KF Bylis

History

Early years

The club was formed on 14 July 1972 as Ballshi i Ri, and they played in the Albanian Third Division between 1973 and 1976. But between 1976 and 1981, they were not allowed to participate in Albanian football due to laws restricting a single team from each district. They began playing once again in the Third Division in 1981, which they eventually won in 1986 and were promoted to the Albanian Second Division. The club played in the Second Division for 10 years between 1986 and 1996, where they were promoted following a successful 1995–96 season which saw the club score 124 goals and concede just 21, as the best goal scorer was Agim Metaj, making it a national record which was even noted by the prestigious French magazine France Football. However, despite their record breaking season they only finished as runners-up in the league but still achieved promotion to the Albanian Superliga.

Golden days

In their debut season in the top flight of Albanian football the club finished in 14th place out of 18 teams. During the 1998–99 season, the club finished in third place, just 2 points behind the eventual champions KF Tirana this earned the club a place in the UEFA Cup for the first time. In their first European experience, KF Bylis played Slovakian side Inter Bratislava, whom they lost 5–1 to on aggregate. The following season they would again finish strongly, this time in 5th place, joint on points with 4th-place side Vllaznia Shkodër, who they lost 4–3 to in the play-off for the UEFA Intertoto Cup place. In the 2000–01 season, they finished 5th once again and earned a place in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, where they met Romanian side FC Universitatea Craiova the following season. They lost 4–3 on aggregate, after a memorable 3–3 draw away in Romania and a 1–0 home loss.

Recent history

KF Bylis then began to struggle, eventually getting relegated after a poor 2002–03 season, which saw them finish second to last with just 26 points and 3 wins from 26 games. They were relegated once again to the third tier after the 2004–05 season in which they scored just 13 league goals in total. Between 2007 and 2009 the club achieved consecutive promotions back to the Albanian Superliga for the 2008–09 season.

Besnik Kapllanaj was the club's president between 2006 and 2014 and owned a 75% share in the club, with the remaining 25% owned by the Ballsh Municipality.

On 15 March 2014 in a home tie against KF Laçi, the club's president was involved in an altercation with the FSHS head of competitions, Besnik Çela. Kapllanaj hit the FSHF delegate Çela in the head with a baton which required him to be rushed to hospital due to the injury. Cela refused to start the game due to overcrowding inside the Adush Muça Stadium. Once some of the fans had left they began to throw rock into the stadium in disapproval of the FSHF's decision to not let them watch the match, which kicked off 20 minutes later than scheduled. Kapllanaj then allegedly caused a power cut so that SuperSport Albania cameras could not transmit the game live as was planned. In the closing stages of the game KF Laçi were awarded a penalty which caused crowd trouble, as they began to throw rocks onto the pitch. KF Laçi's president Pashk Laska instructed captain and penalty taker Erjon Vuçaj to miss the penalty intentionally to avoid further trouble and danger for his teammates. Following the final whistle, Kapllanaj physically abused KF Laçi's players by hitting them with a baton, as well as Besnik Çela, who later filed a police report against Kapllanaj once he left the hospital. On 19 March, the club's president Besnik Kapllanaj resigned from his post hours before the verdict from the FSHF disciplinary commission, who punished him with a lifetime ban from sporting activities in Albania. The commission also expelled the club from the Albanian Superliga with 9 remaining games of the 2013–14 season, relegating the club to the Albanian First Division for the 2014–15 season as well as handing KF Laçi a 3–0 victory in the game which originally ended 0–0. The following day, Kapllanaj turned himself in to the Fier police authorities after being charged for assault.

Recent seasons

Honours

• Albanian Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2012–13
• Kategoria e Parë
  • Champions (4): 2007–08, 2009–10, 2014–15, 2021–22
  • Runners-up (2): 1995–96, 2023–24
• Kategoria e Dytë
  • Champions (2): 1984–85, 2006–07
• Kategoria e Tretë
  • Champions (2): 2005-06, 2009-10

KF Bylis in Europe

As of December, 2008.

• QR = Qualifying Round
• 1R = 1st Round

Players

Current squad

Notable players

Had international caps for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Bylis Ballsh. :Past (and present) players who are the subjects of Wikipedia articles can be found

• ALB Agim Metaj
• ALB Julian Ahmataj
• ALB Klodian Asllani
• ALB Engert Bakalli
• ALB Endri Bakiu
• ALB Ferdinand Bilali
• ALB Edmond Dalipi
• ALB Klevis Dalipi
• ALB Bledar Devolli
• ALB Ilir Dibra
• ALB Amarildo Dimo
• ALB Johan Driza
• ALB Anesti Vito
• ALB Dashnor Dume
• ALB Stivi Frashëri
• ALB Alpin Gallo
• ALB Romeo Haxhiaj
• ALB Isli Hidi
• ALB Akil Jakupi
• ALB Maringlen Kule
• ALB Gentian Muça
• ALB Olgert Muka
• ALB Oltion Osmani
• ALB Artion Poçi
• ALB Jetmir Sefa
• ALB Gentian Stojku
• ALB Daniel Xhafa
• ALB Fjodor Xhafa
• ALB Ardit Hoxhaj
• ALB Niko Zisi
• ALB Andi Hadroj
• ALB Luis Kaçorri
• ALB Eridon Qardaku
• ALB Valentino Murataj
• MKD Borjan Pancevski
• MKD Dimitar Kapinkovski
• MKD Kire Ristevski
• MKD Mirza Durakovic
• SRB Miloš Stojanović
• SLO Patrik Bordon
• GER Erich Berko
• BRA Marco Morgon
• BRA João Ananias
• BRA Kibe
• BRA Birungueta
• BRA Alan Henrique
• NGR Ndubuisi Egbo
• NGR Peter Olayinka
• NGR James Adeniyi
• NGR Solomonson Izuchukwuka
• NGR Kehinde Owoeye
• NGR Odirah Ntephe
• NGR Beji Anthony
• TOG Dosseh Koffi
• ZAM January Ziambo
• CMR Guy Madjo
• MLI Saliou Guindo

