FC Progresul

[DevilMayCry]

I saw that a couple of people from here are interested in my childhood club. I've searched some videos on youtube with the team (supporters and some goals). The video number 1,2 and 4 are from away games with us, the 3 video us at a friendly game behind our stadium and the last video is from a match at home.

I know that in UK the stadium are almost full, match after match, but in Romania the stadiums are almost empty, match after match.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZMqnh-VCzc" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZMqnh-VCzc</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8mqwKWaQbw" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8mqwKWaQbw</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_PyI5PxNUM" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_PyI5PxNUM</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR0v6DkSov8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR0v6DkSov8</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKNJXDGfFRQ" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKNJXDGfFRQ</a>

This team had a lot of fans until 1990 and from that year nobody knows why they disappeared. Personally, in the past 15 years I was always with the team, home and away (now I have 26 years old, so I'm not so old).
My father and my grandfather are the fans of this team and I decided to mentain the tradition in family and this team represented me

LE: After i searched and watched this videos, I miss very much that moments, that joy, happiness, even sadness. In March will be five years since the team disbanded.

[RedJ]

Interesting stuff DMC. Good to see that you decided to support them rather than the bigger clubs as well. Is there no way you could form some kind of "phoenix" club?

I'm pretty interested in eastern European football, Steaua are my favourite team from Romania.

[DevilMayCry]

It's very hard. The team had debts when was abolished and nobody wants to invest money in football, in our country.

Steaua and Dinamo are the 2 big clubs in Romania. Steaua has the most supporters in Romania but only for their results, they have 24 championship, 15-16 cups, European Championship Cup in 1986 and other trophies.

The thing is that this 2 teams have a big history because of communist regime. When other team had a very good player, the regime forced that player to transfer to Steaua (especially) or Dinamo, threatening the player if he don't come he will go to jail. Other thing is that the communist regime did not give permission to other clubs to fight for the championship and and to keep their good players.
For an example, in 1985, Steaua played at Oradea gainst FC Bihor, where the manager was Viorel Mateianu (a legend at Progresul and for romanian football). In 75 min, FC Bihor had 2-1 and the ref stopped the game because he he received a call from Valentin Ceausescu (one of the sons of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu). Ceausescu told him to not stop the game untill Steaua wins. He respected that order and Steaua scored the 3-2 goal in 112-113 min.

Many romanians are ignorant about this and the people outside this country, don't know about it. From 2000 the football is much cleaner, without arrangements between clubs, without stealing players

[RedJ]

Were the debts not wiped clean when your team was dissolved? Not a nice story though, I can certainly sympathise.

I didn't know that, regarding the forced transfers. I must say as always you've provided an interesting contribution to the board.

[DevilMayCry]

Were the debts not wiped clean when your team was dissolved? Not a nice story though, I can certainly sympathise.

I didn't know that, regarding the forced transfers. I must say as always you've provided an interesting contribution to the board.

To be honest, I don't know. People with money don't invest in football because for them, football is not profitable. Becali, from Steaua, invest in football because he likes this, he is passionate. Sadly for Steaua, he is in prison now because of dirty business

That with forced transfers and other things is history now. If Steaua or other team wants a player, they pay the price for him.

[River Don]

DMC

What would probably happen in this country, if a club found itself in a position like yours, is the supporters would start the club anew and compete in a lower league.

Have there been any moves of that kind?

[DevilMayCry]

No, because in the last years we are a few supporters remained at this club.

[DevilMayCry]

Some pictures/videos with my club, players and fans:

That's Dan Petrescu, ex Chelsea player. His last club was Progresul


<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsgXj1G1M_8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsgXj1G1M_8</a>

Walter Zenga at presentation in 2002 with our president

[RobTheRover]

Dan Petrescu also played for Sheffield Wednesday, which is only about 20 miles away from here.  We beat them 1-0 earlier in the season at their ground thanks to a superb Federico Macheda header.

He is also the only footballer to have a TV show named after him.

[BillyStubbsTears]

He is also the only footballer to have a TV show named after him.

What about "Sharpe"?












eeeehhh...you got me.

[DevilMayCry]

I know that Petrescu played for Bradford and Sheffield after Chelsea. In 2002 he joined my club and retired in 2003 after we lost in the cup final. In 2002, Zenga was named as manager and Petrescu his assistant manager and player. Again in 2002 Gica Popescu (ex Galatasaray and one of the biggest romanian players) and Adrian Ilie (after he was released by Valencia) was very close to sign contract with us but sadly this didn't happened. Sabin Ilie (brother of Adrian) played in  that moment for us and he tried to bring his brother here 





In this picture: Dan Petrescu player/assistant manger and Walter Zenga manager








Daniel Prodan (ex Rangers) played for us in 2000s and Adrian Ilie




Gica Popescu




In 2002 we lost the championship in the last match because some teams played very hard with us and against Dinamo (who won the title) they played like it was a friendly. Everyone know that in 2002 we was the best romanian team, we beat Valencia at Mestalla with 1-0 (goal Dan Petrescu) at their presentation match. In that summer we sign/tried to sign with important romanian national team players: Dan petrescu, Daniel Prodan, Adrian Ilie, Gica Popescu..Gica Hagi was in discussions to be director of football, Walter Zenga was named manager

[DevilMayCry]

Some pictures with my group