FC Botoșani
Asociația Fotbal Club Botoșani, commonly known as FC Botoșani or simply Botoșani, is a Romanian professional football club based in the city of Botoșani, Botoșani County, that competes in the Liga I, the top tier of [Romanian association football|football league system|Romanian football].
After several predecessor clubs and years of instability for the football scene in Botoșani, the club managed to materialise in 2001. In 2013, FC Botoșani became the first team from its county to ever be promoted to the top tier of the Romanian league system. It recorded its first European appearance in the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League season.
Botoșănenii play in predominantly white home kits, while their away equipment is generally blue. Their home ground is the 7,782-seater Botoșani Municipal Stadium.
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History
Predecessors
The first traces of organised football in Botoșani appear just after World War 1, when a team was established in 1919. 5 years later Venus Botoșani was founded, associated with the local Jewish Maccabi sports association. Venus made its first appearance in the Romanian football pyramid in the 1937–38 season, playing amateurishly in the Divizia C East.Following World War II, the team underwent several name changes: Flamura Roșie in 1949, Textila
in 1957, and Unirea in 1963, after which it became a regular presence in Divizia C. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s these names alternated before the team eventually settled on CS Botoșani in 1973. The team subsequently won the 1974–75 Divizia C and achieved its first promotion to Divizia B, although it was immediately relegated. Throughout the rest of the 1970s, the team would oscillate between Divizia C and Divizia B.
In the summer of 1979, CS Botoșani achieved its third promotion to Divizia B, and in the 1979–80 season season, they finished third in the league, the best performance the team had ever managed. After this season, results declined, and the team occupied places near the middle and bottom of the table. After eleven consecutive seasons in Divizia B, the team was relegated. In 1993, the club dropped from Divizia C to the county leagues and was eventually dissolved.
One of Romania's greatest ever players, Nicolae Dobrin, ended his career at CS Botoșani. He played for the team in the 1985–86 season and was also the team manager.
Founding and early years (2001–2013)
After the post-revolutionary period of turmoil and corruption that characterised Romania throughout the 1990s, and several attempts to form a new club - Fotbal Club Botoșani was founded in 2001 by two businessmen, Salavastru and Sfaițer, with support from the local council, and the club started to compete in Divizia C. In the summer of 2004, the club promoted to Divizia B.In 2005 the president of the Administration Council, Valeriu Iftime, took over the main projects of the club after the French model. Therefore, the first team played in Divizia B, the second team, formed with youngsters, played in the third league. Also, the club has a centre for children and youths who are prepared for the future of the first team.
Since the 2005–06 season, the matches of FC Botoșani were transmitted live on the radio, on "Radio AS". Until the beginning of the season, not even a radio station transmitted live. FC Botoșani participated in the second division of the Romanian football for nine consecutive seasons. In the 2005–06 season it finished on the 4th place, which was the highest position obtained until the 2012–13 season, when FC Botoșani won the series and promoted for the first time in Liga 1.
Promotion to the first division and recent history (2013–present)
The main objective for the 2013–14 season was to avoid relegation. At the start of the season, FC Botoșani was the only first league team that had only Romanian players. FC Botoșani made their debut in Liga I on 21 July 2013, in a 0–0 draw against CFR Cluj, with eight newcomers in a top tier level of the starting eleven and played most of the match with nine-man as Ciprian Dinu received a red card in the ninth minute. The next matchday, on 26 July, saw FC Botoșani netting their first Liga I victory, in a 2–1 away win over Gaz Metan Mediaș. On 25 August, FC Botoșani beat 1–0 FC Vaslui to record their first ever home win in the top tier. However, after this record, Botoșani had a poor run and manager Cristian Popovici was sacked, letting the team on the 12th place, two points above relegation. Leontin Grozavu was named manager and lead the team to a tough fight to avoid relegation.FC Botoșani started the next season with two important victories against Astra Giurgiu and Dinamo București, teams that fought for the championship title. At the end of the season they qualified for the first time ever in 2015–16 season of UEFA Europa League, because several clubs failed to obtain UEFA licences. After a 4–4 draw with Viitorul Constanța, Botoșani again finished in eighth place.
On 2 July 2015, FC Botoșani made their debut in European competitions, in the first qualifying round of UEFA Europa League in a 1–1 tie against Spartaki Tskhinvali in the first leg in Botoșani. In the second leg in Georgia, FC Botoșani netted their first European victory in a 3–1 win over Spartaki Tskhinvali to advance to the next round, where they met Legia Warsaw.
After their first qualification in the championship play-offs, FC Botoșani finished the 2019–20 season on the 4th place, thus achieving their best Liga I performance and, once again, qualifying for UEFA Europa League after 5 years since their last participation. They netted a 2–1 away victory against Kazakh side Ordabasy in the first round, before eventually being eliminated by Shkëndija of North Macedonia after a 0–1 home loss in the second round.
Stadium
FC Botoșani plays its home matches at the Botoșani Municipal Stadium. It is located near the centre of the city, has a capacity of 7,782 seats and is equipped with an all-weather running track.Support
The ultras of FC Botoșani are organized under the name of Dark Hooligans, Renegații and BT Pride.Rivalries
The main rivalry of Botoșani is with Foresta Suceava, but they recently developed a rivalry with Politehnica Iași.Honours
Domestic
Leagues
- Liga II
- *Winners : 2012–13
- Divizia C / Liga III
- *Winners : 2003–04
- *Runners-up : 2001–02
Club officials
Board of directors
- Last updated: 3 September 2024
- Source:
Current technical staff
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| Head coach |  Records and statisticsEuropean Cups history
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