Luftëtari Gjirokastër

Luftëtari FC

Full name	Luftëtari Gjirokastër Football Club
Nickname(s)	Bluzinjtë (Blue & blacks)
Short name	Luftëtari
Founded	13 March 1930 (as Shqiponja Gjirokastër)
Ground	Gjirokastra Stadium
Capacity	8,400
Owners	Grigor Tavo (75%) Municipality of Gjirokastër (25%)
President	Grigor Tavo
Head Coach	Mladen Milinković
League	Albanian Superliga
2015–16	Albanian First Division, Group B, 1st (promoted)
Home colours Away colours

Luftëtari Gjirokastër Football Club (Albanian pronunciation: [luftətaɾi ɟiɾɔkastəɾ]), also known as Luftëtari FC or simply Luftëtari is an Albanian football club based in Gjirokastër southern Albania. The club was founded on 13 March 1930 as Shqiponja Gjirokastër and has played at its home ground, the Gjirokastra Stadium, since 1973. They currently compete in the Albanian Superliga, the top flight of football in the country.

History

Early history

The club was founded on 13 March 1930 under the name Shqiponja Gjirokastër. It underwent many subsequent name changes over the years: Gjirokastër (1949), Puna Gjirokastër (1951), Luftëtari Gjirokastër (1958), Shqiponja Gjirokastër (1992) and to its current name Luftëtari Gjirokastër in 2002.

During the Communist Albania Luftetari was deemed to have a good football academy, which provided for several national team players, such as Theodhori Kalluci, Sefedin Braho, Lefter Millo, Arjan Xhumba, Arjan Bellaj, Altin Haxhi, and Gjergji Kalluci.

Luftëtari finished as the league runner-up in the 1977–78 season, their highest achievement to date.

Recent history

On 2 July 2015 Mustafa Hysi was appointed as the club's head coach and Kristaq Ciko was given the role of his assistant ahead of the 2015–16 Albanian Superliga season, with the aim of achieving promotion back to the Albanian Superliga.^[1]

Luftëtari were promoted back to Albanian Superliga after a three-year absence as they defeated Apolonia Fier on the last matchday of the regular season in Group B of the Albanian First Division.^[2][3] They then faced Group A winners Korabi Peshkopi in the championship final at the Qemal Stafa Stadium on 19 May 2016, where they clinched their 8th First Division title as they won 11–10 in a penalty shootout that saw 24 penalties being taken following a goalless draw and extra time.^[4]

Stadium

The club plays its home games at the Gjirokastra Stadium, which was built in 1973 and is located near the centre of Gjirokastër and holds 8,400 spectators.^[5]Following Luftëtari's promotion back to the Albanian Superliga in 2016, the stadium required a complete renovation in order to meet the necessary requirements to host home games in the top flight. Work on the stadium began in August 2016 and the surface was to be replaced and plastic seats were to be installed throughout the stadium.^[6] The first stage of the reconstruction was completed in November 2016, which meant that the stadium was able to host Albanian Superliga games once again. The first stage consisted of replacing the playing surface, the installation of 300 plastic seats in the main stand, the installation of CCTV as well as the refurbishment of the changing room for both players and officials. The cost of the work carried out totalled 15,000,000 Albanian lek, around €110,000 at the time, and it was a joint investment by the Municipality of Gjirokastër, the Albanian Football Association as well as the club's owner Grigor Tavo. The first game of the 2016–17 season to take place at the stadium came against Partizani which ended 1–1 with around 3,000 fans in attendance.^[7]

Honours

Major trophies

League

Albanian Superliga

• Runners-up (1): 1977–78

Albanian First Division

• Winners (8): 1934, 1962–63, 1965–66, 1974–75, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1998–99, 2015–16
• Runners-up (2): 1954, 1960

Minor trophies

Zëri i Popullit Cup

• Winners (1): 1977

Bashkimi Cup

• Winners (1): 1983

Zëri i Rinisë Cup

• Winners (1): 1982

Shtypi Popullore Shqiptare Cup

• Winners (1): 1977

50th Anniversary of Football in Albania Cup

• Winners (1): 1963

Current squad

As of 18 October 2016

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Festim Miraka 4 DF Oltion Rapa 5 MF Albano Aleksi 7 MF Dany 8 DF Ergis Mersini 9 FW Baptiste Faye 11 FW Andrés Montero 16 MF Behar Ramadani 19 DF Lejdi Liçaj 20 DF Orjand Beqiri (vice-captain) 21 MF Dejvi Bregu 22 MF Silvio Zogaj 23 DF Donald Rapo

No. Position Player 25 FW Kristal Abazaj 44 DF Edy-Nicolas Boyom 77 FW Reginaldo GK Shkëlzen Ruçi GK Kristo Roko DF Ardian Këndella DF Stiven Puci MF Brixhild Brahimaj MF Julian Lluka MF Eduart Rroca MF Emiljano Shehu FW Albano Halilaj FW Rudion Mahmutaj

Managers

Name	Nationality	Years
Bahri Ishka		1970s
Hito Hitaj		1980s
Dhori Kalluci		1990s
Mustafa Hysi		1998–1999
Andrea Çulli		2000–2003
Arben Kumbulla		2003–200x
Mustafa Hysi		2006
Ilir Spahiu		2006–2007
Mustafa Hysi		2007
Edi Martini		2007
Andrea Çulli		2007–2008
Mustafa Hysi		2011
Nevil Dede		2012
Edi Martini		2012–2013
Arjan Bellaj		2013
Petraq Bifsha		2013–2014
Bledar Devolli		2014–2015
Mustafa Hysi		2015–2016
Vasil Papa		2016
Gerd Haxhiu		2016–

Presidents

Name	Nationality	Years
Grigor Tavo[8]		1999–2001
Flamur Bime		2003–2004
Flamur Bime[9]		2012–2015
Zamira Rami[10]		2015–2016
Grigor Tavo		2016–

References

1. Luftëtari, Hysi merr “timonin”
2. Luftëtari 2–1 Apolonia
3. Luftëtari hap shampanjën e elitës
4. Luftëtari kampion i Kategorisë së Parë pas 24 penalltive
5. Worldstadiums. "Stadia in Albania". Retrieved 3 August 2010.
6. Panorama Sport (9 August 2016). "Nis puna në stadium, Luftëtari luan një muaj jashtë Gjirokastrës" (in Albanian). Retrieved 9 August 2016.
7. Luftëtari 1–1 Partizani
8. Tavo: Kemi projekt, mos u çudisni nëse mundim edhe Kukësin
9. Luftëtari, Bime hap “thesin” para Elbasanit
10. Luftëtari, Hysi merr “timonin”