CS Portul Constanța

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Wikipedia

Portul Constanța
Full nameClub Sportiv Portul Constanța
Nicknames
  • Docherii (The Dockworkers)
  • Portuarii (The Portworkers)
  • Pirații (The Pirates)
Short namePortul
Founded1930; 95 years ago (1930)
as SPM Constanța
1949; 76 years ago (1949)
as SPT Constanța
GroundPortul
Capacity10,000
OwnerPort of Constanța
ChairmanEusebiu Gheorghe
ManagerDoru Lupu
LeagueLiga IV
2024–25Liga IV, Constanța, 2nd of 17

Club Sportiv Portul Constanța, commonly known as Portul Constanța, or simply as Portul, is a Romanian football club based in Constanța, Constanța County and currently playing in the Liga IV – Constanța County, the fourth tier of the Romanian football league system.

History

The football team of the workers from Constanța Port was founded in 1930 under the name SPM Constanța (Serviciul Porturi Maritime, lit. 'Maritime Ports Service'), competing in the Constanța District Championship. After World War II, between 1945 and 1949, the club was known as PCA Constanța (Porturi Comunicații Ape, lit. 'Ports, Communications, Water'), during which time it achieved its first promotion to the second tier of Romanian football by winning Series IV of Divizia C in the 1946–47 season.[1]

In 1949, PCA merged with Dezrobirea Constanța, resulting in Locomotiva PCA, which later became Farul Constanța. The football tradition of the port area was, however, continued under the name SPT Constanța (Sindicatul Porturi și Transport, lit. 'Ports and Transport Union'). From 1952, the team was taken over by the Constanța Naval Shipyard and was renamed Șantierul (lit. 'Shipyard') Constanța.[2]

In the 1952 season, Șantierul earned promotion to Divizia B after winning the Constanța Regional Championship and succeeding in the promotion play-offs against Flacăra Târgoviște, Dinamo 8 București, and Dinamo Turnu Măgurele. In the following campaign, the Dockworkers finished 5th in Series I of Divizia B and reached the Round of 32 in the 1953 Cupa României, where they lost 1–2 to Dinamo București.[3] Coached by Marki, the squad included Bartha, Leich, Constantinescu, Mincă, Seleș, Biro, Boriceanu, Asalos, Ivan Marin, Crăciun, Bondar, Zaharia, Stoichiță, Ianovici, Maior, Palfi, Manole, Schmidt, and Zinculescu.[4]

Șantierul withdrew the following season and reorganized in the regional championship as Metalul Șantierul Naval Constanța. In the 1955 season, the team claimed the regional championship once again and was promoted to the newly founded Divizia C. Renamed Energia Metalul Constanța, it finished 10th in Series II in the 1956 season.[5]

Renamed Șantierul Naval Constanța, further emphasizing its connection to the maritime and port industry, the team continued to compete in Series II, finishing 5th in the 1957–58 season. In 1958, the club adopted the name Șantierul Naval Maritim Constanța, finishing 2nd in Series II in the 1958–59 season and earning promotion to Divizia B, where it placed 6th in 1959–60 and 8th in 1960–61, both in Series I. SNM also had a good run in the 1960–61 Cupa României, eliminating first-division and fellow city side Farul Constanța before losing to third-division team Voința București 0–1 in the Round of 16.[6][7][8][9]

In 1961, the club adopted the name Portul Constanța, finished last in Series II in the 1961–62 season, and was relegated to the regional championship. The Port Workers won the Dobrogea Regional Championship in 1962–63 and returned to the national level in the newly re-established Divizia C under coach Mihai Tudor, with a squad including Barta, Croitoru, Pocriste, Caraivan, Chirea, Abduraman, Memet, Chivu, Laurențiu, Șeitan, and Munteanu.[10]

