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unusual facts about Yugoslav First League



Branko Stanković

After he had to escape from Sarajevo, he joined BSK Beograd in 1941, and in 1946 he came to Red Star Belgrade, where he established himself as one of the best defenders in the league.

Cvijetin Blagojević

During his playing career he played in the Yugoslav First League clubs FK Sloboda Tuzla and Red Star Belgrade before deciding to continue his career abroad, playing first in Greece with Egaleo F.C., and then with Swedish club Vasalunds IF, and Portuguese CS Marítimo.

Dane Kuprešanin

Born in Sarajevo, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Kuprešanin started playing professionally with hometown club FK Sarajevo, making his Yugoslav First League debuts at the age of 19 and remaining six seasons with the club, for which he scored 17 top division goals in his last two years combined.

Ešref Jašarević

Born in Gradačac, SR Bosnia-Herzegovina, FPR Yugoslavia, he started playing with local side NK Zvijezda Gradačac, but he would became famous while playing in the Yugoslav First League club FK Sloboda Tuzla where he played a total of 172 first league matches, and scored 13 goals.

Jovica Nikolić

In his country, he played for FK Jagodina and Red Star Belgrade: with the latter he won two leagues and one cup, scoring a career-best eight goals in 22 games in his first season en route to the national championship, but being rarely used in his last two years combined (only 14 league appearances).

Mario Mataja

Mataja played club football for Borac Banja Luka in the Yugoslav First League, helping the club win the 1987–88 Yugoslav Cup and Mitropa Cup in 1992.

Slobodan Janjuš

He represented a number of domestic clubs, having played with all of them, beside Second League FK Radnički Pirot, in the Yugoslav First League, namely, FK Željezničar Sarajevo, FK Vojvodina, FK Sarajevo, NK Olimpija Ljubljana, NK Dinamo Zagreb and FK Sutjeska Nikšić.

Stojan Malbašić

Malbašić played club football for Borac Banja Luka in the Yugoslav First League, helping the club win the 1987–88 Yugoslav Cup.

Stojan Osojnak

In 1953 he was signed by Dinamo Zagreb and this time he appeared in 22 league matches and scored 11 goals over the next three Yugoslav First League seasons, appearing alongside other Dinamo greats such as Željko Čajkovski, Tomislav Crnković, Dionizije Dvornić, Vladimir Čonč and Luka Lipošinović.

Svetislav Perduv

Born in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Perduv played club football for NK Olimpija Ljubljana and NK Čelik Zenica in the Yugoslav First League.

Vladan Tomić

During his career he played with North York Rockets in the Canadian Soccer League, in 1990-91 with FK Radnički Niš in the Yugoslav First League, and afterwords in Cyprus where he represented Aris Limassol, Anorthosis Famagusta and AEL Limassol.


see also

1946–47 Yugoslav First League

Oktobar who entered the 1946–47 Yugoslav First League (the name means "14 October", in reference to 14 October 1944, the day when the city of Niš was liberated by the advancing Partisans).

1951 Yugoslav Second League

Budućnost were relegated from the 1950 Yugoslav First League after finishing in the 10th place of the league table, while 9th placed Spartak Subotica were allowed to stay in the top level after Naša Krila Zemun were dissolved.

1952 Yugoslav Second League

Spartak Subotica and Napredak Kruševac were relegated from the 1951 Yugoslav First League after finishing in the 11th and 12th place of the league table.

1952–53 Yugoslav First League

Teams promoted to the 1952–53 Yugoslav First League were Velež and Spartak.

Ilija Stolica

After a short stay with Partizan, Stolica rejoined FK Zemun and was a top scorer in the 2001-02 Yugoslav First League scoring 25 goals in 35 matches and earning a full international call-up as a result.

Stjepan Bobek

On 8 June 1946 in a league match played in Niš between 14. Oktobar and FK Partizan (1–10), Bobek scored nine goals – an absolute record that has never been broken until the end of Yugoslav First League or its successor leagues.