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Luftëtari FC
Full name	Luftëtari Football Club
Nickname(s)	Bluzinjtë (Blue & Blacks)
Founded	15 March 1930; 94 years ago; as Shqiponja Gjirokastër
Dissolved	29 September 2020
Ground	Gjirokastra Stadium
Capacity	8,400
Owner	Bekim Halilaj (75%); Municipality of Gjirokastër (25%)
President	Bekim Halilaj
Manager	Neritan Novi
2019–20	Kategoria Superiore, 10th (relegated)
Home colours	Away colours

KF Luftëtari (Albanian pronunciation: [luftətaɾi ɟiɾɔkastəɾ]), also known as Luftëtari FC or simply Luftëtari, was an Albanian football club based in Gjirokastër, southern Albania. The club was founded on 1926 as Shqiponja Gjirokastër and has played at its home ground, the Gjirokastra Stadium, since 1973. They last competed in the Kategoria Superiore, the first tier of football in the country.

History

Early history

The club was founded in 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 ever.

Final years and collapse

On 2 July 2015 Mustafa Hysi was appointed as the club's head coach Gentian Nora as general sport director of the 2015–16 Albanian Superliga season, with the aim of achieving promotion back to the Albanian Superliga.^[2]

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.^[3]^[4] 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.^[5] Making a surprise performance in 2016–2017 season Luftetari finished in 4th Position after more than 20 years with Mladen Milinkovic as Head coach and Gentian Nora as General and Sport Director By finishing third in the Albanian Superliga 2017–18 season with Hasan Lika as Head coach and Gentian Nora as Sport Director, they will make its debut in the 2018-19 UEFA Europa League season.^[6]

The club collapsed on 29 September 2020 due to financial mismanagement and players were leaving the club to pursue careers elsewhere.^[7] A new team was established and named AF Luftëtari which had to start at the third tier of Albanian football.^[8]

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.^[9] 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.^[10] 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 7,000 fans in attendance.^[11]

Honours

Major trophies

League

Kategoria Superiore
- Runners-up (1): 1977–78
Kategoria e Parë (Tier 2)
- Winners (8): 1934, 1962–63, 1965–66, 1974–75, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1998–99, 2011–12, 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 Popullor Shqiptar Cup
- Winners (1): 1977
50th Anniversary of Football in Albania Cup
- Winners (1): 1963

European record

As of 12 July 2018

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Agg.
2018–19	UEFA Europa League	1QR	Ventspils	3–3	0−5	3–8

Notes

QR: Qualifying round

Current squad

As of 17 June 2020

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	ALB	Avernold Qyrani
2	DF	ALB	Aurel Demo
3	DF	ALB	Enes Isufi
5	DF	ALB	Armenis Kukaj
6	DF	ALB	Donald Açka
7	MF	ALB	Rimal Haxhiu
7	FW	ALB	Serxhio Emini
8	MF	ALB	Erald Hyseni
9	FW	ALB	Joan Çela
11	FW	ALB	Jurgen Dushkaj
15	DF	ALB	Stiven Puci
16	DF	ALB	Klaus Alinani


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
17	MF	ALB	Alvi Ahmetaj
19	DF	ALB	Franci Lala
21	MF	ALB	Gresild Lika
22	MF	ALB	Klinti Qato
24	GK	ALB	Sadik Basha
27	DF	ALB	Redon Dragoshi
28	DF	ALB	Mikel Brahilika
44	DF	ALB	Amer Duka
45	FW	ALB	Arbër Mehmetllari (on loan from Lokomotiva)
66	MF	ALB	Elian Çelaj
88	GK	ALB	Arlis Shala
99	MF	ALB	Aldrit Oshafi

Other players under contract

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	FW	ALB	Rudion Mahmutaj
—	MF	ALB	Kostantinos Kondili
—	DF	ALB	Brunild Naçi
—	DF	ALB	Klevan Kendella


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	FW	ALB	Sebastian Molla
—	GK	ALB	Andrea Shumeli
—	FW	ALB	Dhimiter Andoni
—	MF	ALB	Erind Jahelezi

Out on loan

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