Ilija Dimoski

Ilija Dimoski (Macedonian: Илија Димоски; 27 June 1939 – 3 November 2008) was a Yugoslav and Macedonian football manager and player.^[1]

Ilija Dimoski

Personal information
Date of birth	(1939-06-27)27 June 1939
Place of birth	Prilep, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Date of death	3 November 2008(2008-11-03) (aged 69)
Place of death	Niš, Serbia
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
	Pobeda
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1957–1961	Pobeda
1961–1974	Radnički Niš	323	(22)
1974–1975	Proleter Novi Sad
Managerial career
1979–1981	Priština
1981–1982	Radnički Niš (assistant)
1982–1984	Radnički Niš
1984–1985	Vardar
1989	Footscray JUST
1989–1990	GOŠK-Jug
1992–1993	Priština
1993–1995	Pobeda
1995–1996	Vardar
1998	Radnički Niš
2001–2002	Rabotnički
2002–2003	Bregalnica Delčevo
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Born in Zabrčani, a village near Prilep, Dimoski started out at local club Pobeda, helping them win promotion to the Yugoslav Second League in 1959. He made 42 appearances over the next two seasons, attracting attention from other clubs.^[2]

In the summer of 1961, Dimoski was transferred to league rivals Radnički Niš. He became a regular starter in his first year, helping the club win promotion to the Yugoslav First League.^[3] Over the following 12 seasons, Dimoski amassed over 300 appearances in the top flight, scoring 22 times. He also set the Yugoslav First League record for most own goals, with seven.^[4] Before retiring, Dimoski briefly played for lower league club Proleter Novi Sad.^[5]

Managerial career

After serving as an assistant to Dušan Nenković, Dimoski was appointed as manager of Radnički Niš in the summer of 1982. He led the team to a fourth-place finish in his first season in charge, earning a spot in the 1983–84 UEFA Cup. On 31 March 1984, Dimoski was relieved from his duties as the club's manager.

In 1989, Dimoski spent some time in Australia as manager of National Soccer League side Footscray JUST.^[6] He subsequently returned to Yugoslavia as manager of Second League club GOŠK-Jug.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Dimoski served as manager of a number of Macedonian clubs, including Rabotnički and Bregalnica Delčevo.^[7]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League
		Apps	Goals
Pobeda	1959–60	22	0
	1960–61	20	0
	Total	42	0
Radnički Niš	1961–62	22	0
	1962–63	22	1
	1963–64	23	2
	1964–65	28	4
	1965–66	5	0
	1966–67	10	2
	1967–68	27	2
	1968–69	34	2
	1969–70	32	4
	1970–71	29	1
	1971–72	27	1
	1972–73	31	0
	1973–74	33	3
	Total	323	22
Career total		365	22