Prahova Ploiești

Prahova Ploieşti was a football club based in Ploiești, Prahova County, Romania. It was founded in 1909 under the name of United Ploiești and it soon became one of the best teams in the country, winning one Romanian Championships in 1912. The club was dissolved in 2001, by indolence of the private business men that took over the club after the 1989 Romanian revolution.

History

The club was founded in 1909 under the name of United Ploiesti by the American and Dutch functionaries from the Petroleum Refineries, under the presidency of engineer Jacob Koppes. The first players of the club were: Braizer, the Mayor brothers, Bider, Kolman, van Beck, Meyer, Bolton. In 1911 the first Romanian player appears in the squad, Vintilescu. At the end of the 1911–12 season the club were crowned champions, winning at Ploiești against Olympia București with 6–2. The team from Bucharest played with only 9 players because, the two other players were schoolboys, and their parents didn't allow them to go to the away game. Starting with 1914, the foreign players left the country and United sees itself dissolved just before World War I started. The remaining players and staff were divided between two clubs, Româno-Americană București and Prahova Ploiești.

In 1916 Jacob Koppes, refounded the club, under the name of Prahova Ploiești. In 1915–16 the team succeeded to win the national title once again. The crest of the club was represented by a black goat and the jersey colours were blue-yellow-white.

After World War I it resumes its activity alongside the teams from Bucharest, participating at the national championship in the system of a final tournament, with the regional championships and league championships, between 1919–1932. During this period, its best performance was to win the South League Championship in 1931, using the following players: Zaharescu – Barasch, Ionescu Nălae – Vasilescu (Muller), Dancher, Popescu, Obretcovici, Rheingruber, Georgescu, Taryan, I. Niculescu, Atanasiu. In the national championship tournament, 1930–31, te team reaches the semifinals where it loses 2–3 to UD Reşiţa, and is eliminated.

Starting with 1934, Prahova plays in the Second Division (1934–1936), then in the Third Division (1936–1937) and again in the Second Division (1937–1941), the players used, among others, were: Iordăchescu, Şenchea, Dunăreanu, Rusen, Gh. Dragomirescu, Grun, Pascaru, Epure, T. Georgescu, Bujor, Farkas, Criciotoiu, Boldiş, Radu Florian, and in the period of World War II: Ioanid, Panovschi, Boacă, Şperlea, Buşac, T. Păunescu, I. Manolescu, N. Antonescu, V. Bărbulescu, Lipănescu, E. Vlaiculescu, Gh. Ionescu, R. Gologan.

In 1946, after a double play-off match against Gloria CFR Galaţi (3–0, 2–1), the team promotes to the First Division, the players used: C. Mihăilescu, Balmuş, Hrisafi, Matroc, Şt. Comănescu, Boacă, Vâlvoi II, Catană, M. Beraru, Mladin, Comşa, M. Ionescu, Şt. Georgescu, Mazăre, Gologan, Vlaiculescu, Deliu, Mihăescu. The leadership was secured by: B. Andrei, Gh. Marinescu, N. Stanbolgiu, Tr. Stoenescu, Tr. Popescu. After only one season, 1946–47, it relegates to the Second Division and in 1947 merges with Concordia, the team of the Factory from Ploieşti with the same name. New players in the squad are: Asadur, Ştefănescu, Mincea, Teaşcă, Şt. Vasile, Mărdărescu, Chilea, Gârlea, Gh. Ionescu, Moldoveanu, Bădulescu-Bardatz, Motronea, Sanilovici.

The divisionary direction of the team is constant in the Second Division, but with consecutive name changes: Partizanul (1950), Flacăra (1951–1955), Metalul (1956), Energia (1957), and in 1958 comes back to its traditional name Prahova.

At the end of the 1962–1963 season the team is excluded from the Second Division after some competition disorders, and relegated in the towns championship.

In 1968 Prahova promotes to the Third Division and in 1975 to the Second Division where it stays until 1978. Will come back in the Third Division in 1983 and in 1984 the club changes its name to Prahova CSU. The decline was accentuated after 1989 when the club was relegated to the Third Division in 1991 and in 1995 in the regional championship. Without any material support in 1999 the club merges with a police club, changing its name to Argus Prahova. In 2000 the club is moved to Urlaţi, and after this dissolution comes quickly.

In august 2018, the club was enrolled in Liga C-Prahova(Seria Mizil), romanian 7th league.

Honours

Liga I:

• Winners (2): 1911–12, 1915–16
• Runners-up (1): 1910–11

Liga III:

• Winners (2): 1974–75, 1981–82
• Runners-up (2): 1979–80, 1980–81