In Divizia C, Portul finished 11th in 1963–64, avoiding relegation due to an expansion of the number of teams. The team then placed runners-up in 1964–65 and 3rd in 1965–66.[6] In the 1966–67 campaign, The Portworkers won the South Series and earned promotion to Divizia B under the guidance of Lucrețiu Florescu. The squad included Pițuru, Danciu, Melenco, Stoica, Hula, Nicoară, Stelea, Sântimbreanu, Moroianu, Butuc, Tănase, Strâmbeanu, Mănescu, Dan, Grosman, Buzea, Naum, Mitrenco, Caraman, Memet, Stâlpeanu, Carabaș, and Babu.[11][12]

Portul then played five consecutive seasons in Series I of Divizia B, finishing 6th in 1967–68 coached by Lucrețiu Florescu, 7th in 1968–69 under Emanoil Hașoti, 4th in 1969–70 led by Hașoti in the first half of the campaign and Ion Troancă in the second, and finishing 9th in1970–71 and last in 1971–72 under Constantin Tâlvescu.[7]

In Divizia C, Portul was assigned to Series IV, finishing 5th in 1972–73, 3rd in 1973–74, and 11th in the 1974–75 season. Promotion was achieved again at the end of the 1975–76 campaign, when the team, coached by Vasile Luban, won the series. The squad included Cornățeanu, Dumitru, Cura, Cristu, Stan, Ivanov, Postică, Naum, Corendea, Caramalău, Bechir, Ciobanu, G. Gafar, Grigore, Bărbulescu, Enache, Cicu, Bratu, Biliboacă, Iordan, Mărculescu, Coman, and Cosma.[6][13][14]

In Divizia B, Portul competed in Series I under Vasile Luban, finishing 13th in 1976–77, 8th in 1977–78, and 13th in 1978–79, narrowly avoiding relegation on goal difference. The following season, under Romeo Giovani, the team finished last and was relegated.[7]

The 1980s were spent in Divizia C under Romeo Giovani, with several upper-table finishes. The team finished 2nd in 1980–81 and 1981–82, 3rd in 1982–83, 12th in 1983–84 in Series III, 4th in 1984–85, 3rd in 1985–86, 8th in 1986–87, 5th in 1987–88, 3rd in 1988–89, and 9th in 1989–90.[6]

In the 1990–91 season, under the same Romeo Giovani, Portul was promoted again to Divizia B, with players including G. Dinică, D. Ghișan, Mangri, Gheorghiță, Toma, D. Lupu, Crăciun, C. Mirea, C. Arăpașu, Șt. Petcu, P. Biliboacă, Toșa, Onisemiuc, and N. Bagia.[14]

After a brief spell in Series I of the second division, finishing 11th in 1991–92, 10th in 1992–93, 12th in 1993–94, and 13th in 1994–95, Portul also reached the Round of 32 of the 1994–95 Cupa României, where they lost 0–3 to Steaua București. The squad, coached by Vasile Enache, consisted of Dinică – M. Șerban, Feodor (77' Cune), Neagu, Stelea – Chirea, Lupu, Zadea, D. Șerban – Stere (46' Șimu), Onisemiuc. The following season, the team was relegated to Divizia C after finishing last in 1995–96.[7][15]

Chronology of names
NamePeriod
SPM Constanța1930–1945
PCA Constanța1945–1949
SPT Constanța1949–1952
Șantierul Constanța1952–1954
Metalul SNC Constanța1954–1956
Energia Metalul Constanța1956–1957
SNC Constanța1957–1958
SNM Constanța1958–1961
Portul Constanța1961–present

