From “Football West” we learn that Borislav Panici passed away last week.

He was born in February 1946 in the village of Ivanda, in the Timișoara village of Ivanda, an ethnic Serb, and was one of the important players in the last major period that CFR Timișoara experienced.

A historic episode happened then. In the summer of 1969, as the local rival CFR was also in the second division (in the same series), and had a good team, the county’s sports leaders, exasperated after two seasons in B for the white-violets, took action. They decided to strengthen the Politehnica with four of the best players of the club (Mafa, Kalinin, Panici, Seceleanu), selling, in exchange, players they no longer needed (among them, Răcelescu and Manolache). At that time, the values were focused on the performance of the fan team. The football section of CS Politehnica received a new name, the glorious Ripensia. The honorary president of the football section was the mayor of the city, Coriolan V. Pop. The team was getting ready to promote in stride. But it turned out the other way around: CFR Timișoara promoted! While Ripensia existed for only a few months (July 10, 1969 – February 1970), before the start of the official spring season, the name Politehnica was reverted to! Panici then returned to CFR, playing in the elite echelon in the 1970/71 season. But the team only lasted one season, finishing 16th, their last. It was CFR’s last season in Serie A.

Panici played left wing and was a U23 youth international. At the end of his career he played for Electromotor Timisoara.

He was 79. God rest his soul.

Photo: Politehnica Timisoara in 1970. Panici is first on the right, bottom row