CSM Reșița

A chart showing the progress of CSM Reșița through the Romanian football league system from 1934 to 2017.

The club was founded on 25 May 1926 from a merger between local teams Clubul Sportiv and Societatea Sportivă Muncitorească, the new team was named SS UDR (Sociatatea Sportivă a Angajaților Uzinelor de Fier și Domeniile din Reșița – "Sports Society of Employees of the Factories and Domains from Reșița"), the first coach of the team being native Ernest Loukota who also helped at the merger, the main starting 11 in the club's first year of activity being: Ștefan Czinczer – Szilágyi, Rech – Bundy, Andresz, Pecsenovszky – Grosz, Pázler, Lakatos, Adalbert Deșu, Keller.[1] In the 1930–31 season, UDR won the Romanian West League and qualified to the national finals, where it defeated with 2–0 Societatea Gimnastică Sibiu in the final after a double scored by Eugen Lakatos, coach Loukota using the following 11: Carol Damacsek – Alexandru Pomacsek, Györi – Sinko, Sepi, Jozsef Bundi – Fibișanu, Eugen Lakatos, Silviu Ploeșteanu, Jozsef Kilianovics, Moise.[1][2] In the following season, the club reached again the championship final, losing it with 3–0 in front of Venus București, this time coach Loukota used the following players: Carol Damacsek – Iosif Czako, Györi – Sinko, Sepi – Jozsef Bundi, Kilianovics – Tudor, Silviu Ploeșteanu, Eugen Lakatos, Moise, Keller.[1][3]

After World War II and the advent of the Communist regime, professional football was forbidden, UDR merged with a local labor union team, Locomotiva and was renamed Oțelul (Steel) Reșița and after several further name changes, it was ultimately branded Metalul (Metal) Reșița.[1]

The 1950s were a period of slow decline for the club. By 1954, Metalul Reșița was playing in the Romanian second division, Divizia B, finishing the season in 7th place, however, the season also brought the club's second trophy, in the form of the 1954 Cupa României, this being the first time that a team from Divizia B had won the trophy after defeating five Divizia A teams, Știința Timișoara (6th place at the end of the 1954 Divizia A season) 5–1, Locomotiva Tg. Mureș (10th place) 4–0, Locomotiva Timișoara (4th place) 2–0, and CCA București (2nd place) 1–0 and a 2–0 victory in the final with Ștefan Szeleș scoring twice in the 30th and 40th minutes against Dinamo București (3rd place), coach Mihai Zsizsik using the following players in the final: Iosif Zarici – Emil Chirilă, Valentin Teodorescu, Eugen Potoceanu – Mihai Munteanu, Ștefan Apro – Iosif Jojart II, Petru Mioc, Ștefan Urcan, Petre Iovan (replaced by Vida in the 70th minute), Ștefan Szeleș.[1][4][5][6][7]

During its 87-year history, the club won one championship and one cup and has played for 16 seasons in Liga I, the last time in the 1999–2000 season.

The early 2000s brought financial problems to Domanului Valley and, in 2004, Reșița was dissolved and converted to FC Universitatea Craiova's reserve team. In 2005, the club was refounded as FCM Reșița and bought its place in the second tier from Tricotaje Ineu, but lost its brand, record and the right to use the name of CSM Reșița.

The club was dissolved in the autumn of 2008 due to financial difficulties. In the summer of 2009, it was brought back to life, this time with the name of Școlar Reșița, playing in Liga III, Romania's third league. In the summer of 2012, it was renamed again, this time returning to the old name of FCM Reșița.

Former logo, as CSM Școlar Reșița.

In the 2012–13 season, the club finished third in Liga III. The objective for the 2013–14 season was initially to be promoted to Liga II after a six-year absence, but in the summer of 2013 Damila Măciuca was moved to Reșița and was renamed to Metalul Reșița. The municipal government of Reșița chose to support this new team, forcing Școlar Reșița to enter Liga IV due to the loss of funding.[8]

In 2015, relations between Metalul and the Municipality of Reșița cooled and the latter resumed its financial support for CSM Școlar. Metalul moved to Snagov in 2016 and was renamed a year later to Sportul Snagov. On the other hand, CSM Școlar was promoted back to Liga III at the end of the 2015–16 season. It then finished runner-up in 2017 and 2018 before winning the fourth series and being promoted to Liga II in 2019.

CSM Școlar returned to the second division after an 11-year absence, regaining its logo and name. It was thus renamed to CSM Reșița in the summer of 2019.

Mircea Chivu Stadium.

CSM Reșița plays its home matches at Mircea Chivu Stadium, a sports complex named after manager Mircea Chivu, who was also the father of player Cristian Chivu. With a capacity of 12,500 seats, the stadium is located in Domanului Valley. It was opened in the 1920s and was renovated several times, most recently in 2018.

The footballers enlisted below have had international cap(s) for their respective countries at junior and/or senior level and/or more than 100 caps for CSM Reșița.

• Official website
• CSM Reșița on Facebook