Clubul Sportiv Orășenesc Plopeni, commonly known as CSO Plopeni, or simply as Plopeni, is a Romanian amateur football club based in Plopeni, Prahova County. The club was originally established in 1947 under the name of Metalul Plopeni.
Metalul merged with Rapid Mizil in 1967, was enrolled directly in the third tier and was for decades a constant presence at the level of Liga II and Liga III. In 2004 the club was dissolved due to financial difficulties and re-established only in 2006, after two years of inactivity, this time under the name of Intersport Plopeni.
Despite its good financial conditions for the fourth level, Intersport failed to promote in the next three years, then in 2009 the football club was included as a section of the multi-sport entity CSO Plopeni. Intersport was renamed as CSO Plopeni and promoted back to Liga III after only one year. In the third season after promotion, CSO Plopeni withdrew due to financial problems and enrolled in the Liga IV, where is currently playing.
History
Metalul Plopeni (1947–2004) CSO Plopeni was established in 1947 under the name of Metalul Plopeni and played for 20 years only at county level, fourth tier. In the summer of 1967, third tier side Rapid Mizil merged with Metalul Plopeni, the new formed entity was named Rapid Plopeni and continued the legacy of the football club based in Plopeni, but at the level of Divizia C.
In the summer of 1968, after a first season ended on the 4th place, Rapid Plopeni was renamed as Metalul Plopeni and won its Divizia C series at the end of the season, but failed to promote in the Divizia B, after it was ranked only 3rd in a promotion play-off group consisting of Metalul Târgoviște, Știința Bacău and IMU Medgidia. Next season, Metalul won again its series, but failed to promoted for the second consecutive year, after a new 3rd rank in the promotion play-off group, this time a group consisting of ȘN Oltenița, CFR Pașcani and Autobuzul București.
Metalul Plopeni finally promoted in the summer of 1971, after obtaining again the best ranking in its series with nine points ahead the second place, Șoimii Buzău. "The Metal Workers" remained a constant presence at the level of the second tier for the next decade, period in which were ranked as follows: 8th (1971–72 and 1972–73), 4th (1973–74, 1976–77 and 1979–80), 6th (1974–75), 12th (1975–76 and 1980–81) and 3rd (1977–78 and 1978–79). The two third places obtained in 1978 and 1979 will be the best performance in the history of the club from Prahova County. Metalul relegated to Divizia C at the end of 1981–82 edition, as a result of the weakest rank obtained in the second tier, 16th place.
The period between 1978 and 1981 was by far the most fruitful in the history of the team based in Plopeni, apart from the best performances, Metalul had a very stable financial situation. Plopenarii were allowed by the communists to take part in training camps abroad, thing that was very rare in that period, especially for a second-tier team. Metalul played matches in Cuba, Libya and Syria, sometimes even in front of 50,000 people. In that period for Metalul also played Marian Spiridion, nicknamed "Jair", Divizia B all-time goalscorer. In the squad were also players such as Ghițescu, Ștefan, Dobrescu, Gruber, Anghelescu, Istrătescu, Savu, Andrei, Florea, Negoiță, Roman or Mocanu and manager was the famous Virgil Dridea.
Prahovenii promoted back after only a season spent in the third tier, but this time they had a spell of only three years in the second division, with no notable results. Subsequently, Metalul proven that it was a team too strong for the third tier, but not enough prepared for the second one, promoting back in the summer of 1987, but relegating again in 1989. After this relegation, the team based in Plopeni remained in the third tier until 1993, period in which was ranked 1st or 2nd, but succeed to promote only at the end of the 1992–93 season. Metalul spent next five seasons in the Divizia B, but again with no notable results, finally relegating at the end of the 1997–98 season.
During the 1998–99 edition, Metalul almost relegated in the 4th tier after it was ranked only 16th, worst ranking since 1967, but had an almost incredible comeback next season, when it promoted once again in the Divizia B. After another four seasons in the second division, in which Metalul had honorable rankings (6th – 2000–01, 5th – 2001–02, 9th – 2001–02 and 6th – 2003–04), the club opted to withdraw from the second tier and sold its place to Dinamo II București, subsequently being dissolved. In this last period spent in the Divizia B, Metalul was also, for a short period, the second squad of Astra Ploiești.
Lower leagues (2006–present)
