Montenegrin Republic League () was the third tier football league of SFR Yugoslavia. The top clubs were promoted to Yugoslav Second League.
Overview
Founded in spring 1946, Montenegrin Republic League was the oldest football competition in Montenegro after WWII. It existed 60 years, and most of the time it was the third tier of competition (after First League and Second League). In inaugural season (1946) in Montenegrin Republic League played only four clubs – FK Budućnost, FK Lovćen, FK Sutjeska and FK Arsenal. During its existence, Montenegrin Republic League was organised by Football Association of Montenegro. Number of participants was different – from four (1946) to 18 during the nineties. Except that, another competition on republic level, which existed from 1946 to 2006 was Montenegrin Republic Cup.
Levels on pyramid While existed, Montenegrin Republic League was not always been third level of competition. It started as a Montenegrin qualifiers for inaugural season of Yugoslav First League. During three seasons (1946–47, 1952 and 1953) it was the second-tier competition in SFR Yugoslavia football system, and during the five years the competition have role of fourth level on pyramid. PeriodTierPeriodTierPeriodTier1946 I 1950 IV 1953-1988 III1946-1947 II 1951 III 1988-1992 IV1947-1949 III 1952-1953 II 1992-2006 III
Winners and seasons Champions During the six decades, 18 different clubs won the champions title in Montenegrin Republic League. Most titles won OFK Titograd (12), FK Lovćen (9) and FK Bokelj (8). Except them, eight other teams won more than one champions' title. Below is a list of champions of Montenegrin Republic League, by number of titles.
Club City Champions Runners-up Winning years Titograd Podgorica 1958/59, 1960/61, 1961/62, 1963/64, 1966/67, 1967/68, 1974/75, 1978/79, 1983/84, 1986/87, 1990/91, 1998/99 Lovćen Cetinje 1959/60, 1962/63, 1964/65, 1973/74, 1979/80, 1981/82, 1984/85, 1989/90, 1992/93 Bokelj Kotor 1947/48, 1950, 1953/54, 1955/56, 1956/57, 1970/71, 1985/86, 1987/88 Iskra Danilovgrad 1969/70, 1972/73, 1993/94, 1999/00 Sutjeska Nikšić 1946/47, 1948/49, 1954/55, 1976/77 Berane Berane 1951, 1982/83, 1996/97, 2005/06 Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje 1971/72, 1975/76, 1977/78 Mornar Bar 1988/89, 1994/95, 2000/01 Budućnost Podgorica 1946, 1952, 1953 Rudar Pljevlja 1957/58, 1965/66 Kom Podgorica 1991/92, 2001/02 Zeta Golubovci 1997/98 Zora Spuž 2004/05 Igalo Igalo 1995/96 Dečić Tuzi 2003/04 Zabjelo Podgorica 1968/69 Mogren Budva 1980/81 Grbalj Radanovići 2002/03
Seasons From 1946 to 2006, there was 61 seasons of Montenegrin Republic League. Below is the list of winners, runners-up and third-placed teams by every single season. In the number of clubs on higher level are counted all Montenegrin teams which played in Yugoslav First League, Yugoslav Second League or Yugoslav Third League at the time. +Key to list of winnersWinning team won The Double SeasonFirst placeSecond placeThird placeHigher1946FK BudućnostFK LovćenFK Sutjeska1946/47FK SutjeskaFK BokeljFK Lovćen1947/48FK BokeljFK LovćenFK Rudar1948/49FK SutjeskaFK LovćenFK Rudar1950FK BokeljFK ArsenalFK Rudar1951FK BeraneFK SutjeskaFK Jedinstvo1952FK BudućnostFK SutjeskaFK Lovćen1953FK BudućnostFK LovćenFK Berane1953/54FK BokeljFK SutjeskaFK Arsenal1954/55FK SutjeskaOFK TitogradFK Radnički Nikšić1955/56FK BokeljFK IskraFK Gorštak1956/57FK BokeljFK RudarFK Javorak1957/58FK RudarFK ZoraFK Gorštak1958/59OFK TitogradFK ArsenalFK Rudar1959/60FK LovćenFK IskraFK Jedinstvo1960/61OFK TitogradFK JedinstvoFK Bokelj1961/62OFK TitogradFK BokeljFK Rudar1962/63FK LovćenFK JedinstvoFK Rudar1963/64OFK TitogradFK LovćenFK Rudar1964/65FK LovćenOFK TitogradFK Bokelj1965/66FK RudarOFK TitogradFK Jedinstvo1966/67OFK TitogradFK RudarFK Jedinstvo1967/68OFK TitogradFK ČelikFK Jedinstvo1968/69FK ZabjeloFK RudarFK Arsenal1969/70FK IskraFK BokeljFK Mornar1970/71FK BokeljFK RudarFK Arsenal1971/72FK JedinstvoFK RudarFK Arsenal1972/73FK IskraOFK PetrovacFK Grafičar1973/74FK LovćenFK JedinstvoFK Zeta1974/75OFK TitogradFK ZetaFK Grafičar1975/76FK