CSM Caransebeș

Did You Know?

• FC Caransebeș became the first club from the town to reach the second division, promoting in the 2013–14 season.
• Viitorul Caransebeș won Liga IV – Caraș-Severin County in 2016–17 but lost the promotion play-off 2–5 on aggregate to Șurianu Sebeș.

History

The first football game played in Caransebeș took place in 1913 between the sports club of Romanian students studying in Budapest and young members of the Hungarian athletic club in Caransebeș, ending 6–1 for the Romanian students. From 1913 until 1944 only friendly matches were played between local teams or against regional sides. In 1944 the first professional football club, CFR Caransebeș, appeared. CFR had a meteoric presence in Divizia C until the mid-1960s, when it became a regular member of that level without important results.

During the same period another club, Victoria Caransebeș, also regularly played in Divizia C, giving the town two teams at that level. In 1972 both teams relegated, but CFR promoted back one year later and played in the third league until 1976, when it relegated again. From 1976 a new club, CPL Caransebeș, achieved good results in the Caraș-Severin County Championship. Between 1976 and 1979 there was a battle for supremacy at county and city level between CFR and CPL.

CFR won in '77 and '78 but could not win the promotion play-offs, while in '79 CPL won Divizia D and the promotion play-off with a 5–1 aggregate against Petrolul Țicleni. CFR also promoted the next year, so the 1980–81 Divizia C season again began with two Caransebeș teams: CPL and CFR. CFR finished 10th, while CPL relegated after finishing 15th out of 16. In 1981 CFR Caransebeș merged with its old rival Victoria to form CFR Victoria Caransebeș, a name it kept until 1987 when it returned to CFR Caransebeș.

Meanwhile, in 1983, ICM Caransebeș and CPL merged to form CSM Caransebeș, which promoted at the end of its first season after a 3–2 aggregate play-off win against CFR Simeria. CSM finished 2nd in its first Divizia C season while CFR placed 14th. In 1986 both teams finished with 39 points, CSM on 11th and CFR on 12th. In '87 CFR won its first duel finishing 8th, one point and place above CSM.

In 1988 CSM finished 2nd, five places above CFR. In 1989 CSM finished 13th and CFR relegated to Divizia D. CSM continued with good results: 6th in 1990, 5th in 1991, 2nd in 1992. In summer 1992 the club changed its name to Caromet Caransebeș, finishing 17th in 1992–93 and relegating to Divizia D. From 1993 Vega Caransebeș appeared, promoting to Divizia C in 1994, but soon moved to Deva and merged with Mureșul. Until 1997 Caransebeș teams battled in the 4th league.

In 1997 CFR promoted again to Divizia C after 8 years but relegated at the end of 1997–98. In 1999 Caromet promoted back but after two poor seasons relegated again. Caromet promoted again in 2003 but finished last in its series and relegated at the end of 2003–04. CFR and Caromet disappeared in the early and mid-2000s.

In 2006 a new team, FC Scorilo Caransebeș, was founded at the 4th league level, helped financially by Dan Alexa. In 2010 Autocatania Caransebeș was founded and enrolled in Liga III, finishing 4th in its first season, then 7th and 11th. In 2013 Scorilo and Autocatania merged to form FC Caransebeș, which promoted at the end of the season to Liga II, the first club from Caransebeș to reach that level. In its first Liga II season, FC Caransebeș finished 8th in the regular season and 2nd in the play-out, saving itself from relegation.

In summer 2015 Giovanni Pisano was named coach, bringing Italian players and some strange results. In December 2015, Caransebeș Municipality refused to finance the team after a 52-point penalty from the Romanian Football Federation due to debts, and the team was suspected of match-fixing. The team was retired from the championship and dissolved. In summer 2016 the club was re-founded as Viitorul Caransebeș and enrolled in Liga IV – Caraș-Severin County.

Viitorul won the county league and played a promotion play-off against Șurianu Sebeș, losing 2–5 on aggregate. The club was dissolved again in 2019 due to lack of funds, then re-established in summer 2024 as CSM Caransebeș.