Full name | Fotbal Club Astra Giurgiu |
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Nickname(s) |
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Short name | Astra |
Founded | 1921 as Clubul Sportiv Astra-Română |
Ground | Marin Anastasovici |
Capacity | 8,500 |
Owner | Ioan Niculae |
Chairman | Dănuț Coman |
Manager | Marius Șumudică |
League | Liga I |
2015–16 | Liga I, 1st |
Website | Club home page |
Fotbal Club Astra Giurgiu, commonly known as Astra Giurgiu, or simply as Astra, is a Romanian professional football club based in the city of Giurgiu, Giurgiu County, currently playing in the Liga I.
Founded in 1921 in Ploiești, Prahova County, as Clubul Sportiv Astra-Română, the club spent the vast majority of its history in the lower leagues. Only after 1990, when taken under the ownership of businessman Ioan Niculae, the club began to achieve success, with a premiere promotion to the top of the Romanian football league system in 1998. In September 2012, the team was moved from Ploiești to Giurgiu. At the end of 2015–16 season, the side led by coach Marius Șumudică won a historical championship title, while ending Steaua București's three-year domination.
Domestically, Astra's major honours include one Liga I, one Cupa României and two Supercupa României. On the international stage, their best performance is reaching UEFA Europa League's round of 32 in the 2016–17 season.
The colours of the club are white and black, hence the nickname Dracii Negri (The Black Devils). Red, which is present on the current crest, was worn on many occasions on away kits.
On 18 September 1921, weekly newspaper Ecoul Sportiv announced the founding of the Clubul Sportiv Astra-Română ("Astra-Romanian Sports Club") by the Astra-Română Society, an oil-company owned by Henri Deterding and based in Prahova, composed of English, American and Dutch officials.