AsociaÃÂia SportivÃÂ Phoenix Ulmu, commonly known as Phoenix Ulmu, or simply as Ulmu, was a Romanian football club based in Ulmu, CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi County. Founded in 2005 as Elixir Ulmu, the club situated on the banks of MostiÃÂtea Lake reached the third tier on four occasions, a 2nd place being their best ranking.
The club traces its roots back to an earlier local team from Ulmu, which was previously known as MostiÃÂtea Ulmu and later as Dacia Ulmu, with which it was promoted to Divizia D â CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi County, the first at county level and the fourth tier of the Romanian football league system at the end of the 2003âÂÂ04 season. It was later reorganized as Elixir Ulmu in 2005, named after the company owned by Vasile TîrÃÂolea. In 2006, the club bought a place in Divizia C and was renamed Phoenix Ulmu. Assigned to Series II, Phoenix withdrew during the 2006âÂÂ07 season and ranked 17th out of 18 teams.
Resuming activity in the fifth tier, Phoenix quickly returned to the CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi County top level, and in the 2008âÂÂ09 season, Phoenix won the Liga IV â CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi County title under coach Adrian Cristea, but lost the promotion play-off 2âÂÂ4 on neutral ground, at Marin Anastasovici Stadium, against Viscofil PopeÃÂti-Leordeni, the Ilfov County champions. The squad comprised Constantin, Bidirean, Teodorescu, I. Savu, Dumitrache, D. Munteanu, M. Radu, CatanÃÂ, Ghenu, ScÃÂeÃÂeanu, Isar, Porumbel, M. Savu, Andrei and NiÃÂu.
Under CristeaâÂÂs leadership, Phoenix won the county title again the following season and returned to the third tier after a promotion play-off against Nova Force Giurgiu, the Giurgiu County champions. The squad included Constantin, Tudor, CatanÃÂ, Teodorescu, R. Vlad, I. Savu, Bold, M. Radu, Cotea, Andrei, ScÃÂeÃÂeanu, M. Savu, Niculae, NiÃÂu, Stan, D. Munteanu and Porumbel.
In the 2010âÂÂ11 Liga III season, Phoenix Ulmu moved its home matches to Rocar Stadium in Bucharest, as the stadium in Ulmu did not meet the requirements for the third division. The campaign was marked by frequent coaching changes, beginning after promotion, when Marcel AbÃÂluÃÂàwas appointed head coach but left the position in September, being replaced by Tudorel Cristea, and about a month later Ionel Augustin took over the team. His tenure was also short-lived, as he was replaced during the winter break by Augustin CÃÂlin, who left just days before the start of the second half to work abroad in Algeria. Ionel Augustin subsequently returned to Phoenix Ulmu, leading the team to finish 9th in Series II, managing to avoid relegation.
At the start of the 2011âÂÂ12 season, Phoenix Ulmu faced major challenges. The team moved to Romprim Stadium in Bucharest and, after eliminating Berceni from the Romanian Cup with a 3âÂÂ2 win on 16 August 2011 under coach Ginel Nicoiu, they chose to withdraw from the championship after suffering a heavy 0âÂÂ6 defeat against the same team in the first round one week later, disappearing from the Romanian football scene for two years.
Enrolled in 2013 in the Liga V â CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi County, Phoenix Ulmu failed to stand out for the next years being ranked 6th and 4th, then was excluded from the league during the 2015âÂÂ16 season due to financial problems. This second exclusion was also the last for Phoenix which was now officially dissolved.
In August 2016, Commune of Ulmu re-founded the football team under the name of MostiÃÂtea Ulmu, name given after the MostiÃÂtea Lake that is in the proximity of the locality. At short time after, the Romanian businessman and ex-owner of the team, Vasile TîrÃÂolea took the control of the football club and in only three seasons managed to promote the club from Liga V to Liga III, road that included a promotion play-off and a surprising victory against the better rated champion of Bucharest, historic club FC Carmen.
In 2021, Vasile TîrÃÂolea, owner of the club withdrew his financing and the club went back to Liga V, under the previous name, of Phoenix Ulmu.
Phoenix Ulmu plays its home matches on Ulmu Stadium in Ulmu, CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi County, with a capacity of 1,000 seats. In the past the club also played its home matches on Rocar and Romprim Stadium, both in Bucharest, with a capacity of 2,000 seats and 2,500 seats. In 2020, for a short period, MostiÃÂtea Ulmu plays its home matches on Ion ComÃÂa Stadium in CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi, with a capacity of 10,400 seats, then moved againin Bucharest, on VoinÃÂa Sports Base, with a capacity of 2,500 seats.
Liga IV â CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi County
Liga V â CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi County
Cupa României â CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi County