AS Phoenix Ulmu
Association football club in Romania
Football club
Phoenix Ulmu
Full nameAsociația Sportivă
Phoenix Ulmu
Short nameUlmu
Founded2005 (Elixir Ulmu)
2016 (Mostiștea Ulmu)
Dissolved2024
GroundComunal
Capacity1,000
OwnerUlmu Commune
2023–24Liga V, Călărași County, 1st (dissolved)

Asociația Sportivă Phoenix Ulmu, commonly known as Phoenix Ulmu, or simply as Ulmu, was a Romanian football club based in Ulmu, Călărași County. Founded in 2005 as Elixir Ulmu, the club situated on the banks of Mostiștea Lake reached the third tier on four occasions, a 2nd place being their best ranking.

History

The club traces its roots back to an earlier local team from Ulmu, which was previously known as Mostiștea Ulmu and later as Dacia Ulmu, with which it was promoted to Divizia D – Călărași County, the first at county level and the fourth tier of the Romanian football league system at the end of the 2003–04 season. It was later reorganized as Elixir Ulmu in 2005, named after the company owned by Vasile Tîrșolea.[1] In 2006, the club bought a place in Divizia C and was renamed Phoenix Ulmu. Assigned to Series II, Phoenix withdrew during the 2006–07 season and ranked 17th out of 18 teams.[2][3]

Resuming activity in the fifth tier, Phoenix quickly returned to the Călărași County top level, and in the 2008–09 season, Phoenix won the Liga IV – Călărași County title under coach Adrian Cristea, but lost the promotion play-off 2–4 on neutral ground, at Marin Anastasovici Stadium, against Viscofil Popești-Leordeni, the Ilfov County champions. The squad comprised Constantin, Bidirean, Teodorescu, I. Savu, Dumitrache, D. Munteanu, M. Radu, Catană, Ghenu, Scăețeanu, Isar, Porumbel, M. Savu, Andrei and Nițu.[3][4]

Under Cristea’s leadership, Phoenix won the county title again the following season and returned to the third tier after a promotion play-off against Nova Force Giurgiu, the Giurgiu County champions. The squad included Constantin, Tudor, Catană, Teodorescu, R. Vlad, I. Savu, Bold, M. Radu, Cotea, Andrei, Scăețeanu, M. Savu, Niculae, Nițu, Stan, D. Munteanu and Porumbel.[5][6]

In the 2010–11 Liga III season, Phoenix Ulmu moved its home matches to Rocar Stadium in Bucharest, as the stadium in Ulmu did not meet the requirements for the third division. The campaign was marked by frequent coaching changes, beginning after promotion, when Marcel Abăluță was appointed head coach but left the position in September, being replaced by Tudorel Cristea, and about a month later Ionel Augustin took over the team.[7][8][9] His tenure was also short-lived, as he was replaced during the winter break by Augustin Călin, who left just days before the start of the second half to work abroad in Algeria. Ionel Augustin subsequently returned to Phoenix Ulmu, leading the team to finish 9th in Series II, managing to avoid relegation.[10][11]

At the start of the 2011–12 season, Phoenix Ulmu faced major challenges. The team moved to Romprim Stadium in Bucharest and, after eliminating Berceni from the Romanian Cup with a 3–2 win on 16 August 2011 under coach Ginel Nicoiu, they chose to withdraw from the championship after suffering a heavy 0–6 defeat against the same team in the first round one week later, disappearing from the Romanian football scene for two years.[12][13][14]

Enrolled in 2013 in the Liga V – Călărași County, Phoenix Ulmu failed to stand out for the next years being ranked 6th and 4th, then was excluded from the league during the 2015–16 season due to financial problems. This second exclusion was also the last for Phoenix which was now officially dissolved.[15][16]

Former logo, used between 2016 and 2021

In August 2016, Commune of Ulmu re-founded the football team under the name of Mostiștea Ulmu, name given after the Mostiștea Lake that is in the proximity of the locality.[16] At short time after, the Romanian businessman and ex-owner of the team, Vasile Tîrșolea took the control of the football club and in only three seasons managed to promote the club from Liga V to Liga III, road that included a promotion play-off and a surprising victory against the better rated champion of Bucharest, historic club FC Carmen.[17][18][19]

In 2021, Vasile Tîrșolea, owner of the club withdrew his financing and the club went back to Liga V, under the previous name, of Phoenix Ulmu.[20]

Grounds

Phoenix Ulmu plays its home matches on Ulmu Stadium in Ulmu, Călărași County, with a capacity of 1,000 seats. In the past the club also played its home matches on Rocar and Romprim Stadium, both in Bucharest, with a capacity of 2,000 seats and 2,500 seats. In 2020, for a short period, Mostiștea Ulmu plays its home matches on Ion Comșa Stadium in Călărași, with a capacity of 10,400 seats, then moved againin Bucharest, on Voința Sports Base, with a capacity of 2,500 seats.

