History

Dane Krapcev was the man with the idea to form a football club that would be a center of events in Debar Maalo, one of the oldest parts of Skopje. After a few unsuccessful attempts in 1935 and in 1936, in the spring in 1937 the young people from Debar Maalo started with intensive preparations for creating a club, discussing that a good team can be made, a team that will be able to beat at least half of the existing clubs in Macedonia.

In the historical 1937 the most important event was the meeting in Dane Krapcev’s room. After listening what everyone had to say, Krapcev had an interesting proposition, apart from the football club, a chess club and a library must also be founded, so the young people of Debar Maalo had an interesting choice. The name Rabotnicki was also Krapcev’s idea that was accepted by everyone.

The Founding Assembly took place in the second half of 1937 in the restaurant “Nada”. Among 40 people present at this event, Aleksandar Tanev as candidate for president had a speech, telling his vision about the future of the club.

After getting the license, Rabotnicki had to play two control matches to prove the football knowledge of the players, against the teams of Vardar Topaana and FK Olimpija. Rabotnicki played two great matches, winning 6­1 against Vardar and 2­1 against Olimpija, gaining the right to be part of the Second division.

Our club played eight matches in the first season (1938/39), winning four and losing four with goal difference 14­11.In the second season Rabotnicki played great football, winning the Second division and gained the right to play against the best teams in Skopje.

Months after the liberation of Skopje, ex­members of the club started the preparations for getting Rabotnicki back on track. In the spring of 1945 the active members of the club started with trainings in Skopje.

On 1 July 1945 in the “Working Hall” in Skopje, a Sports Department Rabotnicki has been formed,
with Aleksandar Canko Hristov as president. Afterwards, many sports sections fused with Rabotnicki.

Besides football, Rabotnicki sports department also organized the first volleyball match in Macedonia after the war, as well as founding ski­club and athletic club. Few months later, the basketball club Rabotnicki was also founded.

Rabotnicki Skopje is one of the rare Macedonian teams that took part in the First League of Yugoslavia, along with Gragjanski (Before World War 2), Vardar, Teteks and Pelister.

Rabotnicki made the debut in the top division in 1952, after finishing as second in the Second division, with just one point deficit behind Vardar. The first league contained 12 teams, Rabotnicki finished the season on the 11­th place and went back in the second league.

The second time our club was part of the Yugoslavian football elite was in the 1953/54 season, but finished as last on the table, going back to the Second division.

Our club was also the host of the first night football match that was played in Macedonia.

Rabotnicki met with Makedonija on 20 June 1946 and lost the match 1­0, but it is being remembered for the 14 lights that were brought from the Macedonian Theater in Skopje.