In 2018, ACS Șirineasa, a team from Vâlcea county, but with its home ground in Petroșani (after having been taken over, as financing, by Nicolae Sarcină), was promoted for the first time in the 2nd League. In the summer of that year, it changed its name to Energeticianul Târgu-Jiu. (It can therefore be considered a newly founded club, as it changed its place of residence). The home ground remained in Petroșani.

Finished the 2018/19 D2 season in 16th place, the first relegation place. But it remained in the second echelon, on the vacant place created by the retirement of the other team patronized by Nicolae Sarcină, Luceafărul Oradea.

In the summer of 2019 it changed its name again, to Viitorul Târgu-Jiu. In fact, Viitorul Pandurii Târgu-Jiu. Strange thing, given the existence, even in the same league, of Pandurii Târgu-Jiu!

Viitorul has played at home in Drobeta-Turnu-Severin before, and now they are finally playing in their home town, at the ultramodern Municipal Tudor Vladimirescu Stadium in Târgu-Jiu. It was built on the site of the old arena (which bore the same name), was inaugurated on 25 October 2019 and has 12,518 seats (fully covered) and a nightclub.

Just before the match against Politehnica, Viitorul appointed a new coach, Eugen Trică.

Article written by Octavian Stăncioiu, Politehnica Timișoara’s spokesperson.