Fotbal Club Bihor Oradea (), commonly known as Bihor Oradea or simply as FC Bihor, was a Romanian professional football club based in Oradea, Bihor County.
It was founded under the name of Crișul Oradea in April 1958 and from 1963 it continued the football tradition of the city, following the dissolution of Club Atletic Oradea. In the 57 seasons spent in the Romanian football league system, FC Bihor played 18 seasons in the first division, 39 seasons in the second league and only 5 seasons in the lower leagues, respectively 4 in the Liga III and only one season, its first, in the fourth tier. This ranks the club on the 24th place out of 98 in the Liga I all-time table. In January 2016, FC Bihor was dissolved after having faced significant financial issues.
The home ground of "the Red and Blues" was Stadionul Iuliu Bodola, which has a seating capacity of 11,155.
History
Early years, as Crișul (1958–1972)
FC Bihor Oradea continued the football tradition in Oradea after the dissolution of a much greater club, CA Oradea. Founded under the name of Crișul Oradea on 1 April 1958, it has a short activity in the city championship and then in the regional championship. In 1960 the team merged with the footwear factory, Solidaritatea ("Solidarity"), and finishing first in the 1960–61 regional championship, it promoted to the Divizia B after a play-off at Sinaia, on Carpați Stadium.
In the 1961–62 season the club was renamed as ASA Crișul, and finished 11th in the third series of the Divizia B, barely escaping from relegation. The following season, 1962–63, the club finished 1st in the series and promoted for the very first time in its history to the Divizia A. Coach Ladislau Zilahi used the following players: Weichelt – Bucur, Pojoni, Boros, Șchiopu, Donciu, Al. Georgescu, Kun I, Curtu, Osan, Stanciu, Podaru, I. Pop, Bokos, I. Sandu, Manescu, Al. Iacob, Șovoială, Lenalt, Fr. Stilgerlbauer and R. Petschovschi.
Crișul played for three seasons in the first league: 1963–64 (7th place), 1964–65 (9th place) and 1965–66 (13th place), then it relegated to the Divizia B where it played for two seasons, 1966–67 (7th place) and 1967–68 (2nd place). In the summer of 1968, it qualified for the promotion play-off, held in Timișoara. There it managed to secure a place in the first league, coach A. Fernbach-Ferenczi, achieved this performance with the following players: Buiuc, Catona – Balogh, Sărac, A. Serfőző, E. Nagy, Popovici, Dărăban, Sudi, Szűcs, Tomeș, A. Nagy, A. Kun II, I. Kun I, I. Harsányi, E. Cociș, Ujlaki and Levai.
After another two seasons in Divizia A, 1968–69 (13th place) and 1969–70 (15th place) it relegated, but returned in the following season, 1970–71, this time under the leadership of coach Ladislau Vlad. The squad was composed of: Catona (Bologan) – Popovici (Sărac), Lukács, Bulc, Balogh, Dărăban, Neşu, Szűcs, A. Nagy, Arnoczky, Șchiopu. Substitutes: Baumgartner, Cocoș, Ceaușu, E. Cociș, Ungur and Moț. But again, after only one season 1971–72 (16th place) relegation to the Divizia B came. The club's highly oscillating behavior imposed a series of organizational measures, being rebuilt as a football club and renamed as Fotbal Club Bihor starting in 1972 the fight for the return in the top flight.
Golden Age of FC Bihor (1972–1991) It succeeded to do so (after two second places achieved in the 1972–73 and 1973–74 editions) at the end of the 1974–75 season. Coaches L. Vlad (first half of the championship); R. Cosmoc and Gh. Staicu (second half of the championship) have led to the final victory with the next "11": Albu – E. Nagy, Lukács, Sărac, Popovici – Dărăban, A. Kun II, Florescu – Szűcs, Agud, C.Vlad.
Next, the team remained at an average level of behavior in the Divizia A, finishing 9th in the 1975–76 and 1976–77 seasons, 14th 1977–78 and 18th 1978–79. The club management during this period was provided by engineer Horea Cosma, as honorary president. Coaches: V. Blujdea, by mid-season 1977–78 being replaced by I. Reinhardt and Al. Muta. Players used: Vidac, Albu – Z. Nagy, Gh. Dumitrescu, Lukács, Popovici, M. Marian, Bigan, Dragoș, Naom, C. Georgescu, Gergely, Petrovici, Schwartzman, Lupău, V. Stoica, A. Kun II, Florescu and Fildan.
In the summer of 1979 FC Bihor relegated back to Divizia B where it would be for three editions (1979-1982), always on the brink of promotion: 1979–80 – 2nd and 1980–81 – 4th, thing to be done by the end of the 1981-82 season, this time under the management of Gheorghe Staicu.