List of managers

• ALB Migjen Skënderi (1995–1998)
• ALB Vangjel Capo (1998)
• ALB Hysen Dedja (1999)
• ALB Shpëtim Duro (1999–2000)
• ALB Vasil Bici (2000)
• ALB Vangjel Capo (2001)
• ALB Petraq Bisha (2001)
• ALB Ilir Gjyla (2002)
• ALB Andrea Marko (21 Sep 2002 - 7 Dec 2002)
• ALB Migjen Skënderi (2003)
• ALB Agim Metaj (2003)
• ALB Kristaq Mile (2003–2004)
• ALB Faruk Sejdini (Jul 2007 – 15 Sep 2008)
• ALB Hysen Dedja (15 Sep 2008 – 4 May 2009)
• ALB Gerd Haxhiu (4 May 2009 - Jun 2009)
• ALB Ilir Spahiu (Jul 2009 - 13 Sep 2010)
• ALB Agim Metaj (2010)
• MKD Nikola Ilievski (13 Sep 2010 - 7 Mar 2011)
• ALB Agim Canaj (7 Mar 2011 - Jun 2011)
• KOSTUR Naci Şensoy (Jul 2011 - Jun 2012)
• ALB Agim Canaj (Jul 2012 - 20 Nov 2012)
• KOSTUR Naci Şensoy (20 Nov 2012 - Jun 2013)
• NGAALB Ndubuisi Egbo (1 Aug 2013 – 30 May 2014)
• ALB Roland Nenaj (1 Jul 2014 - 31 May 2015)
• ALB Agim Canaj (28 Jul 2015 - 8 Oct 2015)
• ITA Mauro De Vecchis (8 Oct 2015 - 23 Oct 2015)
• ALB Marenglen Kule (23 Oct 2015 - 29 Jan 2016)
• BIH Adnan Zildžović (29 Jan 2016 - Jul 2016)
• ALB Julian Ahmataj (Sep 2016 - Oct 2016)
• ALB Eqerem Memushi (14 Oct 2016 - 26 Jan 2017)
• ALB Artan Mërgjyshi (Jan 2017 - Apr 2017)
• BRA Marcello Troisi (Apr 2017 – May 2017)
• ALB Bledar Devolli (5 Aug 2017 - 4 Oct 2017)
• ALB Stavri Nica (Oct 2017 - Nov 2017)
• BRA Marcello Troisi (Jan 2018 – Feb 2018)
• BIH Veljko Dovedan (1 July 2018 – 6 June 2021)
• MKD Jeton Beqiri (7 June 2021 – 15 Aug 2022 )
• ALB Arjan Bellaj (16 Aug 2022 - 22 Jan 2023)
• KOSTUR Naci Şensoy (23 Jan 2023 - 5 Jun 2023)
• ALB Febron Ziu (10 Jul 2023 - 6 Aug 2023)
• ALB Arjan Bellaj (7 Aug 2023 - 23 May 2024)
• NGAALB Ndubuisi Egbo (4 Jul 2024 - 24 Sep 2024)
• ALB Nevil Dede (25 Sep 2024 - 9 Feb 2025)
• ALB Gentian Mezani (11 Feb 2025 - 1 Jun 2025)
• ALB Mirel Josa (21 Jul 2025 - )

References

References

1. link. (2014-03-21)
2. "Albanian football season 1996–97".
3. "Albanian football season 1998–99".
4. "Albanian football season 1999-00".
5. "Albania football season 2000–01".
6. [https://web.archive.org/web/20020307205546/http://www.uefa.com/competitions/IntertotoCup/FixturesResults/Round%3D1533/Match%3D67780/index.html Universitatea Craiova 3–3 Bylis]
7. [https://web.archive.org/web/20020106163539/http://www.uefa.com/competitions/IntertotoCup/FixturesResults/Round%3D1533/Match%3D67781/index.html Bylis 0 – 1 Universitatea Craiova]
8. "Albanian football season 2002–03".
9. link. (2014-03-20)
10. "Bylish 0–0 Laçi".
11. "Banditizëm në Ballsh, Kapllanaj i godet të gjithë me shkop gome".
12. "Disiplina dënon aktet dhunës në futboll".
13. [http://www.panorama-sport.com/bylis/kapllanaj-dorehiqem-nga-bylisi-vetedorezohem-ne-polici/ Disiplina përjashton Bylisin, ja se si ndryshon Superiorja] {{webarchive. link. (2014-03-20)