CS Pandurii Târgu Jiu

Founding and lower divisions (1962–2005)

Pandurii Târgu Jiu was founded in August 1962, after the merger of the two big rivals from the town, Flacăra-Unirea Târgu Jiu and CIL Târgu-Jiu. The club entered the fourth division of Romanian football, with a strong objective, to promote immediately in the third division. And the target was reached, Pandurii gaining the promotion to Divizia C in June 1963. Their first game in this division was played on 1 September 1963, against Siderurgistul Hunedoara. Pandurii won by a big margin, 6–0, goals scored by Chițu (12'), Nelu Băloi (35'), Melinte (53', 80') and Vasilescu (83', 85').

In the first years, Pandurii finished constantly in the first half of the standings, so the club decided to attack a promotion to Divizia B. In the 1976–77 season, with a young team and with Titus Ozon as coach, the dream came true. Pandurii dominated the competition, climbed from the first stages on top of the standings and won the promotion to the second division. But this level was a much bigger hat to wear for Pandurii, who relegated the next season back to Divizia C.

The following years, the team changed frequently the division, promoting to Divizia B and relegating after a few years. They played in Divizia B between 1979–1983 then between 1986 and 1991. After a decade in Divizia C, in 2000 the team promoted again in the second league, and in 2004 finished second, behind Sportul Studențesc.

Beginning years in the top league (2005–2011)

Squad of Pandurii Târgu Jiu in November 2006

The performance from the last seasons was an incentive for the management who decided to push for the first presence of Pandurii in Divizia A. With Emil Săndoi as coach, and with a young group of players like Tiberiu Lung and Sorin Vintilescu but also with some experienced players like, Florin Popete, Robert Vancea and Romulus Buia, the team won the promotion.

It was difficult to maintain its position in Divizia A, and Pandurii finished their first season in the 15th place, right below the relegation line. But the Romanian Football Federation decided at the end of the season not to give Sportul Studențesc their licence for the following year, and kept instead the first team under the line, Pandurii. With the bullet dodged, the management decided to enforce the team, so the relegation shouldn't be a problem.

Alexandru Păcurar, Ciprian Vasilache and Liviu Mihai were brought, and the team finished 11th in the 2006–07 season. They kept their position at the middle of the table for the next seasons.

In 2010, they finished below the line but avoided the relegation after the withdrawal of Internațional Curtea de Argeș, team that ended tenth but the owner decided to disband the club. With a lot of players from Internațional Curtea de Argeș like Vlad Chiricheș, Mihai Pintilii, and Dan Nistor, Pandurii were 13th the following season.

Ascent and first European participation (2011–2013)

In the 2011–12 season the team reached the highest place in history, finishing seventh. For a while, they were fifth and the fans hoped for Europa League.

The following season saw Pandurii finishing as Liga I runners-up for the first time ever, qualifying for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League, the club's first ever European participation. After defeating Levadia Tallinn, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Braga, Pandurii entered the Group stage, being drawn into Group E with F.C. Paços de Ferreira, FC Dnipro and ACF Fiorentina.^[2]

Achieving performance (2013–2017)

On March 10, 2015, with Edward Iordănescu as coach Pandurii defeated FC Dinamo București in the semifinals of the new established competition Cupa Ligii, to qualify for their first ever cup final. On their way to play the final they beat one of the Romanian giants FC Petrolul Ploiești at Ilie Oană Stadium. In the final FC Steaua București beat Pandurii at Arena Națională stadium but with a controversial penalty in the beginning of the match.

In the 2015–16, season of Liga I Pandurii had many achievements along the season with the same coach and players like UEFA Europa League winner Cristian Săpunaru, Dan Nistor, Ioan Hora and Mihai Răduț and Narcis Răducan as president. In April 2015 they became the first team to win a match in Liga I with the new play-off, play-out system. On February 6, 2016, they secured both a place in the competition play-offs and a place in a European competition next year with a victory with ASA 2013 Târgu Mureș. During this season they had the most matches without a defeat, about 10 games. At the end of the season, Pandurii finished on the podium as third-place qualifying for the second time in UEFA Europa League, but this time in the third qualifying round.

