Maccabi Jaffa

Maccabi Jaffa Football Club was one of the first football teams in Israel. It was founded in 1950 as "Zionist association of Maccabi Jaffa," by Jewish immigrants from Bulgaria.

The Team played for 32 seasons in the Israeli Top Division, though its only title was The Israeli Toto Cup for the Second Division. Maccabi Jaffa finished three times at the second place in the Israeli First Division (in the seasons of 1962, 1964 and 1977). In 1957, Maccabi Jaffa played at the final of the Israeli State Cup, but lost to Hapoel Petah Tikva. The fan's club Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa won the Israeli District Cup of the fourth and sixth divisions in the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

History

The Early Years

Zionist association of Maccabi Jaffa was founded in 1949 by Albert Kiyosso (1898–1963), the chairman of Maccabi Bulgaria organization who immigrated to Israel in 1943. In the early 1950s, the members received a surface of abandoned orchard due to lack of funds, the members qualified the surface by themselves and built the club's stadium which was nicknamed "The Tins Stadium." In the season of 1954–1955 Maccabi Jaffa played in the promotion play-offs for the Israeli top division with Hapoel Kfar-Saba, Hapoel Kiryat Haim, and Beitar Jerusalem. Jaffa won the Play-offs and promoted for the first time to the Israeli major league.

During the 1950s Maccabi Jaffa was struggling in the bottom part of the Israeli First Division. The peak of this period was in the season of 1956–1957 when Maccabi Jaffa participated in the final of The Israeli State Cup, though they lost 2–1 to Hapoel Petah Tikva.

The 1960s

In the 1960s, Maccabi Jaffa was close twice to win the championship.

In the Season of 1961–1962 Maccabi Jaffa, coached by Vasil Spasov finished second in the Israeli Major League, only 2 points from the champions, Hapoel Petah Tikva.

The season of 1963–1964 considered the best season of Maccabi Jaffa history. In this season Maccabi Jaffa fo