Pandurii Targu Jiu

Clubul Sportiv Pandurii Lignitul Targu Jiu (Romanian pronunciation: [ˌklubul sporˈtiv panˈdurij liɡˈnitul ˌtɨrɡu ˈʒiw]), commonly known as Pandurii Targu Jiu, or simply as Pandurii, is a Romanian football club based in Targu Jiu, Gorj County, currently playing in the Liga III.

Founded in 1962, following the merger of Flacara-Unirea Targu Jiu and CIL Targu Jiu, Pandurii have never won any majour honour, but finished as runners-up in the Liga I championship in the 2012–13 season and lost a League Cup final in 2015.

Gorjenii qualified for the first time for a European competition in 2013, when they reached the group stages of the UEFA Europa League. The colors of the team are white and blue.

History

Founding and lower divisions (1962–2005)

Pandurii Targu Jiu was founded in August 1962, after the merger of the two big rivals from the town, Flacara-Unirea Targu Jiu and CIL Targu-Jiu. The club entered the fourth division of Romanian football, with a strong objective, to promote immediately in the third division. And the target was reached, Pandurii gaining the promotion to Divizia C in June 1963. Their first game in this division was played on 1 September 1963, against Siderurgistul Hunedoara. Pandurii won by a big margin, 6–0, goals scored by Chițu (12'), Nelu Baloi (35'), Melinte (53', 80') and Vasilescu (83', 85').

In the first years, Pandurii finished constantly in the first half of the standings, so the club decided to attack a promotion to Divizia B. In the 1976–77 season, with a young team and with Titus Ozon as coach, the dream came true. Pandurii dominated the competition, climbed from the first stages on top of the standings and won the promotion to the second division. But this level was a much bigger hat to wear for Pandurii, who relegated the next season back to Divizia C.

The following years, the team changed frequently the division, promoting to Divizia B and relegating after a few years.

This page also has a version in other languages :  Пандурий (russian)