CS Aerostar Bacău

Did You Know?

• Petre Grigoraș scored 25 goals for the club during the 1984–85 promotion season and 22 goals in the 1987–88 promotion season.
• After returning to Liga III in 1999, Aerostar never relegated again but also failed to promote to the second league for 18 years until 2017–18.

History

The club was established in 1956 as Victoria Bacău, operating around the aircraft company in Bacău and competing in the Bacău Regional and County championships. In 1973 it was renamed Aripile Bacău, and at the end of the 1976–77 season it won the Bacău County championship and a promotion play-off against Rapid Panciu (3–2 on aggregate) to reach Divizia C for the first time. The team finished 14th out of 16 in its first season and 15th in the second, leading to relegation back to the fourth tier.

After a one-season absence, Aripile promoted again to Divizia C and changed its name to Victoria IRA Bacău. As Victoria IRA, the club placed 6th in 1980–81 and 5th in 1981–82. In summer 1982 the name reverted to Aripile Bacău, and the side finished 2nd the following season, five points behind local rival Partizanul Bacău. The next season Aripile came within one point of the leader, FEPA 74 Bârlad.

The club achieved its first promotion to Divizia B at the end of the 1984–85 season, finishing 1st ahead of Mecanica Vaslui under coach Mircea Nedelcu, with a squad including Iliuță, Frunză, Poenaru, Ciudin, Cătineanu, Chiriac, Gh. Munteanu, David, Nițoi, Florian, Moldoveanu, Chitic, Grigoraș (25 goals), Scînteie, Cotan, and Dragomir. The first Divizia B season ended with survival from relegation after battles with Metalul Plopeni, Dunărea Călărași, and Chimia Fălticeni.

The club then changed its name to Aripile Victoria Bacău, but relegated at the end of the season, finishing one point below CS Botoșani, the first safe place.