Second Division. Survival is the usual concern of most clubs involved in a season of announced big reduction and that was the Yugoslavian case as well. Half of the teams going to relegation was no joke and the battle for survival was fierce. Mostly little know clubs fell victims, but one well known long-time member of the top league was unable to escape – Olimpija (Ljubljana) – and one other long-lasting top league member barely survived – Borac (Banja Luka). The group winners were promoted to First Division as ever and both winners were slightly stronger than the rest, but not by much and endured competition almost to the end.
West Group. 9th place was the most coveted position, for it was the last place securing life in the new Second Division. Take it as you will – Olimpija (Ljubljana) fell badly: 12th with 32 points and going down. The rest were small little known clubs.
Like Mladost (Petrinja) – 13th with 30 points. Standing from left: Marijan Mrmić, Mladen Romić, Đemil Đedović, Idriz Seferović, Miljenko Tuta, Savo Obradović. Crouching: Dejan Andrejić, Slobodan Petrović, Radimir Bobinac, Nikica Valent, Marijan Sigur.
Sparta (Beli Manastir) ended 11th with 34 points and was relegated, but they took some pride from their season – playing Second Division football was their highest success ever, so overall they were satisfied.
Jedinstvo (Brcko), one of usual second league members, was 17th with 26 points. Only Borac (Travnik) was behind them. Second row from left: Mandic – coach, Agic, Kasic, Kevric, Sulovic, Grujic, Preljevic, Pejic, Stevic, Catovic – assistant coach.
First row: Smudja, Jovanovic, Jahic, Nedic, Petkovic, Durakovic, Besic, Malisevic.
The rest of the lowest: Kabel (Novi Sad, 16th with 26 points), Famos (Hrasnica, 15th with 26 points), Novi Sad (14th with 27 points).
Rudar (Ljubija), quite used to playing in the second tier, was not happy at all – 10th with 35 points and relegated. If they got 1 point more… no such luck.
Iskra (Bugojno), ‘only yesterday’ playing in the top league, managed to survive – 9th with 36 points.
Borac (Banja Luka), also with 36 points, finished 8th Standing from left: Špica, Karalić, Lipivac,Pobor, Lupić, Beširović. First row: Kovačević, Matejić, Durgutović, Bilbija, Malbašić, Jakovljević.
What incredible season Borac had – on one hand, not only playing second level football and desperately trying to remain there, but on the other hand – this was their best season ever! Such a weird case… they barely escaped relegation and would have been really interesting if they did not in the light of their great success – it is not everyday Third Division teams play in the European tournaments and it was very close to happening.
Up the table were the rest of those going to play in the new Second Division: Leotar (7th with 37 points), Proleter Zrenjanin (6th with 37 points), Sibenik (5th with 38 points), Kikinda (4th with 40 points),
Dinamo (Vinkovci) – 3rd with 43 points. They had a chance to get promoted, but eventually lost it.
GOSK Jug (Dubrovnik) finished 2nd with 44 points, also losing steam at one point.
Spartak (Subotica) won the championship with 48 points from 21 wins, 6 ties, 7 losses. 56-23 goal-difference. Not truly domineering, but still stronger and more ambitious than anybody else. Earning promotion was great.
East Group. Similar story.
Long-time second division member Majdanpek finished last with 24 points. Standing from left: coach Radović, Minčić, Živković, Tuzlić, Erić, Dragović, Golubović, coach Mihajlović. First row: Mitrović, Kostić, Filipović, Jovanović, Brankovan, Matić.
Vlaznimi (Dakovica) was next to last with 27 points.
Then OFK Titograd (16th with 28 points), Crvena zvezda (Gnjilane, 15th with 28 points),
Metalurg (Skopje, 14th with 28 points), Ivangrad (13th with 30 points), Radnicki (Pirot, 12th with 32 points),
Teteks (Tetovo, 11th with 32 points),
Pobeda (Prilep) – 10th with 36 points. As in the West Group, life and death was a matter of 1 point – Pobeda lost and was relegated.
Borac (Cacak) was lucky – 9th with 37 points.
So was Sloboda (Titovo Uzice) – 8th with 37 points.
Macva (Sabac) also got 37 points and finished 7th. Novi Pazar – 6th with 38 points. Liria – 5th with 38 points. Radnicki (Kragujevac) – 4th with 38 points. Pelister (Bitola) – 3rd with 39 points. OFK Beograd (Belgrade) – 2nd with 40 points.
Looked like the whole league was mainly concerned with survival – the difference between relegation and 2nd place was only 4 points – but still there was a slightly stronger club looking up: Napredak (Krusevac) won 15 games, tied 13, lost 6, scored 47 goals and received 22. With a total of 43 points they won the championship, 3 points ahead of OFK Beograd. Well done and return to top flight.