FC Botoșani
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| Full name | Fotbal Club Botoșani |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) |
Botoșănenii (The People from Botoșani County) |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Ground | Municipal |
| Capacity | 12,000 |
| Owner | Valeriu Iftime |
| Chairman | Cornel Șfaițer |
| Manager | Leontin Grozavu |
| League | Liga I |
| 2015–16 | Liga I, 9th |
| Website | Club home page |
Fotbal Club Botoșani (Romanian pronunciation: [botoˈʃanʲ]), commonly known as FC Botoșani, or simply as Botoșani, is a Romanian professional football club based in Botoșani, currently playing in the Liga I. It is the first club from Botoșani County to be promoted to the first division.
The club's colours are red, white and blue. The home kit is predominantly white, while the away kit is generally blue.
Before World War II, the main local team was Venus. After the war, the team was successively named Flamura Roșie, Textila and Unirea, and played mostly in the regional championship and the third division (Divizia C) without significant performances. In 1973, the team was renamend CS Botoșani. It won their series in the 1974–75 Divizia C and promoted for the first time to Divizia B, but only for a year. The team played again in Divizia B in the 1977–78 season, but was again relegated.
In the summer of 1979, CS Botoșani promoted for the third time to Divizia B, and at the end of the 1979–80 season, they obtained the highest position of 3rd; that had heretofore not been reached by any football team from Botoșani. After that performance, the team declined, occupying places in the middle of the league, reaching in the ending of '80s near relegation.
One of the most famous Romanian players, Nicolae Dobrin, ended his career at CS Botoșani. He played for the team in the 1985–86 season and was also the team manager.
CS Botoșani remained in Divizia B for 11 seasons, the most seasons spent by a football team from Botoșani. After that, at the ending of 1989–90 season the team was relegated to Divizia C. In 1993, the team was relegated to the county division and disbanded.
There was also a Unirea Botoșani team that played between 1998 and 2000. The team merged with Poli Iași, who played in Divizia C under the name Poli Unirea Iași.
The new Fotbal Club Botoșani was founded in 2001 by Salavastru and Sfaițer, with support from the local council, and started in Divizia C, Serie I. In the summer of 2004, the team promoted to Divizia B.
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