was in fact the period of the birth of the modern Ceahlăul. Piatra Neamț had at that time three football clubs: Avântul (today known as Ceahlăul), Hârtia (paper mill team) and Celuloza (another team related with the paper mill), but all of them with oscillating results, generally marked by a presence somewhere at the level of the lower leagues. In 1956 Avântul, Hârtia and Celuloza merged and Recolta Piatra Neamț was born. As Recolta the team resisted only one season in the Divizia C finishing 11th out of 12. At the end of the season Recolta broke in two new teams: Avântul and Rapid. After a season of poor performances, the two teams realized that they can get better results together and merged again in 1958, this time as CS Piatra Neamț. This last merge was a crucial moment, in fact the moment when professional football started his ascension in the city below Pietricica Mountain, when all the football forces in town came together. The board of directors was formed by: M.Weiss – President, dr. C.Andone, F.Cârlan, N.Pahoncea – Vice-Presidents. The first presence of the new team was in the 1958–59 Divizia C season, when it finished on the 3rd place. After another two seasons in the third league CS Piatra Neamț, promoted at the end of the 1960–61 season in the Divizia B, for the first time in the club's history. The squad was composed of coach Tiberiu Căpăţînă and the following players: Apopei, Albu, Bonciu, Bucșe, Croitoru, Ghegheșan, Hrencic, Kálmán, Lemnrău, Macri, Meder, Mihalache, Popa, Simion and Vintilă. Ceahlăul, 30 years of second league (1961–1993) In the summer of 1961, along with the promotion, the club changed its name again, back to Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț. The club played three consecutive seasons at this level obtaining the following results: 1961–62 – 8th, 1962–63 – 10th and 1963–64 – 13th. Relegated to Divizia C, Ceahlăul it turned out to be a strong team and promoted back after only one season, ending the championship on the 1st place, with 4 points more than 2nd place, Textila Buhuși. After this last promotion, Ceahlăul would remain for a long time at the level of the second league (with the exception of a new Divizia C season between 1979 and 1980), being a recognized and respected team at this level. In the following four seasons, the team ranked in the first or at worst,