AFC Chindia Târgoviște

The first team of the town, FCM Târgoviște, was founded after the end of World War II, in 1948 and was named Metalul Târgoviște. Subsequently, named Energia (1956), then again Metalul (1957–1972), CS (1972–1994), Oțelul (1994–1996) or Chindia (1996–2003), the team spent only nine seasons in the top flight. It promoted for the first time in 1961, but relegated after only one season, then in 1977 "the red and blues" promoted again, this time playing constantly at the level of the first division for the next seven seasons with a break of a season (1980–81) when it evolved in the second tier, winning the second series. The end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s was the peak of the football from Targoviște, which, besides launching a very good generation of players, achieved the best ranking in the history of the club, a 7th place at the end of the 1978–79 championship.

Nicolae Dobrin, a legend of the Romanian football and player of CS Târgoviște during the 1981–82 season.

This squad of "the club situated under the Chindia Tower" will be called "the golden generation" and in its composition were the following players: Nicolae Dobrin, Silviu Dumitrescu, Ion Ene, Florea Alexandru, Ionel Pitaru, Dumitru Gheorghe, Claudius Sava, Nelu Isaia, Gheorghe Greaca, Nicolae Enache, Petre Marinescu, Ion Constantin, Ilie Niculescu, Viorel Radu, Constantin Miia, Gheorghe Voinea, Mihai Iatan, Mihai Banu, Mihai Mărgelatu, Gheorghe Filipescu and Dumitru Economu.[2][3]

After relegating in 1984, CS Târgoviște has not recovered, even playing in the Divizia C. The year 1995 brought the promotion in the second division, followed immediately by another one in 1996, this time in the Divizia A. Under the name CF Chindia and led from the bench by its former player, Silviu Dumitrescu, this squad was one of the best that ever played on Eugen Popescu Stadium. Even if probably this team was not as good as Dumitrescu's generation, the promotion achieved in 1996, after 12 years of lower divisions, the style of playing and the composition of the squad, made of local players, won the heart of the supporters and gave to the club a nickname that will last for years, "Micul Ajax" (The Little Ajax).[4][5] In that squad of Chindia were plyers such as: Adrian Bogoi, Vasile Bârdeș, Bogdan Liță, Cristian Țermure, Cristian Bălașa, Remus Gâlmencea or Laurențiu Reghecampf.[6] The period of glory was again a very short one and at the end of 1997–98 season, Chindia returned in the Liga II.

In 2003 the team changed its name to FCM Târgoviște and in the summer of 2004, due to financial problems, almost withdrew from the championship. On 19 August 2004, businessman Ghiorghi Zotic took over the club with the clear goal of saving it from both relegation and bankruptcy. In 2009, the team relegated back to Liga III and the relationship between Zotic and Târgoviște Municipality started to strain, just like the one between the owner and supporters.[1]

In March 2010, the Eugen Popescu Stadium rental agreement expired and was not extended. Since that time the club has not played in Târgoviște, but on the Alpan Stadium in Șotânga. From this point on, FCM started its total decline and in 2015 Zotic dissolved the club's senior squad, only remaining with the women's football team. After only one year, FCM enrolled in the 6th tier, but after two seasons was dissolved again.

Gheorghe Popescu, founder of the new club.

On 11 August 2010,[7] after the breakup between Zotic's FCM, Târgoviște Municipality and supporters, the Municipality, together with the Romanian former footballer Gheorghe Popescu, in association with the former international referee Ion Crăciunescu and supported by fans set up a new football club named FC Chinidia named after the Chindia Tower, the symbol of the town, located near the stadium and part of the Curtea Domnească monuments ensemble.[1] The club was at the beginning a football academy, similarly made, according to the model of Gheorghe Hagi Football Academy and FC Viitorul Constanța.

After only one season, the club was promoted in the Liga II, but after a 7th place at the end of the 2011–12 edition, relegated back to Liga III. This relegation gave birth to tensions inside the club, Gheorghe Popescu and Ion Crăciunescu leaving the project. Owned by Târgoviște Municipality and Dâmbovița County Council, Chindia returned in the second tier after only two seasons, led from the bench by Nicolae Croitoru. After the second promotion to Liga II Chindia has become a robust and homogeneous team, consisting mostly of local players, as in the previous times of success (late 1970s, early 1980s and mid 1990s), "the little Ajax" achieved a 3rd place than a 5th place, before missing the promotion after a two-legged promotion/relegation play-off against FC Voluntari, at the end of the 2017–18 season.

Finally, Chindia secured its promotion to Liga I at the end of the 2018–19 season, after winning the second division. The promotion brought a lot of joy among the supporters, who will be able to see again a team that represents Târgoviște in the top-flight, after 21 years of absence, 1997–98 being the last season when the defunct FCM Târgoviște played on the first stage of the Romanian football league system.

Chindia does not have many important rivalries, however, a local one against Flacăra Moreni was born before 1989, when the club from Moreni had the support of the communist regime. Tense matches and even incidents were also noted over time in the matches against Petrolul Ploiești and even if between the two clubs is not a proper rivalry, the supporters are not very friendly with each other.[9]

An interesting and unusual rivalry was also born between 2010 and 2015, when on the occasion of six matches, Chindia played against FCM Târgoviște, the first club of the city, moved to Șotânga at that time. This encounter named as Târgoviște Derby had some similarities with derbies such as AFC Wimbledon vs MK Dons, ASU Politehnica Timișoara vs ACS Poli Timișoara or CS Universitatea Craiova vs FC U Craiova 1948.[10]

• Liga II
  • Winners (1): 2018–19
• Liga III
  • Winners (2): 2010–11, 2014–15
  • Runners-up (1): 2013–14

• Round of 16 of the 2013–14 Cupa României and 2017–18 Cupa României

As of 15 March 2020[11]

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 Iustin Popescu 2 DF Marius Martac 3 DF Adrian Ioniță 4 DF Alexandru Benga 6 MF Andrei Șerban 7 FW Blaise Yaméogo 8 MF Daniel Novac 9 MF Valmir Berisha 10 MF Liviu Mihai 11 FW Daniel Florea 13 FW Cristian Cherchez (Captain) 15 DF Cornel Dinu 16 DF Andrei Pițian 18 DF Bradley Diallo

No. Position Player 20 FW Cristian Neguț 21 MF Cosmin Atanase 22 MF Vadim Rață 23 MF Alexandru Piftor (on loan from Botoșani) 24 DF Alex Negrea 25 GK Mihai Aioani 33 DF Laurențiu Corbu 48 FW Josip Ivančić 55 MF Filip Dangubić 61 GK Dinu Moldovan 80 DF Denis Dumitrașcu 94 MF Ovidiu Bic (on loan from CSU Craiova) 99 FW Cătălin Barbu

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

No. Position Player — DF Ionuț Georgescu (to Pucioasa) — MF Dan Marmandiu (to Pucioasa) — MF Richard Țilică (to Pucioasa)

No. Position Player — FW Nicușor Manolache (to Pucioasa) — FW Claudiu Niculăescu (to Flacăra Moreni)