CS Silvania Șimleu Silvaniei

Club Sportiv Silvania Șimleu Silvaniei, commonly known as Silvania Șimleu Silvaniei, or simply as Șimleu Silvaniei, is a Romanian professional football club based in Șimleu Silvaniei, Sălaj County. The team was established for the first time in the early 1960s, under the name of ''Măgura Șimleu Silvaniei''.

The club was renamed as Silvania Șimleu Silvaniei in the mid 2000s and reached its best performance and played at the level of Liga II, before it was dissolved in 2011. In the summer of 2011, Sportul Șimleu was re-activated and enrolled in the 5th tier, then in 2012 was enrolled in the 4th tier struggling for years to promote again in the national divisions. Finally, Sportul Șimleu Silvaniei promoted in the Liga III at the end of the 2020–21 season.

History

Mobila, the team of the furniture factory (1960–2007)

Silvania Șimleu Silvaniei was established in the early 1960s under the name of ''Măgura Șimleu Silvaniei'', Măgura being the hill under which the town of Șimleu Silvaniei is located. Măgura was a well known team at county level, level which it managed to win at the end of the 1960s, even twice ( 1969–70 and 1970–71). 1971–72 was the first one spent by Măgura at the level of Divizia C, but the results were disappointing and the team based in Șimleu Silvaniei was ranked the last, relegating back in the county championship. It was a period of reinvention for the local football, Măgura merged with another team from Șimleu Silvaniei, ''Metal-Lemn'' (team financially supported by the local factory), then changed its name in ''Mobila Șimleu Silvaniei''.

During the 1970s, the team of Șimleu Silvaniei was spending its time between the third tier and the fourth tier, in a continuous reorganization and reinvention that led to numerous name changing, from ''Măgura'' and ''Mobila'' to ''Gloria'', ''Viitorul'', ''Izolatorul'' or ''Izomat''. The white and blues found some constancy after 1990, when financially supported by the local furniture factory and under the name of ''Mobila Șimleu Silvaniei'' was a regular presence at the level of third division.

The surprising FC Silvania (2007–2011)

Silvania Șimleu Silvaniei was founded on 12 March 2007, under the name of ''Sportul Șimleu Silvaniei'', in order to continue the football legacy from Șimleu Silvaniei, after the dissolution of the former team ''Mobila Șimleu Silvaniei''. After only one year, the club’s management decided to merge with Liga III side Flacăra Halmășd, a club that had previously acquired its third-tier spot from Someșul Satu Mare.

The club was renamed as ''FC Silvania Șimleu Silvaniei'' and was coached by Mircea Bolba between June 2008 and October 2008, benefiting from the services of a lot of young talented players. "The team below Măgura Hill" it wasn't placed between the teams who were in cards for the promotion to Liga II, everyone thinking of FC Baia Mare, CFR II Cluj or CSM Sebeș, but carried away by the enthusiasm specific to young players and working with dedication and professionalism, the boys succeeded to finish the 2008–09 season on the 2nd position.

Occupying the 2nd place, the team was granted the right to participate at a promotion play-off to the Liga II. in this tournament ''șimleuanii'' met FC Caracal and CS Ineu winning both matches, 3–0 and 2–0. By doing this, the club promoted for the first time in its short history to the Liga II.

In the first year of Liga II, ''FC Silvania'' started with Dacian Nastai as the head coach and the team performed above expectations, especially in the first part of the season. At one point they were in the top 6 of the table, and have achieved promising results against teams such as Dacia Mioveni, UTA Arad or FCM Târgu Mureș. In the second half of the season the team didn't maintain its previous form and after a highly controversial match against FC Baia Mare they were penalised for violent conduct and were deducted three points by the Romanian Football Federation, besides losing the match 3–0 by decision. The team was finally ranked 11th, easily avoiding relegation.

In July 2010, ''FC Silvania'' appointed former CFR Cluj player Adrian Anca as the new general manager of the team and also constructions were started to modernize the Măgura Stadium for the start of the next season. Unfortunately the start of the new season didn't go according to plans and on 25 October 2010, Adrian Anca was sacked and was replaced by former Luceafărul Oradea manager Florin Farcaș. Unfortunately, before the start of the second half of the 2010–11 Liga II season the club was dissolved, thus ending a short but beautiful history.

A new beginning (2011–present)

After the dissolution of ''FC Silvania'', the football squad moved back on the old entity, Sportul Șimleu Silvaniei, entity that was enrolled in the Liga V – Sălaj County (5th and the last division). After only one year, the team based in Șimleu Silvaniei received a wild card and entered directly in the Liga IV Sălaj, where it struggled for years to promote back in the national division. Sportul won its league at the end of the 2013–14 season, but lost 3–5 the promotion play-off against CSC Sânmartin, Bihor County champions.

Sportul Șimleu finally promoted at the end of the 2020–21 season, even that it lost again its promotion play-off, this time 0–2 against Progresul Șomcuta Mare, Maramureș County champions.

In the summer of 2023 the club was re-organized again, now as CS Silvania Șimleu Silvaniei.

Ground

Silvania Șimleu Silvaniei plays its home matches on the Măgura Stadium in Șimleu Silvaniei, with a capacity of 1,537 seats.

Honours

Leagues

*Liga III
**Runners-up (1): 2008–09

*Liga IV – Sălaj County
**Winners (10): 1969–70, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1977–78, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1994–95, 2002–03, 2013–14, 2019–20
**Runners-up (1): 1972–73

*Liga V – Sălaj County
**Runners-up (1): 2011–12

Chronology of names

League history

Former managers

* Mircea Bolba (2008)
* Adrian Anca (2010)
* Marius Baciu (2011)
* Dănuț Șomcherechi (2022–2023)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Silvania Șimleu Silvaniei
Association football clubs established in 2007
Football clubs in Sălaj County
Șimleu Silvaniei
Liga II clubs
Liga III clubs
Liga IV clubs
2007 establishments in Romania