Vagonul Arad

History

1911–1940

The club was formed in Arad in 1911 when AMEF (Asociația Muncitorilor pentru Educație Fizică) () merged with Clubul Sportiv al Fabricii De Vagoane (Rail Cars Factory Sports Club), keeping the first ones name until 1948.

After World War I it qualified for the national championship 3 times, but never being able to pass the semi-finals.

During 1932-1940 we see the club playing in Divizia A, their best performance - 2nd place at the end of the 1935-36 season.

In 1940 AMEF is dissolved by the legionar regime, but after World War II, we see it for a couple of years in Liga II (1946–1948).

1946–1964

AMEFA was admitted to the first season of Divizia B after the Second World War, finishing 2nd in Series I and qualifying for the promotion play-off, where it lost 1–2 in the semifinals against the 2nd-placed team in Series III, Karres Mediaș. In the 1947–48 season, AMEFA finished 9th in Series III and was relegated to Divizia C. In 1948, it merged with the Uzina de Vagoane Arad () football team, forming a new club named UVA AMEFA, led by coach Băneșu, who was soon replaced by former player Albu. The team competed for one season in Divizia C, ranking 4th in Series I by February 1949, when Divizia C was shut down. Renamed Metalul AMEFA, the team played in the Arad Regional Championship until the end of the 1954 season, when it won the title and earned promotion to Divizia B after finishing 1st in Series III of the promotion play-off held in Sibiu.

In the 1955 Divizia B season, Metalul ranked 14th in Series II and was relegated to the newly re-established Divizia C. Renamed Energia Metalul, the team won Series IV of the 1956 Divizia C, finishing five points ahead of the runners-up Flamura Roșie Râmnicu Vâlcea and 3rd-placed Știința Craiova, and returned quickly to the second division. The team, led by Ștefan Pernecki, included Kiss, Pîrvulescu, Juhasz, Sîrbu, Järger, Ujj, Soliu, Busch, Tamaș, Bucurescu, Moldoveanu, Petica, Mărghidan, Renich, Popa, Mircea, and Tipei.

Once again renamed UVA AMEFA, the team finished 7th in Series I of the 1957–58 season, 12th in Series I in 1958–59, 9th in Series III in 1959–60, and 12th in Series III in 1960–61.

Before the 1961–62season, the team was once again renamed, this time Vagonul Arad, more clearly reflecting the name of the enterprise that provided financial support, and Toma Jurcă was appointed as head coach. Under his guidance, Vagonul finished 5th in Series III and 12th in the same series the following year, which led to relegation to Divizia C. Jurcă remained in charge, and the team managed to bounce back the following year, winning the West Series of Divizia C in the 1963–64 season and securing promotion to Divizia B once again under his leadership.

1964–1989

In Divizia B, the team led by Toma Jurcă competed in Series II, ranking 6th in the 1964–65 season and 3rd in both 1965–66 and 1966–67. Vagonul managed to win the series in the 1967–68 season, thus securing promotion to Divizia A and returning to the Romanian top flight after twenty-eight years. That same season, Vagonul Arad also reached the semi-finals of Cupa României, where it lost 0–2 to the first division side Rapid București. The squad included Arghișan, Chivu, Boroș, Mülroth, Gherghel, Schweillinger, Petschowschi III, Matușinca, Lenard, Stănoaie, Dembrovschi, Mihai, Secui, Dvorszak, Gh. Macavei, and I. Macavei.

After only one season of top class football, the team relegates to Liga II and from now forward we see it going only down. 1969–1971 Liga II, after this Liga III, where they were close to the regional championship, but in 1973 a merger with CFR Arad saved them. The new team was given the name Unirea, and plays in Liga II until 1977, in 1974 changing its name again, this time to Rapid Arad. The 1977–1980 period sees the club in Liga III, 1980–1984 in Liga II, 1984–1989 Liga III. In 1985 – CSM Rapid, 1986 – Vagonul, 1987 – CSM Vagonul.

1989–2006

The club succeeds to promote to Liga II once again in 1989, from 1991 with the name of Astra. The spell lasts only until 1992, and the club sees itself in Liga III once again. The name changes again: FC Arad in 1994, Telecom Arad in 1996, and Romtelecom in 2005.

At the end of the Liga III 2005-06 season, the club finished 13th and relegated to the Arad County Championship (Fourth League), and with this we see the disappearance of another old Romanian football club.

Honours

Divizia A

• Runners-up (1): 1935–36 Divizia B
• Winners (1): 1967–68
• Runners-up (1): 1946–47 Divizia C
• Winners (5): 1956, 1963–64, 1971–72, 1979–80, 1988–89
• Runners-up (3): 1986–87, 1987–88, 2000–01 Arad Regional Championship
• Winners (2): 1952, 1954

Notable former players

The footballers mentioned below have played at least 1 season for Vagonul Arad and also played in Liga I for another team.

• ROU Ion Atodiresei
• ROU Helmut Duckadam
• ROU Adrian Lucaci
• ROU Ștefan Onisie

Former managers

• ROU Gheorghe Albu (1959–1964)
• ROU Ionuț Popa (1996–1997)

References

References

1. "Evoluția denumirilor echipelor de-a lungul anilor". romaniansoccer.ro.
2. (7 April 2011). "AMEFA la 100 de ani: povestea echipei de fotbal". sportarad.ro.
3. (4 July 2013). "Una dintre primele echipe de fotbal din Arad, la care a jucat Duckadam, a fost dizolvată de legionari". adevarul.ro.
4. (22 November 1954). "Ultimele jocuri de calificare de la Sibiu". Sportul Popular.
5. (8 December 1956). "Din nou în categoria B...". Sportul Popular.
6. "Liga 2 clasamente". romaniansoccer.ro.
7. "Echipele Laminorul Brăila, C.F.R. Roșiori, Vagonul Arad și Recolta Carei au promovat în categoria B". Sportul Popular.
8. "Vă prezentăm primele sosite în Divizia A". Fotbal.
9. "Victorie comodă a feroviarilor bucureșteni". Sportul.
10. (21 September 2023). "Cluburi uitate: Rapid Arad! Istoria clubului născut AMEFA și decedat Romtelecom Arad: a fost vicecampioană a României și semifinalistă a Cupei". gsp.ro.