Paul Manta (2 June 1943 â 9 August 2005) was a Romanian football goalkeeper who played for Sportul StudenÃÂesc BucureÃÂti, Progresul BucureÃÂti and Universitatea Craiova.
Manta was born on 2 June 1943 in Bucharest, Romania. He began playing football in 1964 at Divizia B club Sportul StudenÃÂesc BucureÃÂti. In 1967 he moved to Progresul BucureÃÂti where he made his Divizia A debut on 1 October 1967 when coach Petre Moldoveanu sent him in the 60th minute to replace Petre Mândru in a 3âÂÂ1 away loss to Dinamo BacÃÂu. The team was relegated at the end of the 1968âÂÂ69 season, but Manta stayed with the club, helping it gain promotion back to the first league after one year. However, after just one season, the team was once again relegated to the second league. After spending the 1971âÂÂ72 Divizia B season with Progresul, Manta left the club.
He joined Universitatea Craiova where the team was close to winning the title in the 1972âÂÂ73 season, but "U" finished in second place on equal points with Dinamo BucureÃÂti, losing controversially on the goal difference. This outcome led poet Adrian PÃÂunescu to nickname Craiova as "Campioana unei mari iubiri" (The Champion of a great love). Eventually, Manta helped the team win its first title in the following season, coach Constantin CernÃÂianu using him in 12 games. That was also the last season of his career, making his last Divizia A appearance on 8 May 1974 in a 1âÂÂ0 away loss to Dinamo BucureÃÂti, totaling 69 matches in the competition.
Manta died on 9 August 2005 at age 62.
Progresul BucureÃÂti
Universitatea Craiova