FC Unirea Dej explained

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.

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 audience of about 300 fans.

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.

History

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 audience of about 300 fans.

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.^[1]

In the 2020–21 season, Unirea Dej finished the 9th series of 3rd league in 2nd place and reached the promotion play-off. Unirea defeated Minaur Baia Mare (0–0 at Baia Mare and 3–1 at Dej) and SCM Zalău (0–0 in at home, 1–1 at Zalău) and after 14 years of absence, exactly when the club celebrated 100 years since it was founded, it promoted back to the Liga II.^[2]

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

Liga III

• 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

Liga IV – Cluj County

• Winners (2): 1982–83, 1988–89

Players

Out on loan

Club Officials

Board of directors

Role	Name
Owner	Dej Municipality
President	Adrian Gavriș
Sporting director	Iosif Martonoș
Head of Youth Development	Ovidiu Fărcaş
Delegate	Adrian Bud
Press Officer	George Matei

Current technical staff

Role	Name
Manager	Adrian Falub
Assistant coach	Eusebio Șuvagău
Goalkeeping coach	Vasile Șleam
Club doctor	Mihai Alexandru
Kinetotherapist	Răzvan Bonțidean

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

• Dorian Railean

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

Season[3]	Tier	Division	Place	Cupa României
	3	Liga III (Seria VII)	TBD
	2		align=center bgcolor=FFCCCC	18th (R)	Play-off round
	2	Liga II	6th
	2	Liga II	9th
	3	Liga III (Seria IX)	align=center bgcolor=silver	2nd (P)
	3	Liga III (Seria V)	10th
	3	Liga III (Seria V)	11th
	3	Liga III (Seria V)	14th
	3	Liga III (Seria V)	9th
	3	Liga III (Seria V)	10th
	3	Liga III (Seria V)	14th
	3	Liga III (Seria V)	11th
	3	Liga III (Seria V)	5th
	3	Liga III (Seria VI)	12th
	3	Liga III (Seria VI)	12th
	3	Liga III (Seria VI)	9th
	3	Liga III (Seria VI)	15th
	3	Liga III (Seria VI)	8th

Season	Tier	Division	Place	Cupa României
	2	Liga II (Seria II)	align=center bgcolor=#FFCCCC	17th (R)
	2	Divizia B (Seria III)	12th	Round of 32
	2	Divizia B (Seria III)	13th
	3	Divizia C (Seria IV)	align=center bgcolor=gold	1st (C, P)
	3	Divizia C (Seria VIII)	5th
	3	Divizia C (Seria VIII)	align=center bgcolor=bronze	3rd
	3	Divizia C (Seria VIII)	6th
	3	Divizia C (Seria VI)	14th
	2	Divizia B (Seria II)	align=center bgcolor=#FFCCCC	18th (R)	Round of 32
	2	Divizia B (Seria II)	6th
	2	Divizia B (Seria II)	6th
	2	Divizia B (Seria II)	7th
	2	Divizia B (Seria II)	9th	Round of 16
	3	Divizia C (Seria IV)	align=center bgcolor=gold	1st (C, P)
	3	Divizia C (Seria IV)	5th
	3	Divizia C (Seria XI)	align=center bgcolor=silver	2nd	Round of 32
	3	Divizia C (Seria XI)	13th

References

1. Web site: Eusebiu Şuvagău a revenit pe banca Unirii Dej. July 21, 2011. dejeanul.ro.
2. Web site: Unirea Dej, promovare dramatică în Liga 2, după ce a marcat în ultima secundă la Zalău. VIDEO / 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. VIDEO / The match ended with a general fight, followed by the award ceremony of the champion. 31 May 2021. liga2.prosport.ro. 29 May 2021 .
3. Web site: History & Statistics. romaniansoccer.ro.