Honours

Liga III

Liga IV – Constanța County

  • Winners (1): 1998–99

Dobrogea Regional Championship

Notable former players

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

Former managers

  • Romania Mihai Tudor (1962–1963)
  • Romania Lucrețiu Florescu (1966–1967)
  • Romania Emanoil Hașoti (1968–1969)
  • Romania Ion Troancă (1970)
  • Romania Constantin Tâlvescu (1970–1972)
  • Romania Iosif Bükössy (1972–1974)
  • Romania Vasile Luban (1975–1977)
  • Romania Romeo Giovani (1979–1992)
  • Romania Ion Constantinescu (2000–2001)
  • Romania Ion Constantinescu (2005–2006)
  • Romania Cristian Cămui (2006)
  • Romania Constantin Funda (2006–2007)
  • Romania Constantin Tâlvescu (2007)
  • Romania Gabriel Șimu (2009–2012)
  • Romania Doru Lupu (2012–2018)
  • Romania Gabriel Dinică (2018)
  • Romania Doru Lupu (2019–2020)
  • Romania Gabriel Șimu (2021–2023)
  • Romania Daniel Rădulescu

References

  1. ↑ "Evoluția denumirilor echipelor de-a lungul anilor" [The evolution of team names over the years] (in Romanian). romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  2. ↑ "Cea mai veche echipă de fotbal din Constanța, sacrificată de un om pe care "nu-l pasionează sportul"" [The oldest football team in Constanța, sacrificed by a man who „doesn't like sports“] (in Romanian). dezvaluiri.ro. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  3. ↑ "Jocuri viu disputate în Cupa R.P.R." [Live games played in the R.P.R. Cup] (in Romanian). Sportul Popular. 10 September 1953. p. 5. Retrieved 30 October 2025 – via adt.arcanum.com.
  4. ↑ "Cum se pregătesc echipele pentru campionatul divizionar de fotbal" [How teams prepare for the football divisional championship] (in Romanian). Sportul Popular. 10 February 1953. p. 5. Retrieved 30 October 2025 – via adt.arcanum.com.
  5. ↑ "Divizia C - Season 1956 - Edition 5". romaniansoccer.ro. Archived from the original on 6 July 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Liga 3 clasamente" [Liga 3 tables]. romaniansoccer.ro. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Liga 2 clasamente" [Liga 2 tables]. romaniansoccer.ro. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  8. ↑ "Știința Cluj, Minerul Lupeni și Farul Constanța eliminate din Cupa R.P.R.!" [Știința Cluj, Minerul Lupeni and Farul Constanța eliminated from the R.P.R. Cup!] (PDF) (in Romanian). Sportul Popular. 20 April 1961. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 November 2025. Retrieved 1 November 2025 – via bibliotecadeva.ro.
  9. ↑ "Ieri în „optimile" Cupei R.P.R." [Yesterday in the "round of 16" of the R.P.R. Cup] (PDF) (in Romanian). Sportul Popular. 29 June 1961. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 November 2025. Retrieved 1 November 2025 – via bibliotecadeva.ro.
  10. ↑ "Campionate regionale" [Regional championships] (PDF) (in Romanian). Sportul Popular. 25 July 1963. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2025 – via bibliotecadeva.ro.
  11. ↑ "Portul Constanța, lider în categoria C, Seria Sud" [Port of Constanta, leader in category C, South Series] (PDF) (in Romanian). Sportul Popular. 18 January 1967. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 October 2025. Retrieved 30 October 2025 – via bibliotecadeva.ro.
  12. ↑ "Echipele promovate în Categoria B" [Teams promoted to Category B] (PDF) (in Romanian). Fotbal. 29 June 1967. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 October 2025. Retrieved 30 October 2025 – via bibliotecadeva.ro.
  13. ↑ Ionescu, Mihai; Tudoran, George (1984). Fotbal de la A la Z. Editura Sport-Turism. p. 226-227.
  14. 1 2 "Istoria sportului constănțean" [The history of sports in Constanța] (in Romanian). ziuaconstanta.ro. 15 December 2012. Archived from the original on 1 November 2025. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  15. ↑ "Deținătoarea Cupei României a fost eliminată" [The Romanian Cup holder was eliminated] (in Romanian). Evenimentul Zilei. 27 February 1995. p. 10. Retrieved 5 November 2025 – via adt.arcanum.com.