olariu
- Paul Papp
- Daniel Sabou
- Viorel Sântejudean
- Marius Suller
- Emil Ștef
- Eusebiu Șuvagău
- Vladimir Tamaș
- Dorin Toma
- Cosmin Văsîie
- Eugen Voica
- Călin Zanc
- Tiberiu Zelencz
- Moldova
Notable former managers
- Nicolae Manea (1992–1996)
- George Ciorceri (2006)
- Mircea Bolba (2008–2009)
- Cristian Fedor (2007–2010)
- Constantin Olariu (2010)
- Ioan Tătăran (2010–2011)
- Mircea Bolba (2011–2012)
- Alin Minteuan (2012–2013)
- Valentin Sinescu (2015)
- Alpár Mészáros (2015–2016)
- Gheorghe Barbu (2016)
- Alpár Mészáros (2017)
- Gheorghe Barbu (2017)
- Mircea Bolba (2018)
- Gheorghe Barbu (2018–2019)
League history
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References
- ^ "Unirea Dej are siglă nouă după ce a promovat în Liga 2, una prin care celebrează inclusiv centenarul clubului" [Unirea Dej has a new logo after being promoted to League 2, one that also celebrates the club's centenary] (in Romanian). liga2.prosport.ro. 8 June 2021. Archived from the original on 6 January 2025. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ^ "A luat sfârșit turneul de baraj pentru calificare în categoria B" [The play-off tournament for qualification in category B has ended] (PDF) (in Romanian). Sportul Popular. 23 July 1962. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2025 – via bibliotecadeva.eu.
- ^ "Eusebiu Şuvagău a revenit pe banca Unirii Dej". dejeanul.ro. July 21, 2011.
- ^ "Unirea Dej, promovare dramatică în Liga 2, după ce a marcat în ultima secundă la Zalău. Meciul s-a terminat cu o bătaie generală, urmată de festivitatea de premiere a campioanei" [Unirea Dej, dramatic promotion in Liga 2, after scoring in the last second in Zalău. The match ended with a general fight, followed by the award ceremony of the champion]. liga2.prosport.ro. 29 May 2021. Archived from the original on 6 January 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2021.