NK GOŠK Gabela

NK GOŠK is a Bosnian-Herzegovinian football club from the town of Gabela near Čapljina. It was founded in 1919.

Names throughout history

Throughout its history, the club has carried different names:

• 1. – 1926. – Zmaj
  1. – 1935. – Seljačka sloga
  1. – 1941. – Seljački športski klub (SŠK)
  1. – 1949. – NK Zmaj
  1. – 1958. – NK Sloga
  1. – today – GOŠK Gabela

History

GOŠK was founded in 1919 in Gabela under the name Zmaj. Andrija Korda and Vidan Krvavac were the first to bring a real leather football from Mostar to Gabela. That same year, two more clubs were founded in the Neretva valley – Neretva Metković and Uskok Čapljina.

The first footballs in Metković were brought by students from the Swiss city of St. Gallen, Andro Mrčić and Ranko Paranos, while in Čapljina the ball was brought by Prague student Aleksa Spahić. At that time, as well as for many years later, there was no organized football structure in the Neretva valley, and matches were most often played in meadows, on holidays such as Ilindan in Metković, Stipandan in Gabela, and Velika Gospa in Trebižat.

Football was played almost daily in Gabela during the summer, and the club initially had no official management – all tasks, from organization to conducting matches, were performed by the players themselves.

Under the influence of the Croatian Peasant Party, which had strong support in Gabela, the Croatian Peasant Home was built on Brijeg in 1926, where the club got its first premises. At that time, the club changed its name to Seljačka sloga, and in honor of Stjepan Radić's visit to this area, linden trees were planted around the home, some of which still exist today.

In 1935, under political pressure, the club changed its name to Seljački sportski klub. During World War II, the club ceased operations, but soon after the war, it was revived under the name NK Zmaj.

A significant role in the development of the club at that time was played by Drago Sušak, who was a coach, organizer, and referee. Later, the club changed its name again to NK Sloga.

In 1958, at the suggestion of Milorad Mandrapa, a decision was made at the assembly in Gabela for the club to receive its current name GOŠK (Gabelski omladinski športski klub).

Premier League

In the 2010/11 season, GOŠK won the First League of the Federation of BiH and thus secured promotion to the Premier League of BiH, in which it began to compete from the 2011/12 season. They played their first match in the highest rank against Slavija away, where they lost 1:0.

In their first season in the Premier League, the club finished in 13th place.

In the 2012/13 season, the team was coached by the famous Croatian expert and Hajduk legend, Ivan Katalinić, but the club was relegated that season as the fifteenth-placed team.

In the 2016/17 season, GOŠK again won the First League of FBiH and returned to the Premier League of BiH.

Stadium

GOŠK plays its home matches at the “Perica – Pero Pavlović” stadium (formerly known as Podavala). They played their first historic Premier League match at their stadium against Leotar from Trebinje and won 2:1.

Due to a lack of a license, some matches were previously played at the Bare stadium in Čitluk. GNK Dinamo Zagreb donated 5000 seats from the Maksimir stadium to GOŠK during its renovation, of which 3000 were installed in the first phase.

Youth categories

The juniors and cadets of GOŠK compete in the Youth Premier League of BiH, while the pioneers and pre-pioneers participate in the Youth League of HNŽ.

In the 2013/14 season, the juniors won the Youth League of BiH – South and finished second in the playoffs for the champion of the Federation of BiH.

In the 2015/16 season, they won the league again, and then the title of champion of the Federation of BiH after defeating Jedinstvo from Bihać.