Clubul Sportiv OrÃÂÃÂenesc Petrolul Potcoava, also known as Petrolul Potcoava, or simply Potcoava is a Romanian football club based in Potcoava, Olt County. The team currently competes in Liga III, the third tier of Romanian football.
The club was founded in 1950 as Unirea Potcoava and competed in the ArgeÃÂ Regional and District Championships. During the 1960s, it adopted the name Petrolul Potcoava, as Potcoava is known for its oil and gas deposits, with CiureÃÂti Scaffold of the Romanian Petrol Company operating in the area. This led to local economic development and further highlighted the town's connection to the petroleum industry.
The team participated in the inaugural season of the Olt County Championship, finishing in 5th place and becoming a constant presence in the fourth division.
Petrolul finished as runners-up in the 2014âÂÂ15 season, nineteen points behind the winners, AS Milcov. The following season, the team placed 5th, while in 2016âÂÂ17, it finished 7th.
In the 2017âÂÂ18 season, Petrolul appointed Cristian Vintilàas the new head coach and finished as runners-up, this time behind VediÃÂa ColoneÃÂti. The club secured 3rd place in the 2018âÂÂ19 season, ending the campaign twenty-seven points behind champions CSM Slatina.
The 2019âÂÂ2020 season was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Cristian VintilÃÂâÂÂs team leading the standings at the time. Petrolul was declared county champion and promoted to Liga III without playing in the promotion play-off, as Unirea ÃÂigÃÂneÃÂti, the Teleorman County winner, withdrew, and Minerul CosteÃÂti, the Vâlcea County champion, had its COVID-19 tests rejected by the Romanian Football Federation.
In their first season in Liga III, Petrolul managed to finish in 8th place, and in the following seasons the club had ranking as follows: 8th in 2021âÂÂ22, 7th in 2022âÂÂ23 and 9th in the 2023âÂÂ24, resulting in the relegation to fourth league. However, The Oilmen were spared from relegation due to withdrawal of other clubs from Liga III.