FK Miercurea Ciuc
Futball Klub Miercurea Ciuc, commonly known as FK Miercurea Ciuc () or simply Miercurea Ciuc (); () (), is a professional Romanian football club based in Miercurea Ciuc, Harghita County and also geographically placed in the historic and ethnographic region of Székely Land, an area inhabited mainly by Székelys. The team is currently playing in the Liga II. The history of football from Miercurea Ciuc (Csíkszereda) started back in 1904, when Transylvania was still part of Austria-Hungary and the football club of the city was an amateur one, without significant results at the national level. Re-founded as "Asociația de  Educație Fizică din Miercurea Ciuc" in 1919, and after as part of Romania until 1940, when re-annexed to Hungary it was renamed as "Csíkszereda TE", the club did not obtain important results, the maximum being a season (interrupted after 4 rounds) in the Nemzeti Bajnokság II, second league of Hungary. After WWII Miercurea Ciuc has become again part of the Kingdom of Romania then from 1947 of the Socialist Republic of Romania and football has taken a downward slope until 1971, when "AS Miercurea Ciuc" (as it was named at that time) promoted for the first time in its  history in the Divizia C. During the 1970s and 1980s, the team evolved mainly in the third tier, under names such as "IUPS", "Tractorul" or "Rapid", having as the best performance a 3rd place at the end of the 1988–89 season of Divizia C. After the Romanian Revolution of 1989 Rapid has encountered many financial problems, promoting and relegating constantly between the third and fourth tier, all culminating in a withdrew from the championship of Divizia C at the start of the 2000–01 season. After a decade of amateurism and subsistence, the football club of Miercurea Ciuc was re-founded  in 2010 under the name of "CSM Miercurea Ciuc" (), changing its name after two years in FK Miercurea Ciuc (). The team won Harghita Series of Liga IV in 2012, 2013 and 2014, before promoting back to Liga III, after 14 years of absence. In the third tier, under the led of Róbert Ilyés, the squad beat the old record of the club and finished 2nd at the end of the 2017–18 edition. Finally, at the end of the 2018–19 season, under the command of Valentin Suciu, the coach who promoted Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe (first team from Székely Land that  achieved the top-flight of the Romanian football) from the fourth tier to Liga I, "the Red and Blacks" promoted for the first time in their history to Liga II. History. First years, between Hungary and Romania (1904–1971). Although the history of football from Miercurea Ciuc started back in 1904, when Transylvania was still part of Austria-Hungary, the football club of the city was an amateur one, without significant results at the national level. The club was re-founded in 1919 at a superior level of professionalism, under the name of "Asociația de Educație Fizică din Miercurea Ciuc" and  became part of the Kingdom of Romania, but the following years turned out to be as unfruitful as before for "the Székelys", who couldn't achieve notable results not even in the Romanian leagues. In August 1940 Kingdom of Hungary annexed Northern Transylvania, including Miercurea Ciuc, as a result of the Second Vienna Award and the team started to appear on the map of the Hungarian leagues under the Hungarian name of "Csíkszeredai Testnevelési Egylet" (Association of Physical Education in Csíkszereda). During the 1943–44 season "Ciucanii" were part of the third tier, Nemzeti Bajnokság III, Székely Land series, where they  finished last, 5th out of only five teams. Next season, 1944–45, Csíkszeredai TE was part of the second league, Nemzeti Bajnokság II, due to the expansion of the league system, but the championship was interrupted due to the movement of the front in the World War II, and Csíkszeredai TE never played in the Hungarian leagues again: the annexed region was occupied by Romanian troops in 1944 and awarded to Kingdom of Romania at the end of the war. Back in the Romanian leagues under the newly established Communist regime, the life of the Székelys was not an easy one , even in the beginning (until 1960) the Stalinist regime in his attempt to administer the country through raions, founded a raion named Magyar Autonomous Region. The oppressive regime began the forced nationalization and the people of