AsociaÃÂia Fotbal Club UTA Arad (), commonly known as UTA Arad or simply UTA (Uzina TextilÃÂ Arad; ), is a Romanian professional football club based in the city of Arad, Arad County that competes in the Liga I, the top tier of Romanian football.
The team was founded in 1945 as IT Arad, and has won six national titles and two Cupa României. Domestically, UTA is one of the most successful Romanian sides of the 20th century, sharing with Chinezul TimiÃÂoara the record for the most title wins by a club not from Bucharest, earning it the nickname Campioana Provinciei ("Provincial Champion"), a record which ended after the conclusion of the 2020âÂÂ21 season when CFR Cluj claimed its seventh Liga I trophy. UTA Arad's decline began with a transfer to the second division in 1979, after which it rarely appeared in the top flight before being dissolved in 2014. UTA Arad was eventually promoted from the Liga IV and managed to return to the Liga I in 2020.
The team plays in red and white colors at the new Francisc von Neuman Stadium, which was opened in 2020. UTA holds a long-standing rivalry with neighbouring SSU Politehnica TimiÃÂoara, with whom it contests the West derby.
The club was founded on 18 April 1945 under the name ITA Arad, by Francisc von Neuman, owner of ÃÂntreprinderea de Textile Arad (). The clubâÂÂs colors, white and red, were inspired by Arsenal, reflecting Neuman's admiration for the English team. ITA played its first match on 27 May 1945, a 2âÂÂ3 defeat against Banatul Sânnicolau Mic.
On 1 September 1946, the Francisc von Neuman Stadium was inaugurated with a 1âÂÂ0 win over Ciocanul BucureÃÂti.
ITA entered the National Football Championship in the 1946âÂÂ47 season, which was the first held after the Second World War, and won the national title in its debut top-flight campaign, finishing eleven points ahead of runners-up Carmen BucureÃÂti. Coached successively by Zoltan Opata (rounds 1âÂÂ13), Zoltan Blum (14âÂÂ19), and Gusztáv Juhász (20âÂÂ26), the squad featured Alexandru Marky, Gyula Lóránt, Gheorghe BÃÂcuÃÂ, Adalbert Pall, Francisc Mészáros, József Pecsovszky, Adalbert Kovács, Ioan Reinhardt, Andrei Mercea, Mátyás Tóth, and Ladislau Bonyhádi, who was the league's top scorer with 26 goals.
In the 1947âÂÂ48 season, ITA secured a second consecutive league title with a record-breaking goal difference of 129 to 31. Bonyhádi set another record by scoring 49 goals that season. Under Gusztáv Juhász, the team also won the Cupa României, defeating CFR TimiÃÂoara 3âÂÂ2 in the final. New additions to the team included Moise Vass, Zoltan Farmati, Nicolae "Coco" Dumitrescu, and Iosif Stibinger. However, during the 1948âÂÂ49 season, under coach Carol Burdan, the clubâÂÂs performance declined, and ITA finished in 9th place.
In the 1950 season, the club changed its name to Flamura RoÃÂie and won another national title. That same year, it reached the Cupa României final but lost 1âÂÂ3 to CCA BucureÃÂti. Coached by Francisc Dvorzsák, the team blended established veterans with new players such as Iosif Catranici, Silviu BoitoÃÂ, Mihai Mihai CarpineÃÂ, Virgil Huzum, József Kapás, Adalbert ÃÂipei, and Ladislau Ristin. In the subsequent 1951 season, the Textile Workers finished in 4th place.
József Pecsovszky, regarded by many as the greatest footballer in the clubâÂÂs history, left for CCA BucureÃÂti ahead of the 1952 season. His absence was keenly felt, as the team, now under coach Gheorghe Albu, experienced a decline and finished only in 8th place.
The 1953 campaign, however, marked a resurgence. Under coach Coloman Braun-Bogdan, the club secured 3rd place and won the Cupa României defeating CCA BucureÃÂti 1âÂÂ0 in the final. Alongside several players from previous successful seasons, the squad also featured key contributions from Francisc Kiss, Gavril Szücs, Gavril Serfözö, Nicolae Popa, Gheorghe Wencesla, Mircea Popovici, and Gheorghe LupeÃÂ.
In 1954, Flamura RoÃÂie secured its fourth league title under Braun-BogdanâÂÂs guidance. The squad featured veterans like Dumitrescu, Mercea, Farmati, Kapás, and Serfözö, as well as players such as Francisc Kiss, Iosif Fuleiter, Radin DuÃÂan, Ladislau SereÃÂ, Toma JurcÃÂ, Ilie Don, Gheorghe Váczi, Iosif Szakács, Nicolae Popa, Ion Manole, and Vichentie BirÃÂu.
In 1955, Pecsovszky returned to the team, and the following two seasons saw Flamura RoÃÂie finish mid-table, ending 5th under the guidance of Francisc Dvorzsák in 1955 and 6th in 1956, with Ioan Reinhardt on the bench.
In the 1970âÂÂ71, the team took fourth place and participated again in the European Champion Clubs' Cup, eliminating the trophy holder at that time, Feyenoord, after a 1âÂÂ1 at Rotterdam and 0âÂÂ0 in Arad.
In the 1971âÂÂ72 season the team became vice-champion of Romania and participated in the UEFA Cup, reaching the quarterfinals after overtaking Austria Salzburg (4âÂÂ1, 1âÂÂ3), Zagà ÂÃÂbie Waà Âbrzych (1âÂÂ1, 2âÂÂ1) and Vitória Setúbal (3âÂÂ0, 0âÂÂ1). They were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Tottenham Hotspur; the first game was at home where they lost 2âÂÂ0. The second leg at away at White Hart Lane in London was a 1âÂÂ1 draw, however this was not enough and Arad were knocked out 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
The team's decline started in the 1975âÂÂ76 season, and after it placed 17th in the 1978âÂÂ79 season, it was reassigned to Divizia B.
