FK Mačva Šabac


Fudbalski klub Mačva Šabac, commonly known as Mačva Šabac, is a football club from Šabac, Serbia. One of the oldest football clubs in Serbia, their nickname is " The Provincial Uruguayans " The nickname was used for the first time in 1927 when the Uruguay National Football Team were one of the best teams in the world and due to local people and media comparing Macva's style to that of the Uruguayan team, the main daily newspaper Politika consistently used the nickname Provincial Uruguayans.In the period of Yugoslavia, Macva mostly played in the lower tiers of the football system but did spend two seasons in national top flight of Yugoslavia, it was in seasons 1951 and 1952 Yugoslav First League. Afterwards, they would spend the next six decades in the Yugoslav lower-leagues but were a stable and respected lower tier club in the country. Macva has experienced greatest success since Serbia became independent, reaching the top tier the Serbian Super Liga for the first time ever in the season of 2017–18 Serbian SuperLiga. The club's name "Macva" is a geographical and historical region in the northwest of Central Serbia, on a fertile plain between the Sava and Drina rivers. The chief town is Šabac.

History in Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes/Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbia/Montenegro Period

The club was founded in 1919. It competed in the Yugoslav football league system until 1991. During the 1920s, it played in the First League of the Novi Sad district and in 1930 the league was transferred into the First League of the Novi Sad Football Subassociation. In the period between the two world wars Mačva developed a fierce rivalry for the titles in those leagues with FK Vojvodina. The highlight for Mačva in this era was their participation in the 1930–31 Yugoslav Football Championship, even though they finished at the bottom in 6th place.
During this period the club got nicknamed in the press the "Provincial Uruguay". Provincial because they were playing in the Provincial Group of the Belgrade Subassociation League, and Uruguay because of their playing style which resembled Uruguay's, highly regarded at that time as they were the Olympic champions. The nickname was used for the first time in 1927. By early spring of 1928, Mačva finished at the top of the First League of the Novi Sad District where they defeated their main rivals Vojvodina. In the decisive match Mačva won over Vojvodina by 6:1. By the league system of that time, the winners of the district leagues had to compete to determine the Belgrade Subassociation Provincial League champion. Mačva first played at home against the winner of Banat district league champion, Obilić Veliki Bečkerek, which they won by 4:1, and then played away and won by 4:3 against the champion of the Šumadija district league, FK Šumadija 1903. Then, the draw determined that the final match would be played in Šabac against ZAŠK from Zemun, which Mačva smashed by 6:1 with goals by Bora Kesić, Milan Perić, Raduška Gajić and Kokan Stevanović.
After becoming Belgrade Subassociation Provincial League champions, Mačva became notorious and the main daily newspaper Politika consistently used the nickname Provincial Uruguay, especially after their surprising win against SK Jedinstvo Beograd by 3:2 in Belgrade, and after their successful tour in Greece where they beat Thessaloniki sides Iraklis by 3:1, and Aris by 4:2.
In the following season, they became Novi Sad District League champions for the third time and qualified for the Vojvodina Group of the Belgrade Subassociation League. Mačva won the league and thus earned a spot in the Yugoslav First League where the major clubs in the country compete. They played well against BSK Belgrade and Hajduk Split and won in competition with the three-time Yugoslav champions Građanski Zagreb. Some Mačva players started to receive calls for the Yugoslav national team, namely Milorad Arsenijević, Ivan Bek, Milorad Ilić, Milanče Jovanović, Radomir Vojisavljević, Andreja Kojić and Bora Kesić. Other players of the Provincial Uruguay generation were Jefta Jovanović, Jovan Vračarić, Jovan Cvetković, Gidra Šljivić, Milan Perić, Kokan Stefanović, Kulja Suvajdžić, Bata Kiš, Vido Božović, Moma Jovanović, Mikica Sinđelić, Đole Jovanović, Đorđe Pantazijević, Raduška Gajić, Mikela Stanojčić, Mita Salajdžijević, Nikola Kradžić, and Brana Janković.
After the Second World War, still within Yugoslavia, Mačva played two seasons in national top flight, it was in seasons 1951 and 1952 Yugoslav First League. Afterwards, they will spend the next 6 decades in lower-leagues.

History in Independent Serbia/Modern Times

Under the club presidency of former Yugoslavia goalkeeper Ivica Kralj, FK Macva returned to top flight football, after a six decade absence.
In the 2017–18 Serbian SuperLiga season, Mačva's first season back in the top flight after more than six decades, Mačva finished in 12th position out of 16 clubs in the Serbian SuperLiga finishing the season with 11 wins 8 draws and 18 losses with a goal difference of 38 against 52. Securing survival in the club's first season back in the top flight after more than six decades of absence from top tier, was an accomplishment of a goal made at the start of the season by the club management. In the 2018–19 Serbian SuperLiga Macva finished in 12th place the same position they finished in their first season in the top flight of Serbian Football a considerable success for the club due to been without a major sponsor.
The 2019–20 Serbian SuperLiga season was a disaster for Macva, they finished bottom of the ladder winning only two games out of a possible 30, but due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Football Association of Serbia decided against relegating the bottom two teams of the Serbian SuperLiga which were FK Macva and Belgrade club FK Rad, The Football Association of Serbia decided to scrap relegation and add more clubs so the league in the 2020/21 season would be going ahead with 20 clubs. In a time of crisis for the entire world some fortune came Macva's way in a time of misery for most. In the 19/20 season Milos Adamovic top scored for Macva with 5 goals, Macva struggled for goals all season scoring the least amount of goals in the league with only 18 goals scored all up.

Supporters

The organized supporters of Mačva Šabac are known as Šaneri , and have a friendship with Napredak Kruševac fan group Jakuza.

Honours

National Championships
For recent transfers, see List of Serbian football transfers summer 2019.

Notable players

Former players with senior national team appearances:
For the list of all current and former players with Wikipedia article, please see: :Category:FK Mačva Šabac players.