Honours

Leagues

Liga III

Liga IV – Călărași County

Liga V – Călărași County

  • Winners (1): 2023–24
  • Runners-up (1): 2016–17

Cups

Cupa României – Călărași County

  • Winners (2): 2017–18, 2018–19

Former managers

League and Cup history

References

  1. ^ "La început a fost Dacia, apoi Elixir iar acum Phoenix" [First it was Dacia, then Elixir and now Phoenix] (in Romanian). observatorcl.info. 11 July 2011. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  2. ^ "Divizia C - Season 2006-07 - Edition 51". romaniansoccer.ro. 12 November 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Povestea echipei de fotbal Mostiștea Ulmu" [The story of the Mostiștea Ulmu football team] (in Romanian). 100sport.ro. 17 October 2021. Archived from the original on 25 June 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Phoenix Ulmu a ratat calificarea în Liga a III-a" [Phoenix Ulmu missed qualifying for League III] (PDF) (in Romanian). Obiectiv. June 2009. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2026 – via obiectiv-online.ro.
  5. ^ "Rezultatele și marcatorii barajului pentru promovare" [The results and the scorers of the promotion play-off] (in Romanian). liga2.prosport.ro. 15 June 2010. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Nova Force a pierdut barajul pentru promovarea în Liga a III-a (1-2 cu Phoenix Ulmu)" [Nova Force lost the Liga III promotion play-off (1-2 against Phoenix Ulmu)] (in Romanian). jurnalgiurgiuvean.ro. 21 June 2010.
  7. ^ "Phoenix joacă cu Berceniul cu un nou antrenor" [Phoenix plays with Berceni with a new coach] (in Romanian). liga2.prosport.ro. 30 July 2010. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026.
  8. ^ "Tudorel Cristea pregătește Phoenix Ulmu" [Tudorel Cristea prepares Phoenix Ulmu] (in Romanian). liga2.prosport.ro. 27 September 2010. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026.
  9. ^ "Ionel Augustin a preluat Phoenix Ulmu" [Ionel Augustin took over Phoenix Ulmu] (in Romanian). liga2.prosport.ro. 10 November 2010. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026.
  10. ^ "Ulmu a rămas fără antrenor!" [Ulmu was left without a coach!] (in Romanian). liga2.prosport.ro. 1 March 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026.
  11. ^ "Fostă glorie a lui Dinamo, Oneață Augustin renaște la Phoenix Ulmu" [Fostă glorie a lui Dinamo, Oneață Augustin renaște la Phoenix Ulmu] (in Romanian). evz.ro. 14 April 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026.
  12. ^ "Schimbare de gardă și de arenă la Phoenix Ulmu" [Changing of the guard and arena at Phoenix Ulmu] (in Romanian). liga2.prosport.ro. 8 July 2011. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Zi neagră pentru portari! Phoenix Ulmu s-a calificat în turul IV" [Black day for goalkeepers! Phoenix Ulmu qualified for the 4th round] (in Romanian). liga2.prosport.ro. 17 August 2011. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022.
  14. ^ "Adio! Ulmu s-a retras!" [Farewell! Ulmu withdrew!] (in Romanian). liga2.prosport.ro. 24 August 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026.
  15. ^ "Clasament Liga a V-a, Seria A, Sezon 2015/2016" [Table Liga V, Seria A, 2015/2016 Season] (in Romanian). frf-ajf.ro. 12 November 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Comuna Ulmu se mândreşte cu o nouă echipă de fotbal" [Commune of Ulmu is proud of another team] (in Romanian). observatorcl.info. 19 September 2016.[dead link]
  17. ^ "Mostiştea Ulmu, în 3 ani de la "nicăieri" în L3!" [Mostiştea Ulmu, in three years from „nowhere” to L3!] (in Romanian). arenamedia.ro. 24 June 2019.
  18. ^ "AUDIO – EXCLUSIV / Vasile Târșolea și Ioan Mironaș, finanțatorul și președintele clubului Mostiștea Ulmu, în studioul Sport Total FM" (in Romanian). sptfm.ro. 8 November 2019.
  19. ^ "Mostiștea Ulmu, performera nou-promovată în Liga 3, cu finanțare exclusiv privată" [Mostiștea Ulmu, the most performant newly promoted in the Liga 3, with exclusively private financing] (in Romanian). frf.ro. 12 November 2019.
  20. ^ Mostiștea Ulmu s-a desființat la patru zile după meciul cu Steaua! Patronul acuză din nou arbitrajul
  • Official website
  • Mostiștea Ulmu at soccerway.com
  • AS Phoenix Ulmu on Facebook
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