Hungarian ethnicity, as well as the Székelys, were frequently forced to change their name, in a one with Romanian roots. The cases of footballers of Hungarian ethnicity forced to change their name were often, among them: József Pecsovszky who became Iosif Petschovschi, Lajos Sătmăreanu (Ludovic Sătmăreanu), Sándor Kulcsár (Alexandru Culcear), Emerich Jenei (Emeric Ienei). Lack of support from the regime combined also with the  little interest of the local people for football, in a city where Ice hockey and HSC Csíkszereda (multiple champions of Romania) were the main attraction, have resulted in poor to very weak results for the football team, which played in the amateur leagues, Divizia D, until 1971. Ascension to Liga III (1971–1990). 1971–72 season was the first one played by the club in the Divizia C, but "AS Miercurea Ciuc", as it was named then, relegated, after finishing 13th out of 14. Only one season spent the club from Miercurea Ciuc in the fourth tier, before promoting back, at the  end of the 1972–73 edition. Followed three consecutive seasons in which the club achieved its best performances until then, 1973–74 – 5th, 1974–75 – 8th and 1975–76 – 15th. The rank obtained at the end of the last season brought another relegation for the club, but "Ciucanii" had now the taste of higher levels football and after another season spent in the Divizia D, promoted back. The third spell of "the Red and Blacks" on the third stage of the Romanian football was a longer one, originally under the name of "IUPS Miercurea Ciuc", name of the main sponsor, IUPS (Întreprinderea de Utilaje  și Piese de Schimb) translated as Machinery and Spare Parts Undertaking, a factory under the direct rule of the communist regime (as all the factories from that period), at the same time signaling the fact that the regime finally turned its "face" to the football from the region, the club was ranked 9th at the end of the 1977–78 season. In 1978 IUPS became a subsidiary of (Romanian main tractors factory) and changed its name in Tractor Undertaking, the football team followed its main sponsor and changed its name in "Tractorul Miercurea Ciuc". For the next five seasons in which  the club from Miercurea Ciuc played in the third tier, the following rankings were obtained: 1978–79 – 7th, 1979–80 – 14th, 1980–81 – 6th, 1981–82 – 7th and 1982–83 – 16th. "The Székelys" promoted back in 1988, after five years of absence, this time under the name of "Rapid Miercurea Ciuc". 1988–89 season was a historical one for Rapid, which was ranked 3rd, right behind IMASA Sfântu Gheorghe and Progresul Odorheiu Secuiesc, surpassing its old record, 5th place at the end of the 1973–74 edition, then avoiding a last-minute relegation at the end of the 1989–90 season (14th out of 16th). Romanian Revolution of  1989 was not necessarily a rescue for the club, which was in its last decade sponsored by the regime through its factory. Ups and downs, dissolution and rebirth (1990–2014). The 1990s was a tumultuous period for Rapid, as for many Romanian clubs, pivoting quite enough between the 3rd, respectively 4th level of the Romanian football. The club from Miercurea Ciuc divided the decade, five years being spent in the Divizia C and five years in the Divizia D, with the following results: 1990–91 – 7th, 1991–92 – 5th (withdrew at the end of the season), 1992–93 – 1st (promoted back to Divizia C ), 1993–94 – 17th (relegated), 1994–95 – Divizia D, 1995–96 – Divizia D, 1996–97 – 1st (promoted), 1997–98 – 15th (relegated), 1998–99 – 1st (promoted), 1999–2000 – 15th (relegated). After a decade full of ups and downs, the club started the 2000s as a newly relegated team, but surprisingly the club was included by the Romanian Football Federation for 2000–01 season of Divizia C. In the summer of 2000 due to lack of founds, Rapid withdrew, before the start of the season. This was basically the end of an era for the football from the county seat of Harghita County. Due to lack of funds and with the  fans being more oriented to the ice hockey team, most popular of the county's clubs, Rapid continued the activity at the limit of subsistence, until finally succumbed. In 2010 the football club was re-founded, this time under the name of "CSM Miercurea Ciuc", also known in Hungarian as "VSK Csíkszereda", and after a 2nd place at the end of the 2010–11 edition, "Ciucanii" won the Harghita County championship at