Spiridon Niculescu

Club career Niculescu was born on 8 April 1943 in Vidra, Romania and began playing junior-level football in 1961 at Dinamo București. The team reached the 1965 Cupa României final where coach Virgil Mărdărescu started him, but after conceding an 11th-minute goal from Remus Câmpeanu, he was replaced in the 17th minute by Constantin Matache in the eventual 2–1 loss to Știința Cluj.

In 1966, Niculescu was transferred from Dinamo Pitești to Dinamo București in exchange for fellow goalkeeper Narcis Coman. Afterwards Niculescu returned to Pitești, and the team was now named Argeș. In the 1971–72 season he won the league title with Argeș, but played just one game as coaches Titus Ozon and Florin Halagian preferred Vasile Stan as first-choice goalkeeper.

In 1972, Niculescu was loaned to Rapid București for half a season, playing only two league games.

On 29 September 1975, Niculescu made his last Divizia A appearance in a 2–0 away loss to Politehnica Iași, totaling 145 games in the competition with 216 goals conceded.

Managerial career After he ended his playing career, Niculescu worked as a coach in the Romania lower leagues for clubs such as Celuloza Călărași and Dunărea Galați. Niculescu had a short spell in the first league at Flacăra Moreni during the 1989–90 Divizia A season, leading them in nine games, winning only two, which resulted in the team's relegation.

Gallery

Honours Argeș Pitești Divizia A: 1971–72 Divizia B: 1962–63 Cupa României runner-up: 1964–65 Dinamo București Cupa României: 1967–68