The team of miners from the
Lupeni coal basin was founded in 1920 as Jiul Lupeni. In 1926, the club merged briefly with
CAMP, continuing to play under the name Jiul Lupeni. In the
1927–28 season, the
Jiu Valley team won the Arad Regional Championship, qualified for the national tournament of
Divizia A, eliminating
România Cluj (2–0) and
Șoimii Sibiu (3–0), and reached the final, losing 2–3 to
Colțea Brașov. The lineup in the final, coached by Adalbert Szabo, featured
Ioan Kiss – Eugen Szabados, Rupp – Alexandru Berkessy, Szülle, Gentl – Kertesz,
Aurel Guga, Bognar, Joseph Kilianovitz, and Meszner. The Miners also played in the
inaugural season of the
third division, finishing as runners-up in the Western League and earning promotion to
Divizia B at the end of the 1937–38 Divizia C season. That squad featured Sepreny – Sebok, Baki – Maior, Iuliu Peter, Racolțea – Comsloșan, Ilieș, Zelenak, Sorger and Băcilă. The Red-Blacks spent the next three seasons in the
second division, finishing 4th in
1938–39, 2nd in
1939–40, and 6th in
1940–41. After the
Second World War, Minerul resumed competition in
Divizia B, finishing the
1946–47 season in 12th place in Series II. During the next decade, the Miners remained in the second division, often finishing mid-table or fighting to avoid relegation, 6th in
1947–48, 5th in
1948–49, 4th in
1950 under the name Partizanul, and 11th in
1951 as Flacăra. That year, the team avoided relegation due to the relocation of
Flacăra București to Ploiești and the subsequent dissolution of the former
Flacăra Ploiești. Minerul went on to place 10th in
1952, 14th in
1953 — when the club was renamed again as Minerul — 6th in
1954, 9th in both
1955 under coach Alexandru Mike, and
1956, and 6th in the
1957–58 campaign. At the end of the
1958–59 season, Minerul won Series I of
Divizia B and achieved promotion to
Divizia A after fifteen seasons in the second division. The squad, managed by head coach Vasile Lazăr and assistant coach
Adalbert Pall, included Ioan Kiss II, Simion Plev, Alexandru Coman, Vasile Keresteș, Ștefan Szöke, Ioan Groza, Carol Mihaly, Constantin Cotroază, I. Pall, Mircea Onea,
Tudor Paraschiva,
Carol Creiniceanu, among others. With a number of new players such as Teodor Mihalache, Daniel Peretz, Ion Leahovici, Alexandru Dan II, Milea, Alexandru Nisipeanu, Virgil Mihăilă,
M. Țurcan, D. Cucu, N. Stanciu, Minerul spent four seasons in the
top flight, finishing three consecutive seasons in 11th place before being relegated after finishing last in the
1962–63 season. In
1959–60, the Red-Blacks reached the quarter-finals of the
Cupa României, losing 1–3 to
Dinamo Obor București. Minerul Lupeni then spent four more seasons in the second tier, finishing 10th in
1963–64 with Ilie Cricitoiu in charge, 4th in
1964–65, 11th in
1965–66, and 13th in
1966–67 under Alexandru Florea, unexpectedly relegated to Divizia C. In
1973–74, Minerul finished as runners-up once again, followed by a 3rd place in
1974–75 under Gheorghe Teodorescu, and finally won Series VII in the
1975–76 season, securing promotion. Under the leadership of Gheorghe Kotormány, the promotion-winning squad featured Budușan, Adrian Dodu, Constantin Roșu, Tudor, Alexandru Naidin, Nicolae Boloș, Ioan Dosan, Lucuță, Rusu, Nicșa, Stoinică, Lucian, Gheorghe Voicu, and Gh. Burdangiu. In the
2005–06 season of Divizia B, following a reorganization of the league system, no fewer than six teams were to be relegated from each of the three series. Minerul began well with
Adrian Matei on the bench, but the second half of the season began with
Gabriel Stan, who lasted only five rounds. He was followed by Iosif Rus, and after three more matches, from round 23 onward, Dan Mănăilă took over. Lupeni secured safety after the final matchday, finishing 10th. Standout players that season included A. Urai, C. Luca,
Fl. Boroncoi, V. Stancu,
L. Itu, Mihovici, T. Török, and M. Bălău. Tudorache was dismissed in September 2008 after a home defeat to
Jiul Petroșani, and was replaced by
Ion Dumitra and assistant coach Iosif Rus as interims. Since neither held the required coaching licenses,
Carol Creiniceanu was appointed as the official head coach at the beginning of November 2008. However, Creiniceanu underwent surgery in December and was unable to lead the team. Dumitra and Rus resumed control and led the team until the end of the campaign, finishing 8th in the
2008–09.
That season, Minerul also reached the Round of 32 in the
Cupa României, losing 0–4 to
Unirea Urziceni. The squad included
N. Bănică,
I. Dragomir,
C. Irina, R. Pocian, C. Bar,
I. Dumitra, R. Daj,
O. Nicorec, M. Roman, S. Chițu, Al. Vlăduți. Substitutes: G. Ciucă, I. Murdărea, Dragoș Militaru, B. Iambor, V. Apostol, B. Bozian, D. Ișfan. In the
2009–10 season, Minerul finished 12th, and midway through the
2010–11 season withdrew from the competition and was effectively dissolved. In the fall of 2021, former captain Adrian Lumperdean, together with his brother Emil Lumperdean and their nephew Lucu Lumperdean, revived the football tradition in Lupeni by founding Viitorul Minerul Lupeni. Initially, the Lumperdean family, with support from the local authorities, relaunched the club by forming youth and junior teams. Later, the senior team was entered in the
2022–23 season of
Liga IV – Hunedoara County. Coached by Dan Voicu, the Red-Blacks finished 1st in the regular season and 2nd after the conclusion of the Final Four. In the
following campaign, the team changed its name to Minerul Lupeni, finishing 2nd in the regular season and winning the county title at the end of the Final Four play-off, which secured their place in the promotion play-off. The team led by Dan Voicu lost to Viitorul Arad after a 0–0 draw away and a 0–3 defeat at home. The squad included Fl. Raț, A. Tonca, Mazilu, Ciocîrlan, Matei, Arcuși, S. Prem, M. Bănceanu, D. Creciunesc, B. Iepure, Belei, Harangozo, Băcăran, D. Mândreci, Sllio, Roșian, Maria, Glăvan, and S. Popescu. However, the team was accepted into
Liga III due to the withdrawal of other clubs. In the
2024–25 campaign, under the leadership of Aurel Moldovan, Minerul ranked 2nd in the regular season and 1st after the play-off round of Series IX, qualifying for the promotion play-off, where it lost in the first round against
CSM Olimpia Satu Mare. ==Honours==