the end of the 2011–12 season, but lost the Liga III promotion play-off, with the score of 1–5, against CSM Făgăraș, Brașov County champions. In the summer of  2012 "CSM Miercurea Ciuc" was renamed as "FK Miercurea Ciuc", also known in Hungarian as "FK Csíkszereda". Led by former player of Rapid București and FC Brașov, Róbert Ilyés, who was named in 2013 as player-manager of the squad, "the Székelys" won again the Liga IV, Harghita Series, but lost dramatically the promotion play-off, this time 2–3 against Mureșul Luduș, Mureș County champions. After winning the third consecutive season of Liga IV, Harghita Series, "Ciucanii" finally promoted at the end of the 2013–14 season, after a 2–0 win against ASF Zărnești, champions of Brașov County. Also in 2013 , the club has entered into a partnership with NB I member Puskás Akadémia and they created The Football Academy of Székely Land. Golden Age of the Székelys (2014–present). Unlike its region colleague, Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe, which has been promoted consecutively to the first league, FK Csíkszereda encountered some difficulties. The first season spent in the third tier, after an absence of 14 years, was finished on the 6th place, then followed by a 5th place at the end of the 2015–16 edition. 2016–17 season brought an important performance, "the Red and Blacks" being ranked 3rd, thus equaling their  best performance, obtained in 1989, 28 years before. But this performance was in fact, a real drama because FK Miercurea Ciuc led the series until the final round, when they lost 0–1 at home, against Știința Miroslava, Miroslava promoting also after CSM Pașcani goalkeeper scored a goal in the last minute of the match against AFC Hărman, another aspirant for promotion. After missing the promotion for a distance of 1 point, Miercurea Ciuc started full of hope the 2017–18 season, but this time missed the promotion for 2 points, however being ranked 2nd, the best performance of the club ever . In the summer of 2018 Romanian Football Federation moved the team from the first series (Moldavia region) to the fifth series (Transylvania region) region. Even if some rivals saw it as an advantage, Miercurea Ciuc/Csíkszereda had a tough battle, but not against Minaur Baia Mare or 1. FC Gloria (the unofficial successor of Gloria Bistrița), which were seen as main rivals, but against Comuna Recea, a total surprise of the season. Finally "the Red and Black" promoted to Liga II, for the first time in the history of 115 years old of football from Miercurea Ciuc. In this season  the club was led from the bench by Valentin Suciu, the man who also promoted Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe from Liga IV to Liga I. Suciu also led the team to the best result in the Romanian Cup, where it was eliminated only in the quarter-finals by the top-flight side CS Universitatea Craiova, but not before eliminating Dinamo București in the round of 16. The great run from the Romanian Cup, bring in the press the information that along with several other sponsors, FK Miercurea Ciuc (FK Csíkszereda) receives financing from the Government of Hungary, which has sparked  controversy in Romania. However, the sum of €3.2 million—which can double if performance clauses are met—is supposed to be invested exclusively in club infrastructure development and the youth sector. Ground. The club plays its home matches on Municipal Stadium from Miercurea Ciuc, with a capacity of 1,200 seats. Opened in the first part of the 20th century the stadium suffered important expansion and renovation works between 2016 and 2017. The renovations were sponsored by the Government of Hungary. Support. FK Miercurea Ciuc has many supporters in Miercurea Ciuc and especially in Harghita County. Even if the club  does not have an ultras group, "the Red and Blacks" are well supported by the local community, which creates an enthusiastic atmosphere at the home matches. FK Csíkszereda supporters consider Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe supporters (Székely Légió) to be their allies, fans of both teams had the opportunity to support the other during important matches. During the matches, they are used to display flags of the Székely Land and Hungary. Rivalries. FK Miercurea Ciuc does not have many important rivalries, however, a local one, of little intensity, exist against AFC Odorheiu Secuiesc.