In the summer of 1974, the international Dembroschi chose to leave SC Bacău (where he had played as a starter at the World Cup in Mexico in 1970, where he was named the best Romanian player) and to come to Politehnica Timișoara.

The transfer was a bumpy one, as the Bacau club did not accept the parting of their star player. The rules stipulated that a footballer who wanted to go to a student club without the consent of the club he was affiliated to had to stay in “quarantine”, not having the right to play for half a season. So Dembroschi could not be legitimized by Poli until the beginning of 1975. The transfer was announced by the daily “Sportul” on January 7, 1975 (on page 3), exactly half a century ago!

And Imi Dembroschi will also become a legend in the white-violet: winning the Romanian Cup (photo in the introduction), the club’s debut in the European Cups, eliminating Celtic, then coach…

This fall, nea Imi will turn 80.

Emeric Dembroschi
October 6, 1945, Câmpulung la Tisa (Maramureș County)

Playing career
1962 Lumina Câmpulung la Tisa (juniors, seniors – lower divisions)
1962-65 Forestiera Sighetu Marmației (juniors, seniors – D3, D4)
1965-66 Victoria Roman (D3)
1967-74 Dinamo Bacău (D2, D1)
1975-81 Politehnica Timișoara (D1)
Right winger, midfielder

Won the Romanian Cup (1980), 3rd place in D1 (1978), WC finalist (1970), EC quarter-finalist (1972); participated in the European Cup (1969/70, quarter-finals), UEFA Cup (1978), Cup Winners’ Cup (1980)
386 matches / 108 goals in Romanian D1
27 caps / 9 goals for the Romanian national team (1968-73)

Coaching career
(D1 teams)
1983-84 Politehnica Timișoara (D1, D2)
1994 Politehnica Timișoara (D1)
1995-96 Politehnica Timișoara (D1)

Romanian Cup finalist (1983), promoted to D1 (1984)