AsociaÃÂia Fotbal Club 1919 Dacia Unirea BrÃÂila, commonly known as Dacia Unirea BrÃÂila, is a Romanian football club based in the city of BrÃÂila, BrÃÂila County, which competes in the Liga III.
Founded in 1919, among the team's best performances are a sixth-place top division finish in the 1991âÂÂ92 season and having reached a Cupa României final the following campaign.
The players of Dacia Unirea are nicknamed "the White and Blues" or "the Lions of Cosmoc" (Leii lui Cosmoc), and their home games have been hosted by the Stadionul Municipal since 1974. The club's most notable rivalry is the one against OÃÂelul GalaÃÂi.
Dacia BrÃÂila was founded in 1919 around the same time as another local team, Unirea. Until 1928, when the two clubs merged to form Dacia Unirea, each competed separately in the regional championship.
In November 1929 Dacia Unirea had the following base team: Padimatopol (CÃÂpreanu), Stanciu, Vasiliu, Leo (SÃÂvulescu), Fritz, Grigoriou, Anastasios, LeÃÂu, I. Goldenberg, Teodorescu (FrÃÂtescu, Cavada, Geller, Munteanu). In the 1929âÂÂ30 season the team won the regional tournament and qualified for the national championship tournament. In the quarter-finals they were eliminated by Juventus BucureÃÂti, the team that won the championship that year.
Dacia Unirea later played in Divizia B between 1934âÂÂ1937 and 1938âÂÂ1940, and in Divizia A in 1937âÂÂ38 and 1940âÂÂ41. During this period, the club underwent several name changes: DUIG (Dacia Unirea Ignatz Goldenberg) in 1937, Dacia Unirea in 1938, and FC BrÃÂila in 1940. During the war, the team competed in the Cupa Eroilor. After the war, it reverted to its traditional name Dacia Unirea, participating for one season in Divizia C in 1946âÂÂ47 before disappearing from all divisional levels. Some notable players from this era include I. Goldenberg, N. Stanciu, Hagiopol, Saramet, Weiss, Cavadia, BonaÃÂiu, V. Pop, Negrescu, DrÃÂghicescu, Pascalide, and D. Stanciu.
After the nationalization of 1948, ÃÂntreprinderile Metalurgice DunÃÂrene () of David Goldenberg, which had supported Dacia Unirea since the interwar period, became state-owned, and the football club was reâÂÂestablished in 1950 as Metalul BrÃÂila, and over the following years went through several administrative and name changes.
In the 1950 season, Metalul BrÃÂila won the BrÃÂila County Championship and qualified for the South Sector promotion play-off, defeating, one by one, Spartac CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi, Spartac BuzÃÂu, and Locomotiva PCA ConstanÃÂa before losing the final to Steagul RoÃÂu OraÃÂul Stalin.
The following year, Metalul claimed the GalaÃÂi Regional Championship after the teams from the former BrÃÂila County were included in the GalaÃÂi Region following the administrative and territorial reorganization of the country at the end of 1950. However, after defeating CSA Tecuci in the second round, the team lost promotion to Flamura RoÃÂie BacÃÂu in a three-match series (0âÂÂ2, 2âÂÂ0, 1âÂÂ2).
In the 1952 season, Metalul again won the GalaÃÂi Regional Championship, eliminating Dinamo Bârlad and Locomotiva PaÃÂcani, but lost in the third round to Dinamo BacÃÂu after another three-match series. At the end of the season, however, the Romanian Football Federation decided to increase the number of promoted teams, as the two series of Divizia B were expanded from 12 to 16 clubs, and the third-round losers were also promoted.
Thus, Metalul entered Divizia B, competing in Series I in the 1953 season, where it finished last but avoided relegation due to another expansion of the second division. In the 1954 season, Metalul was assigned to Series III, once again finishing in last place and being relegated to the regional championship.
After the 1955 campaign, the team returned to the newly re-established Divizia C, ranking 11th in Series II at the end of the 1956 season and subsequently ceding its place in the third division to Dinamo BrÃÂila.
Following another name change, this time to Industria Sârmei BrÃÂila, the club won the 1957âÂÂ58 GalaÃÂi Regional Championship and earned promotion to Divizia C, where it finished 4th in Series II during the 1958âÂÂ59 season before returning once again to the regional championship due to Divizia C being shut down.
Renamed CSM BrÃÂila (Club Sportiv Muncitoresc BrÃÂila â BrÃÂila Workersâ Sports Club) in 1959, the team finished 1st in Series II, winning the 1959âÂÂ60 GalaÃÂi Regional Championship after defeating ÃÂtiinÃÂa GalaÃÂi in the final (1âÂÂ1 away, 3âÂÂ1 at home), and subsequently earned promotion to Divizia B by winning Group IV of the promotion play-off tournament held in Bucharest, ahead of Steaua RoÃÂie BacÃÂu, Penicilina IaÃÂi, and Unirea BotoÃÂani. The squad included Lungu, BÃÂlan, BroscÃÂÃÂeanu, Vasilache, Popescu, Boboc, LeÃÂu, Gh. Vasile, Bogdan, CoteÃÂ, and Novac.