After finishing 3rd in Series III of Divizia B in the 1979âÂÂ80 season, UTA returned to Divizia A following two years in the second division. Guided by coach ÃÂtefan Czako, the team secured 1st place in Series III in the 1980âÂÂ81 season. The lineup included Duckadam â Bîtea, Kukla, Hirmler, Giurgiu â ÃÂchiopu, Vaczi, MuÃÂat â Cura, CsordaÃÂ, Tisza (CoraÃÂ). Other players in the squad were LovaÃÂ, Vuia, Marcu, Iova, Takats, VuÃÂcan, Bodi, and ÃÂirban. The stay in the top tier lasted only one year, ending with a 17th-place finish in Divizia A at the end of the 1981âÂÂ82 season.
Between 1984 and 1991, UTA occupied the following positions in the third Series of Divizia B: 13th in 1984âÂÂ85, 4th in 1985âÂÂ86, 10th in 1986âÂÂ87, 3rd in 1987âÂÂ88, 2nd in 1988âÂÂ89, 2nd in 1989âÂÂ90, 5th in 1990âÂÂ91. It also placed in the second Series of Divizia B: 2nd in 1991âÂÂ92 and 1st in 1992âÂÂ93.
Between 1995 and 2002, UTA occupied the following positions in the 2nd Series of Divizia B: 5th in 1995âÂÂ96, 13th in 1996âÂÂ97, 11th in 1997âÂÂ98, 2nd in 1998âÂÂ99, 6th in 1999âÂÂ2000, 7th in 2000âÂÂ01 and 1st in 2001âÂÂ02.
In the summer of 1999, UTA Arad disputed a play-off match at Alba Iulia against Rocar BucureÃÂti for promotion in Divizia A, a match in which it lost 0âÂÂ2. Coach Francisc Tisza organised the following team: Pap â Diaconescu, Botià Â, G. Radu (50' CiubÃÂncan), GÃÂman (76' Baciu), Panin â Todea, Almaà Âan, Zaha â Marià Â, Cl.DrÃÂgan (69' Turcan). UTA Arad did not play in this league because after an assignment agreement with Liberty Salonta, UTA took the place of Liberty in Liga I and vice versa in the Liga III.
Thus, the team qualified in Liga I for the 2006âÂÂ07 season. After club president Nicolae Bara signed with coach Marius LÃÂcÃÂtuà  and under his leadership, UTA occupied the 12th place at the end of the season.
In August 2013, businessman Adrian MarÃÂian took over Giovanni Catanzariti's majority stake, promising the financial recovery of the club and bringing back the good results, but by November he lost the support of the supporters and Flavius Domide asked him to leave the club to competent people from Arad.
Another team, supported by a part of UTA fans, called UTA BÃÂtrâna DoamnÃÂ, was founded in 2013 by former player Marius à ¢ucudean. It was enrolled in Liga IV instead of UTA II and received the logo, the record and the colors of UTA from UTA Supporter Club in March 2014, becoming officially UTA Arad. The Liga II team had to change their name to FC UTA SA. At the end of the 2013âÂÂ14 season of Liga II, UTA SA was excluded from the championship by FRF for not attending two matches and relegated to the 6th League, where it did not sign up and was dissolved.
UTA BÃÂtrâna DoamnÃÂ, promoted in the Liga III at the end of the season after a promotion play-off match against Hunedoara County champion Retezatul HaÃÂeg, won 2âÂÂ0.
After only one season in the Liga III, the club was promoted back to the Liga II after finishing first in the fourth Series of the league, four points ahead of Nuova Mama Mia Becicherecu Mic.
In their first season after returning to the Liga II, UTA, now known as UTA BÃÂtrâna Doamnàfinished second in the second Series of the championship and qualified for a Liga I promotion play-off against DunÃÂrea CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi and Voluntari. It eliminated DunÃÂrea CÃÂlÃÂraÃÂi 5âÂÂ4 on aggregate, but lost 1âÂÂ3 against Voluntari and remained for another season in the Liga II.
In the 2016âÂÂ17 season, UTA finished third and qualified again for a promotion play-off against Poli TimiÃÂoara, one of Politehnica TimiÃÂoara successors, and ASU Politehnica TimiÃÂoara. UTA lost to both teams (1âÂÂ2, 1âÂÂ3).
In the summer of 2017, FRF has officialized that UTA BÃÂtrâna Doamnàchanged its name back to FC UTA Arad being the official and legal successor of the old club.
UTA Arad plays its home matches at the Stadionul Francisc von Neuman. Ranked as a UEFA Category 4 stadium, it can host UEFA Europa League semi-finals and UEFA Champions League group stage matches.
The first match at the stadium was a Liga I game played between UTA Arad and Voluntari, which ended in a goalless draw. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the game was played without spectators.
The first match with spectators was the 2021 women's Romanian Cup final between U Olimpia Cluj and Heniu Prundu BârgÃÂului, which ended with a 1âÂÂ0 win in extra-time for the Cluj team.
The first international game played on the arena was the friendly goalless draw between UTA Arad and Kolubara Lazarevac.
The footballers enlisted below have had international caps for their respective countries at junior and/or senior level. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries at junior and/or senior level on through the time's passing. Additionally, these players have also had a significant number of caps and goals accumulated throughout a certain number of seasons for the club itself as well.
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