CSM Alexandria

Club Sportiv Municipal Alexandria, commonly known as CSM Alexandria or simply as Alexandria, is a Romanian professional football club based in Alexandria, Teleorman County, currently competes in Liga III, the third tier of the Romanian football.

CSM Alexandria
Full nameClub Sportiv Municipal Alexandria
Nickname(s)Alexăndrenii
(The Alexandria People)
Rulmentul
(The Bearing)
Short nameAlexandria
Founded1948; 76 years ago (1948)
as Unirea Alexandria
GroundMunicipal Turnu Măgurele / Peco
Capacity2,000 / 600
OwnerAlexandria Municipality
PresidentBogdan Ciobanu
Head coachSorin Albeanu
LeagueLiga III
2023–24Liga II, 19th of 20 (relegated)
WebsiteClub website
Current season

The team that represents the men's football section of multi-sport club CSM Alexandria, which also include a women's football team and a women's basketball team, was founded in 1948 and during over time has had several names such as: Unirea, Progresul, Comerțul, Automatica, Rulmentul, FC Alexandria and FCM Alexandria,[1] being one of the most important football team of Teleorman County.

In June 2023 it returned Liga II after 18 years of absence.

History

The club was founded under the name Unirea Alexandria in 1948.

The best known players are: Florea Voicilă (a player who represented the national team while playing in the second division for Alexandria) and Florică Mitroi – both home-grown players. Their best performance was 3rd place in the Romanian second league in 1982, above Rapid București ("Noi n-am uitat că-n '82/ Voi ne-ați purtat prin Paradis/ După Rapid erați și voi/ Pe locul 3, și n-a fost vis"- catren al regretatului dr. Jean Sardu...)

The club formed players like Dan Balauru, Valentin Badea and Basarab Panduru. These players played at the top level or even for the Romania national football team.

In the 2008–09 season, the club won the Liga IV – Teleorman County, but lost the promotion play-off for Liga III losing 1–2 against Comprest București. In spite of losing the play-off, the club managed to promote by an administrative decision; the Romanian Football Association announced that FCM Alexandria would play in the Series IV of 2009–10 Liga III season, FCM finished at the middle of the table in 8th place.

The following season, Alexandria finished 14th out of 16 in Series III and was spared from relegation due to the withdrawal of other teams from the competition. The 2011–12 season saw the team from Alexandria finished in 8th place.

Led by three coaches during the season, Alexandru Gheorghe, Marian Botea and Sorin Albeanu, the club was relegated to the fourth division at the end of the 2012–13 season.

Following the relegation, Mircea Cristescu was appointed as the new head coach. Cristescu guided the team to finish 2nd in the Liga IV – Teleorman County, 10 points behind Sporting Roșiori.[2][3]

The failure of promotion led to the dismissal of Cristescu to be replaced by Gabriel Lungu for 2014–15 season, but Lungu was sacked after the defeat from 8th round, 0–1 against Sporting Turnu Măgurele, the main contender for promotion, and Romulus Ciobanu was announced as the next head coach. “Alexăndrenii” finishing eventually as runners-up, 8th points behind its rival from Turnu Măgurele.[4][5][6]

With Ciobanu in charge, FCM Alexandria made the comeback to third league, winning the 2015–16 Liga IV –Teleorman County season and the promotion play-off against Andrias Andrășești (3–1 at home and 1–1 away), the winner of Liga IV – Ialomița County.[7][8]

In June 2023 it returned to second league after 18 years of absence – beating CSO Plopeni and Viitorul Dăești over two legs in the promotion play-offs.

Honours

Liga III

Liga IV – Teleorman County

Bucharest Regional Championship:

Other performances

Players

First team squad

As of 20 April 2024[9]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos. NationPlayer
19FW  BFABlaise Yaméogo
20MF  ROUAndi Neaga (on loan from Rapid București)
21DF  ROUCostel Avram
22DF  ARGMatías Pérez
23MF  ARGLeandro Desábato
26MF  PORDiogo Izata
29FW  NGAMichael Omoh
31DF  ROUGabriel Nedelea (on loan from Farul Constanța)
32GK  ROUDragoș Balauru (Captain)
33DF  ROUVladimir Georgescu
FW  CAYJacobbi Tugman

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Club officials

Current technical staff

RoleName
Head coach Sorin Albeanu
Assistant coach Cristian Pârjolea
Goalkeeping Coach Marian Ioana
Kinetotherapist Marius Predoi

Chronology of names

Name[1]Period
Unirea Alexandria1948–1961
Progresul Alexandria1961–1967
Comerțul Alexandria1967–1972
Automatica Alexandria1972–1976
Unirea Alexandria1976–1978
Rulmentul Alexandria1978–1981
Unirea Alexandria1981–1985
Automatica Alexandria1985–1988
Unirea Alexandria1988–1990
Rulmentul Alexandria1990–1991
Unirea Alexandria1991–1996
FC Alexandria1996–1997
Rulmentul Alexandria1997–2008
FCM Alexandria2008–2018
CSM Alexandria2018–present

Notable former players

Romania

Former managers

League history

SeasonTierDivisionPlaceNotesCupa României
2004–052Divizia B (Seria II)16thRelegated
2003–042Divizia B (Seria II)11th
2002–032Divizia B (Seria I)15th
2001–023Divizia C (Seria IV)1st (C)Promoted
2000–013Divizia C (Seria IV)5th
1999–003Divizia C (Seria III)14th
1998–992Divizia B (Seria I)16thRelegated
1997–983Divizia C (Seria III)1st (C)Promoted
1996–973Divizia C (Seria III)17th
1995–963Divizia C (Seria III)20th
1994–953Divizia C (Seria III)7th
1993–943Divizia C (Seria III)14th
1992–933Divizia C (Seria III)16th
1991–923Divizia C (Seria VII)4th
1990–913Divizia C (Seria VII)2nd
1989–903Divizia C (Seria VI)4th

References