Skenderbeu

Early years

The first football club in the city of Korçë was formed on 15 April 1909 under the name Vllazëria by politician and poet Hilë Mosi. The rise in the popularity of the sport resulted in a number of clubs being formed between 1920 and 1922, including clubs such as Përparimi and Sport Klub Korça. In 1923, the Albanian National Lyceum formed the Shpresa sports society. Skënderbeu was formed in 1925 when a large number of the young men and young men of the city were playing football regularly in local fields. The rise in popularity of the sport led to most neighbourhoods forming their own football teams, such as Zhgaba in 1926 and Leka i Madh, Pirro, Brekverdhit, Zjarri, Tigri and Diamanti in 1927, which competed in the city's first organised football competition held in 1928. These teams were local, however, and would only compete with one another, as the main football club to represent the city was Skënderbeu who overcome several problems at the start, some of which were even political. Skënderbeu was named after 15th century Albanian nobleman and national hero Skanderbeg.

The club quickly became the Alban's main football team, and in 1926 they began to play friendly games against teams from neighbouring countries, starting with Macedonian side Monastir, then part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In two games played, Skënderbeu won 5–2 and then drew 2–2. Skënderbeu also played friendlies against Greek teams from Ermioni and Thessaloniki, which is modern day Aris FC. They also played against Kavala, who they beat 2–0 in Albania but lost 1–0 against in Greece.

1930s championships

The club competed in the first ever national football competition in Albania, which was the 1930 championship. As the only club to represent Korçë nationally, Skënderbeu had huge popular support within the city, with similar support bases seen with the likes of KF Tirana and Vllaznia Shkodër, who all earned a name for themselves in the early stages of Albanian football. During the 1930 championship, Skënderbeu finished runners-up to KF Tirana, after forfeiting both championship playoff matches. The club won its first ever Albanian Championship just three years later in 1933, finishing two points ahead of Vllaznia. The championship winning side was: Klani Marjani, Kristaq Bimbli, Andrea Çani, Andon Miti, Lefter Petra, Fori Stasa, Nexhat Dishnica, Tomor Ypi, Thoma Vangjeli, Servet Teufik Agaj, Enver Kulla, Vasil Trebicka, Stavri Kondili, Aristotel Samsuri, with Qemal Omari as their manager.

In the same year, the club's striker Servet Teufik Agaj was the top goalscorer with seven league goals, an honour also won by his strike partner Aristotel Samsuri in 1931, also with seven goals. The following year, Skënderbeu strongly fought to retain their title, but only finished as runners-up once again to KF Tirana, with Samsuri being the club's top goalscorer that season with seven goals. In the next two championships held prior to World War II, Skënderbeu finished in fourth place in both years under manager Qemal Omari. The club ceased operations between 1938 and 1945 due to World War II, as there were no official tournaments held in Albania.

Post-war struggles

In 1945, the club began operating again. Supporters paraded in the streets of Korçë as the club announced the news. The majority of the players who were active in the 1930s were no longer playing football competitively, so the squad was virtually new, except for Klani Marjani, Bellovoda and Saro.

But the delight was short lived as the club struggled to match their performances before the war. In 1945, they finished fourth in Group B, consisting of six teams, and in the following 1946 season they finished fifth in Group A, just one point ahead of bottom place. Manager Tato Bimbli decided to bring in young players in order to revive the squad during the 1947 season, when the club also changed its name to Dinamo Korçë for the Communist Party, Bimbli's decision to bring in young players paid off as the club finished third in the league out of nine teams. The following season, however, turned out to be a disaster as they finished bottom of Group A with just a single point from seven games.

In 1949, the club changed its name to Korça, and they finished in sixth place out of nine teams in the same year. Manager Tato Bimbli left the club after having a difficult time in charge, and he was replaced by Spiro Koçe in 1950. In 1951, all Albanian teams were ordered by the Communist Party to be named "Puna", which literally translates to "work". During these years, the club remained a notable force, but with no relative success often finishing in mid-table in the league. Skënderbeu was also a three time finalist in the Albanian Cup in 1958, 1965 and 1976, in which they lost all three finals. They did, however, win the Albanian First Division in 1976–77 as well as three other times with the last win in 2008–09 season where Skënderbeu won the rights to move into the Albanian Superliga.