#Tirona 🇦🇱 🤍💙 - under their #Stalinist moniker, 17 Nendori - 📸 in 1964.
The 1964/65 campaign would observe #BardheEBlute win their first #Albanian title in 23 years, breaking 18 years of #Partizani/#Dinamo hegemony.
A new 'golden era' beckoned for the team from east #Tirana.
#KFTirana
Agustin Kola - The #Tirona 🤍💙 & #Albania 🇦🇱 legend plied his trade as an acrobat prior to a career in football.
His 11-year spell with #BardheEBlute observed a 'new golden era' for the #Tirana club, which included 4 Kampionati Kombëtar & 3 Kupa e Republikes triumphs.
SK Tirana - #Tirona 🤍💙 - pictured in 1947, before their Stalinist-era rebrand as Puna & latterly 17 Nendori.
Coach & and benefactor Selman Stermasi would be exiled to the fields for opposing the Hoxha regime.
The story is featured 👇
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Osman Mema; winner of 7 Kampionati Kombëtar titles with #Tirona & #PartizaniTirana, part of the Mema Dynasty that continues to etch new chapters in #KFTirana's illustrious history.
The Mema legacy is explored here 👇
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Defending #Albanian champions, 🇦🇱 17 Nentori pictured in 1966/67; The Championship of Coals.
#Tirona & #PartizaniTirana were disqualified clearing the way for #DinamoTirana to take the title; a win that remains unrecognised by #UEFA.
The story is told here👇
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17 Nëntori's Fatmir Frasheri 💙🤍 Agim Janku of Partizani 🤎🖤duel during the first #Tirana #Derby of the 1969/70 campaign at the Qemal Stafa - a 0-0 stalemate.
At season end, #Tirona 💙🤍 would win their 4th title in 5 years, 6 points ahead of their rivals.
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🇦🇱 Lokomotiva Durres v 17 Nentori, Stadiumi #Lokomotiva, Republic Cup, 1/2 Final, 1st Leg, 1976: (R to L) Fatmir Frasheri, Ali Mema & Lame Konomi observe from the #Tirona bench; a 1-0 win (2-1 on agg) securing a place in the Final against Skënderbeu #Korçë 🇦🇱
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Stadiumi Dinamo, #Tirana - Built by political prisoners in 1956, home to Sigurimi - Secret Police - team, #DinamoTirana.
Post-communism, it was renamed - the Selman Stermasi - after the #Tirona legend, the regime tried to destroy.
It's all in the book 👇
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🇦🇱 Ali Mema & nephew, Sulejman share tactical ideas at the 17 Nentori - #KFTirana - training facility.
The impact of the 🤍💙 #Tirona Mema Dynasty is explored in my book, Inside the Hermit Kingdom - Football Stories from Stalinist #Albania 🇦🇱👇
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🇦🇱 17 Nentori 🤍💙 win the #Albanian title in 1964/65; their 1st in 23 years, breaking 17 years of #Partizani ❤️/ #DinamoTirana 💙 hegemony.
Despite repeated persecution & regime sanctions, #Tirona were champions once more.
The whole story is detailed here 👇
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The 🤍💙 17 Nentori 🤍💙 bench watch attentively during a #Tirona 0-0 against #BesaKavaje at Stadiumi #Besa during the Bardhe e Blute's (White & Blues) 1981/82 title-winning season.
The team from the #Albanian capital finished the campaign 4 points ahead on #Flamurtari; #Dinamo & #Partizani 3rd & 4th.