In Divizia B, CSM BrÃÂila competed in Series I, finishing 6th at the end of the 1960âÂÂ61 season. After being taken over by the municipality and renamed CSO BrÃÂila (Club Sportiv OrÃÂÃÂenesc BrÃÂila), the club was ranked 7th in the 1961âÂÂ62 season.
In 1962, the club became Progresul BrÃÂila, finishing 11th in the 1962âÂÂ63 season. Although initially set to be relegated to the newly re-founded Divizia C, the team was instead demoted to the regional championship due to a match-fixing scandal.
In 1963, Laminorul BrÃÂila, the team of the local metallurgical enterprise, earned promotion to Divizia C and was subsequently merged into Progresul, competing in the 1963âÂÂ64 season under the name Laminorul, winning Series I of the third division and securing promotion to Divizia B. After changing its name to Constructorul BrÃÂila in 1964, the club finished 6th in Series I of Divizia B in the 1964âÂÂ65 season.
Constructorul continued to compete in Series I of the second division, and after a poor run of results, coach Alexandru Dumitriu was replaced by Nicolae Stanciu in the first half of the season, while the club was renamed Progresul BrÃÂila during the winter break, eventually finishing 6th in the 1965âÂÂ66 campaign. This was followed by an unexpected relegation at the end of the 1966âÂÂ67 season, after finishing in 13th place under Ion BroscÃÂÃÂeanu. Nevertheless, Progresul managed to reach the Round of 32 in the Cupa României, where it lost 0âÂÂ1 to Rapid BucureÃÂti.
In the 1967âÂÂ68 season, Progresul finished as runnersâÂÂup in the South Series of Divizia C and returned to Divizia B after topping Group I in the promotion/relegation playâÂÂoffs held in BraÃÂov, ahead of Chimia Râmnicu Vâlcea, Gloria Bârlad, and Victoria Roman. The squad, led by coach Angelo Economu, comprised RÃÂdoi, State, Buterez, Teodorescu, Cazan, Iuhasz, GheorghiÃÂÃÂ, Ionescu, UrmeÃÂ, Balaban, Turcu, Iancu, Ciupitu, Oprea, and Stoian. Progresul also reached the Round of 32 of the Cupa României for the second consecutive year, this time losing 1âÂÂ4 to Dinamo BacÃÂu.
The team that succeeded to bring BrÃÂila back to the Divizia A, after half a century, in 1990, had the following players:I. Dinu, C BrÃÂtianu, V. BrÃÂtianu, V. Darie, Gh. NegoiÃÂÃÂ, Cristea Rusu, M. Sandu, M. Anton, A. Marin, MuscÃÂ, N. Pascu, M. Petrache, N. RÃÂdulescu, A. Stamate, TitiriÃÂcÃÂ, CujbÃÂ, DrÃÂgoi, E. Popescu, Vio. Radu, M. SÃÂvescu, M. Ivan. Coach: Bujor HÃÂlmageanu.
In the 1992âÂÂ93 season the team qualified in the Cupa României final (its best performance so far), coach Ioan Sdrobià(who came at half season to replace Gheorghe MulÃÂescu) had at his service the following players: C. BrÃÂtianu I, HÃÂisan, Nicoloff â G. Baciu, Adrian Baldovin, Vasile BrÃÂtianu, Vasile Darie, Gh. NegoiÃÂÃÂ, Tudorel Pelin, Sandu Minciu â Burleanu, DrÃÂgoi, Jica, M. LazÃÂr, MatincÃÂ, MÃÂstÃÂcan, M. Petrache, TitiriÃÂcàâ CujbÃÂ, Dochia, C. Luca, Marcadonatu, MaÃÂcu, Arben Minga, Marius ÃÂumudicÃÂ. Coaches who were in charge of the team worth mentioning: I. Economu, Viorel Mateianu, Ionel Iuga, Dumitru Nicolae "NicuÃÂor", C. OÃÂet, Dumitru Dumitriu III, V. Dridea II. Special merits go to committed chairmen who obtained great results in charge of the club, especially to Octavian Ulman.