Back to lower leagues (2017–present)

Although the team had a fairly good start for the season 2016–17, with players like Lucian Sânmărtean or George Țucudean coming at the club, and playing in the summer against Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. in Europa League, problems occurred in the second half of the season. The main sponsor started having problems and for this reason they did not fund the team anymore. Many players have left the team so the young players from the second team where brought to the first team along with other players from elsewhere. Unfortunately after 12 seasons in Liga 1 Pandurii relegated for the first time since the 2005 promotion but fought to avoid it until the last round.

For the 2017–18 Liga II, Pandurii has been prepared with some players promoted from the second team or from the youth teams and moved to Motru until the new stadium was completed.

Stadionul Tudor Vladimirescu (1963)

Stadionul Tudor Vladimirescu before demolition

For many years since they were founded the home of Pandurii was Stadionul Tudor Vladimirescu which was named after Tudor Vladimirescu, the Wallachian revolutionary hero and also hosted a Cupa României final in 2009. The stadium was demolished in 2015, and saw Pandurii in its final match winning against CS Municipal Studențesc Iași.

Stadionul Tudor Vladimirescu (2018)

The new Stadionul Tudor Vladimirescu will be finished in 2018, therefore the club will play home matches at Stadionul Municipal in Drobeta-Turnu Severin or at Stadionul Minerul in Motru.

Domestic

Juniors

Domestic

• Liga I seasons: 12
• Liga I play-offs seasons: 1
• Liga I longest unbeaten run: 10 (2015–16)
• Place 30 out of 98 teams in Liga I all-time table
• Cupa României best result: Semi-finals (2006–07)
• Cupa Ligii seasons: 3
• The most successful team from Gorj County

European

• UEFA Europa League seasons: 2
• UEFA Europa League best result: Group Stages (2013–14)
• UEFA Europa League biggest win: 4–0 vs. Levadia Tallinn (2013–14)

League history

European Cups history

Season	Competition	Round	Opponent	Home	Away	Aggregate
2013–14	UEFA Europa League	2Q	Levadia Tallinn	4–0	0–0	4–0
		3Q	Hapoel Tel Aviv	1–1	2–1	3–2
		PO	Braga	0–1	2–0 (aet)	2–1
		Group E	Fiorentina	1–2	0–3	4th
			Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk	0–1	1–4
			Paços de Ferreira	0–0	1–1
2016–17	UEFA Europa League	3Q	Maccabi Tel Aviv	1–3	1–2	2–5

Notes

• 1Q: First qualifying round
• 2Q: Second qualifying round
• 3Q: Third qualifying round
• PO: Play-off round

European cups all-time statistics

As of August 2016.

First team squad

As of 2 October 2018

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Mihai Cotolan 2 DF Miloš Drača 3 DF Milenko Škorić 4 DF Denis Brînzan (Captain) 5 DF Daniel Ciobanu 6 DF Nicolae Cotolan 7 MF George Tudoran 8 MF Cristian Raiciu 9 MF Ovidiu Rașoveanu 12 GK Alin Sălăjan 13 DF Marius Almic 17 DF Alexandru Vasilescu 18 MF Patrick Popescu

No. Position Player 19 MF Daniel Pîrvulescu 20 MF Alexandru Trancă 21 MF Drilon Cenaj 22 GK Alexandru Oprița 23 DF Robert Gheorghe 24 FW Philippe Nsiah 25 FW Florin Măicăneanu 26 MF Marian Dănescu 27 FW Andrei Blejdea 29 DF Moussa Konaté 70 MF Bogdan Dănăricu 77 DF Alexandru Vodă 99 MF Robert Lică

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.