CS Pandurii Târgu Jiu

Pandurii Târgu Jiu
Full name	Clubul Sportiv Pandurii Lignitul Târgu Jiu
Nickname(s)	Alb-albaștrii (The White and Blues); Minerii (The Miners); Gorjenii (The Gorj County People);
Short name	Pandurii
Founded	1 february 1962; 60 years ago
Ground	Tudor Vladimirescu
Capacity	12,518
Owner	Târgu Jiu Municipality
Chairman	Marin Condescu
Manager
League	Liga III
2020–21	Liga II, 19th of 21 (relegated)
Website	Club website
Home colours	Away colours

Clubul Sportiv Pandurii Lignitul Târgu Jiu (Romanian pronunciation: [ˌklubul sporˈtiv panˈdurij liɡˈnitul ˌtɨrɡu ˈʒiw]), commonly known as Pandurii Târgu Jiu, or simply as Pandurii, is a Romanian football club based in Târgu Jiu, Gorj County, currently playing in the Liga III.

Founded in 1962,^[1] following the merger of Flacăra-Unirea Târgu Jiu and CIL Târgu Jiu, Pandurii have never won any majour honour, but finished as runners-up in the Liga I championship in the 2012–13 season and lost a League Cup final in 2015.

Gorjenii qualified for the first time for a European competition in 2013, when they reached the group stages of the UEFA Europa League. The colors of the team are white and blue.

History[]

Chart of yearly table positions of Pandurii Târgu Jiu in the national leagues.

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 and 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)[]

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)[]

Period	Name^[2]
1963–1965	Pandurii Târgu Jiu
1965–1970	Victoria Târgu Jiu
1970–1973	Pandurii Târgu Jiu
1973–1975	Cimentul Târgu Jiu
1975–1976	Cimentul Victoria Târgu Jiu
1976–1985	Pandurii Târgu Jiu
1985–1988	Gloria Pandurii Târgu Jiu
1988–present	Pandurii Târgu Jiu

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.^[3]

Achieving performance (2013–2017)[]

On 10 March 2015, with Edward Iordănescu as coach Pandurii defeated FC Dinamo București in the semi-finals 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 6 February 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 the 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 were 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 in 2019.

In the 2020-21 Liga II season Pandurii relegated in Liga III for the first time after 21 years.

Ground[]

The club play its matches at the new Tudor Vladimirescu Stadium, opened in 2019.

Honours[]

Domestic[]

Honour		Season(s)
Liga I	Runners-up	2012–13
Liga I	Third place	2015–16
Liga II	Winners	2004–05
Liga II	Runners-up	2003–04
Liga III	Winners	1976–77, , ,
Liga III	Runners-up	,
Liga IV – Gorj County	Winners
Cupa Ligii	Runners-up	2014–15

Youth[]

Honour		Season(s)
Cupa României U17	Winners	2015–16
Supercupa României U17	Runners-up	2016

Rankings[]

This is the UEFA club's coefficient as of 1 November 2018:^[4]

Pos.	Team	Points
304	Universitatea Craiova	3.190
305	Dinamo București	3.190
306	Pandurii Târgu Jiu	3.190
307	Politehnica Iași	3.190
308	Târgu Mureș	3.190

Players[]

First team squad[]

As of 6 September 2021^[5]

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
8	MF	ROU	Ovidiu Rasoveanu
12	GK	ROU	Cătălin Iovicin
15	DF	ROU	Carlos Corduneanu
17	DF	ROU	Marian Pleașcă (Captain)
18	DF	ROU	Raul Cojocaru
19	MF	ROU	Horațiu Peia
23	FW	ROU	Marian Habet
27	DF	CUW	Suently Alberto
62	GK	ROU	Alexandru Oprița
—	DF	ROU	Leonardo Căldăraru
—	DF	NED	Jörgen Gomes
—	DF	NED	Alfred Mensah
—	DF	ROU	Ionuț Moldovan


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	DF	ROU	David Savu
—	DF	ROU	Mihai Stancu
—	DF	ROU	Andrei Trușescu (on loan from Astra)
—	MF	BEL	Sean Aerts
—	MF	ROU	Cătălin Afrim
—	MF	ROU	Antonio Dumitrescu
—	MF	AND	Eric Izquierdo
—	MF	ROU	Bebeto Lupuleț
—	MF	GHA	Peniel Obeng
—	MF	ROU	Robert Petre
—	MF	ROU	Adrian Tănăsoiu
—	FW	NED	Tyrese Duijker
—	FW	ROU	Andrei Georgescu (on loan from Rapid II)

Out on loan[]

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player

Club officials[]

Board of directors[]

Role	Name
Owner	Târgu Jiu Municipality
President	Marin Condescu
Special Administrator	Marin Golea
Sporting Director	Camilian Floroiu
Youth Center Manager	Florin Bejinaru
Secretary	Mihai Stelescu
Team Manager	Adelin Șolea

Current technical staff[]

Role	Name
Manager	Mario Găman
Assistant Manager	Cristian Popescu
Goalkeeping Coach	Pedro Mingote
Club Doctor	Lucian Botezan
Medical Assistant	Florin Rașoveanu
Masseurs	Paul Ungureanu
Storeman	Constantin Tudor

Records and statistics[]

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[]

Season	Tier	Division	Place	Cupa României
2021–22	3	Liga III (Seria VII)	TBD	TBD
2020–21	2	Liga II	19th (R)	Third Round
2019–20	2	Liga II	19th	Third Round
2018–19	2	Liga II	15th	Fourth Round
2017–18	2	Liga II	14th	Fourth Round
2016–17	1	Liga I	13th (R)	Round of 16
2015–16	1	Liga I	3rd	Round of 16
2014–15	1	Liga I	9th	Quarter-finals
2013–14	1	Liga I	7th	Quarter-finals
2012–13	1	Liga I	2nd	Round of 16
2011–12	1	Liga I	7th	Quarter-finals
2010–11	1	Liga I	13th	Round of 16
2009–10	1	Liga I	15th	Round of 32
2008–09	1	Liga I	11th	Quarter-finals

Season	Tier	Division	Place	Cupa României
2007–08	1	Liga I	12th	Quarter-finals
2006–07	1	Liga I	11th	Semi-finals
2005–06	1	Divizia A	15th	Round of 16
2004–05	2	Divizia B (Seria II)	1st (C, P)	Round of 32
2003–04	2	Divizia B (Seria II)	2nd	Round of 32
2002–03	2	Divizia B (Seria II)	12th
2001–02	2	Divizia B (Seria II)	9th
2000–01	2	Divizia B (Seria II)	6th	Round of 32
	3		1st (C, P)	Round of 32
	3		5th
	3		11th (R)
1990–91	2	Divizia B (Seria II)	16th (R)
1989–90	2	Divizia B (Seria II)	14th

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.

Competition	S	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
UEFA Europa League	2	14	3	4	7	14	19	−5
Total	2	14	3	3	8	14	19	−5

Notable former players[]

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 CS Pandurii Târgu Jiu.