# CS Păulești

Clubul Sportiv Păulești, commonly known as CS Păulești, is a Romanian football club based in Păulești, Prahova County, currently playing in Liga III, the third tier of the Romanian football league system.

## History

CS Păulești was established in 1959 in Găgeni, a village belonging to Păulești commune, under the name of Rapid GAC Găgeni and became, from the summer of 1964, Rapid Păulești playing in the Ploiești City Championship, Category II, but was disbanded in 1966.
In 1973, football reappeared in Păulești, the team was re-established under the name of Petrolul Păulești.
Renamed again as Rapid Păulești, the team coached by Dumitru Iancu, won the Ploiești Municipal Championship Category II (1974) and Category I (1976) promoting in the County Championship 2nd Category after finishing in 2nd place at the final tournament played against Victoria Bordeni, Avântul Tomșani, Recolta Filipeștii de Târg and Victoria Olteni, on the Prahova Stadium in Ploiești.
In the 1980–81 season, the club was excluded in the first part of the championship and followed, again, a long period of break in the life of the team.
The club was refounded again in the summer of 1989, under the name of Victoria Păulești and, under the guidance of Valeriu Manolescu, promoted in the County Championship 2nd Category at the end of the 1989–90 season.
In the 2015–16 season, with Iulius Mărgărit on the bench, the club won the first county championship title and promoted to Liga III after the promotion play-off with Euromania Dumbrăveni, the winner of Liga IV – Vrancea County, 5–1 on aggregate (3–1 at Dumbrăveni and 2–0 at Păulești).
However, for financial reasons, did not register for the next season of Liga III and returned to Liga IV – Prahova County where, in the 2016–17 season finished 4th in an edition dominated by Petrolul Ploiești. Also, in the same season, he played the final of the Cupa României – county phase on the Ilie Oană Stadium, lost 0–2 against Petrolul Ploiești.
In the 2021–22 season, won again the county championship and promoted to the third league winning the promotion play-off against Victoria Adunații-Copăceni, the winner of Liga IV – Giurgiu County, 3–2 on aggregate (0–1 at Păulești and 3–1 at Adunații-Copăceni).
Florin Pripu lead the club in the first season in Liga III, the team was ranked 6th overall in the 5th series, after finishing 6th in the regular season and 2nd in the playo-ffs.

## Honours

Liga IV – Prahova County
* Winners (2): 2015–16, 2021–22
* Runners-up (1): 2017–18
Cupa României – Prahova County
* Winners (3): 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18
* Runners-up (1): 2016–17

## Players
### First team squad

    As of 10 September 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ROU | Narcis Nedelcu |
| 3 | DF | ROU | Rareș Stancu |
| 4 | DF | ROU | Marius Dumitru |
| 5 | DF | ROU | Ionuț Ștefan |
| 6 | DF | ROU | Robert Călin |
| 7 | MF | ROU | Constantin Dumitrașcu (Vice-Captain) |
| 8 | MF | ROU | Elis Popescu |
| 9 | FW | ROU | Ionuț Bobea |
| 10 | MF | ROU | Horia Nicolae |
| 11 | MF | ROU | Alin Baciu |
| 14 | MF | ROU | Andrei Cotuna |
| 15 | DF | ROU | Andrei Paliu |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | MF | ROU | Marian Mihai |
| 17 | MF | ROU | Ionuț Pârvu |
| 18 | MF | ROU | Leonard Preda |
| 19 | MF | ROU | Andrei Ardeleanu |
| 21 | MF | ROU | Vlăduț Stancu |
| 22 | DF | ROU | Eduard Prodan |
| 23 | MF | ROU | Cătălin Comnoiu |
| 24 | GK | ROU | Andrei Ghersin |
| 25 | MF | NGA | Ikpemwinoghena Yakubu |
| 30 | MF | ROU | Robert Manghiniță (on loan from Petrolul) |
| 34 | GK | ROU | Darius Paris |
| 52 | MF | BRA | Romário Pires (Captain) |

### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |

## League history

| Season | Tier | Division | Place | Notes |
| 2024–25 | 3 | Liga III (Seria V) | TBD | |
| 2023–24 | 3 | Liga III (Seria IV) | 10th | |
| 2022–23 | 3 | Liga III (Seria V) | 6th | |
| 2021–22 | 4 | Liga IV (PH) | 1st (C) | Promoted |
| Season | Tier | Division | Place |
| 2017–18 | 4 | Liga IV (PH) | 2nd |
| 2015–16 | 4 | Liga IV (PH) | 1st (C) |
| 2014–15 | 4 | Liga IV (PH) | 3rd |