Four years after the relegations from the Divizia A came that from the Divizia B (in 1999), the tear between the club and Insula Mare a BrÃÂilei (its main sponsor) having disastrous consequences. Actually, prior to that, the main event that triggered the fall happened during the 1994âÂÂ95 season. Fighting at the time with Selena BacÃÂu for the promotion to the Divizia A, the team from BrÃÂila was stopped by a corruption case at a game with FC Politehnica Iaà Âi, in which, in exchange for a sum of money, the team from Dealul Copoului should have conceded the game. The case was highly mediated, ending up with arrests, Ilie Trifina (Dacia Unirea's competition organiser) and Leonard CÃÂnÃÂnÃÂu (journalist from IaÃÂi, ex football player). Dacia Unirea ended up with an 8-point penalty, and being forbidden to participate at the qualification knock-out for the promotion to the Divizia A. The team succeeded to make a comeback to the Divizia B in 2001.
At the end of the 2006âÂÂ07 CF BrÃÂila was relegated to the Liga III. Their best performance during this period was the acceding to the Cupa României quarter-finals in the 2004âÂÂ2005 season, where they lost to Dinamo BucureÃÂti 1âÂÂ0 at Stadionul Dinamo and 2âÂÂ0 at Stadionul Municipal. In the round of 32, Dacia Unirea won against Rapid BucureÃÂti (coached at the time by RÃÂzvan Lucescu) at Stadionul Municipal, goal scored by Romeo Buteseacàand in the round of 16, they passed by FC Unirea Alba Iulia with 2âÂÂ0, goals scored by Romeo Buteseacàand Cristian Dicu. Players who had a great contribution to this performance, among others, are: Marius Mindileac, Iulian Olteanu;â LaurenÃÂiu Ivan, Gheorghe RÃÂdulescu, Valentin Stan, Victor Olenic, Tudorel Pelin, Nicolae Ciocea â Daniel PleÃÂa, Dumitru Horovei, Mihalache Basalîc, Cristian Dicu;â Romeo ButeseacÃÂ, Marius Matei, Paul Sorin Bogdan. We also have to mention BÃÂnel NicoliÃÂÃÂ, who played at Dacia Unirea until 2004 and where he made his debut.
The 2008âÂÂ09 season meant some serious reorganisation, SC CONCIVIA SA became the owner of the team, and the objective was the promotion to the Liga II. But in the end, the club finished 8th the Championship, and it seemed that Liga II was further than was thought.
The 2009âÂÂ10 season has started with a lot of promise. During the summer, Gheorghe MulÃÂescu was appointed advisor with the transfers, and a lot of promising players were bought. At the end of the first half of the championship, the club sees itself on the top of the table, 1st, in the run with Politehnica II IaÃÂi, Petrotub Roman and CS Panciu for the promotion.
At half season, coach Vasile Darie was replaced with Daniel Timofte and the season ended with the victory and the promotion to the Liga II, and to top it all, Nelu BucÃÂ finished 1st in the goalscorers ranking, with 25 goals.
BrÃÂila started poorly the 2010âÂÂ11 season, by being eliminated from the Cupa României in the Fourth Round by Unirea Slobozia and by being last in the championship after five rounds, with only one point. After round five of the championship, Gheorghe Bunea Stancu replaced Daniel Timofte with Liviu Ciobotariu., but brought Timofte back after round 10 of the championship, after the disaster at Piatra Neamà £, 0âÂÂ4 with CeahlÃÂul, thus concluding Ciobotariu's charge in front of our club, and like Timofte, with only one point obtained in five matches. Timofte's return had no success, the club ranking last at the end of the first half of the championship, with only four points in 15 rounds.
The second half of the championship was more productive, CF BrÃÂila managing to raise 17 more points, totaling 21 in the end, but not enough to avoid relegation, finishing next to last in the series. But all was not lost, because Unirea Urziceni withdrew from the 2011âÂÂ12 Liga II season, this meaning that our club could play in its place.
CF BrÃÂila had an excellent run in the first half of the 2011âÂÂ12 Liga II, ranking 5th during the winter brake, just three points behind the second-placed team, SÃÂgeata NÃÂvodari. It finished 6th at the end of the championship.
In 2015, the club decided to return to its first name, Dacia Unirea.
Over time, Dacia Unirea BrÃÂila has played its home matches at several stadiums, including Vasile RoaitÃÂ, a small venue with a single stand located on the current site of the Municipal Stadium. In 1970, the team moved to the newly inaugurated Progresul Stadium after Vasile RoaitÃÂ was demolished to make way for the Municipal Stadium, which officially opened on 21 August 1974 with an original capacity of 30,000 on benches. A general renovation in 2008 installed seats, reducing the capacity to 20,154.
Due to the deteriorating pitch and facilities of the Municipal Stadium, Dacia Unirea has played home matches at several venues in BrÃÂila County, including the OrÃÂÃÂenesc Stadium in ÃÂnsurÃÂÃÂei, and since 2025 at the Sports Base in Lacul SÃÂrat Resort, Chiscani commune, near BrÃÂila, which has a capacity of 500.
Up to and including the end of the 2012âÂÂ13 season