Montenegrin Republic League


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. In inaugural season 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 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 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.
PeriodTierPeriodTierPeriodTier
1946I1950IV1953-1988III
1946-1947II1951III1988-1992IV
1947-1949III1952-1953II1992-2006III

Winners and seasons

Champions

During the six decades, 18 different clubs won the champions title in Montenegrin Republic League.

Most titles won OFK Titograd, FK Lovćen and FK Bokelj. 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.
ClubCityChampionsRunners-upWinning years
TitogradPodgorica
12
6
1958/59, 1960/61, 1961/62, 1963/64, 1966/67, 1967/68, 1974/75, 1978/79, 1983/84, 1986/87, 1990/91, 1998/99
LovćenCetinje
9
7
1959/60, 1962/63, 1964/65, 1973/74, 1979/80, 1981/82, 1984/85, 1989/90, 1992/93
BokeljKotor
8
3
1947/48, 1950, 1953/54, 1955/56, 1956/57, 1970/71, 1985/86, 1987/88
IskraDanilovgrad
4
4
1969/70, 1972/73, 1993/94, 1999/00
SutjeskaNikšić
4
3
1946/47, 1948/49, 1954/55, 1976/77
BeraneBerane
4
-
1951, 1982/83, 1996/97, 2005/06
JedinstvoBijelo Polje
3
5
1971/72, 1975/76, 1977/78
MornarBar
3
1
1988/89, 1994/95, 2000/01
BudućnostPodgorica
3
-
1946, 1952, 1953
RudarPljevlja
2
5
1957/58, 1965/66
KomPodgorica
2
1
1991/92, 2001/02
ZetaGolubovci
1
4
1997/98
ZoraSpuž
1
2
2004/05
IgaloIgalo
1
2
1995/96
DečićTuzi
1
1
2003/04
ZabjeloPodgorica
1
1
1968/69
MogrenBudva
1
-
1980/81
GrbaljRadanovići
1
-
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.
Winning team won The Double

Double = winner of Montenegrin Republic League and Montenegrin Republic Cup during the same season
Number of Montenegrin clubs which played on higher level

Records and statistics

All-time records

Note: Records are counted only for seasons with 10 or more participants

Sources:

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, South and North. 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.