JedinstvoFK ZetaFK Mogren1976/77FK SutjeskaOFK TitogradOFK Petrovac1977/78FK JedinstvoOFK PetrovacOFK Titograd1978/79OFK TitogradFK IskraFK Lovćen1979/80FK LovćenFK TekstilacFK Rudar1980/81FK MogrenFK TiteksFK Čelik1981/82FK LovćenFK ČelikFK Zeta1982/83FK BeraneFK ZetaFK Rudar1983/84OFK TitogradFK ZetaFK Bokelj1984/85FK LovćenFK ČelikFK Bokelj1985/86FK BokeljOFK IgaloFK Zeta1986/87OFK TitogradOFK IgaloFK Jedinstvo1987/88FK BokeljFK JedinstvoFK Lovćen1988/89FK MornarFK Luka BarFK Dečić1989/90FK LovćenFK DečićFK Kom1990/91OFK TitogradFK RibnicaFK Kom1991/92FK KomFK IskraFK Čelik1992/93FK LovćenFK KomFK Luka Bar1993/94FK IskraFK MornarOFK Titograd1994/95FK MornarOFK TitogradFK Kom1995/96OFK IgaloFK ČelikOFK Titograd1996/97FK BeraneFK IbarFK Lovćen1997/98FK ZetaFK LovćenFK Zabjelo1998/99OFK TitogradFK JedinstvoOFK Grbalj1999/00FK IskraFK ZabjeloFK Crvena Stijena2000/01FK MornarOFK PetrovacFK Ribnica2001/02FK KomFK JezeroOFK Grbalj2002/03OFK GrbaljFK ZoraFK Crvena Stijena2003/04FK DečićFK LovćenFK Crvena Stijena2004/05FK ZoraFK GusinjeFK Iskra2005/06FK BeraneOFK TitogradFK Ibar Double = winner of Montenegrin Republic League and Montenegrin Republic Cup during the same season Number of Montenegrin clubs which played on higher level (Yugoslav First League, Yugoslav Second League, Yugoslav Third League)
Records and statistics All-time records Biggest league victory/defeat: 17–1, Kom vs. Županica, season 2001/02; 15–0, Titograd – Iskra, season 1998/99 Biggest number of scored goals on single season: 118, Titograd, season 1998/99; 106, Mornar, season 2000/01; 106, Kom, season 2001/02 Biggest number of conceded goals on single season: 157, Polimlje, season 2000/01; 123, Županica, season 2001/02; 118, Tekstilac, season 1994/95 Most wins on single season: 28, Mornar, season 2000/01 Season without any win: Arsenal, season 1966/67; Tekstilac, season 1965/66 Lowest number of defeats on single season: 1, Mornar, season 2000/01; 1, Titograd, season 1986/87; 1, Titograd, season 1978/79; 1, Titograd, season 1974/75; Titograd, season 1966/67; Rudar, season 1966/67; 1, Lovćen, season 1964/65; 1, Titograd, season 1963/64 Biggest number of defeats on single season: 27, Polimlje, season 2000/01 Most draws on single season: 15, Arsenal, season 1989/90 Biggest number of minutes without conceded goal: 1197, Titograd (goalkeeper: V. Raičević), season 1998/99 Biggest attendance: 10,000, Berane – Zeta, season 1982/83 Note: Records are counted only for seasons with 10 or more participants Sources:'Crnogorski klubovi u fudbalskim takmičenjima 1946-2016', Podgorica, 2016.Novak Jovanović: Fudbalska takmičenja u Crnoj Gori : 1925-1985, Cetinje, 1991., UDK: 796.332.093(497.16)"1925/1985Godišnjak Fudbalskog saveza Jugoslavije, Beograd,
Relegation and promotion Higher tier
During the most time, higher level of competition was Yugoslav Second League or Second League of FR Yugoslavia. Exceptions are three seasons when participants of Montenegrin Republic League gained promotion in Yugoslav First League or in the qualifiers for the top-flight, and five seasons when members of Republic League went to Yugoslav Third League.
Lower tier
Since 1968, Montenegrin regional league system was founded as official competition of fourth-tier. League was structured through three groups – Central (Srednja regija), South (Južna regija) and North (Sjeverna regija). Winners of each group gained promotion to Montenegrin Republic League. From the other side, since 1968, three worst-placed members of Montenegrin Republic League were relegated to regional system, while the group depended from their geographical position. Same structure is kept in the competition of Montenegrin Third League since 2006.
See also Montenegrin clubs in Yugoslav football competitions (1946–2006) Montenegrin Republic Cup (1947–2006) Montenegrin Football Championship (1922–1940) Montenegrin First League Montenegrin First League playoffs Montenegrin Cup Montenegrin clubs in European football competitions Montenegrin Derby Montenegrin Second League Montenegrin Third League Football in Montenegro
References