In the wider Kingdom of Yugoslavia, football reflected national and political tensions, disputes and divisions. Dissatisfaction with the work of the central football authorities culminated on 1 October 1939, when, at the suggestion of the Zagreb, Split and Ljubljana sub-associations, the Yugoslav Football Association was liquidated. At the same time, three separate organisations, the Serbian Football Association, the Croatian Football Association and the Slovenian Football Star, merged to form the Supreme Football Association.
With the agreed territorial division, the Cetinje Football Sub-Association became part of the Serbian Football Association. This reorganization also encouraged football people in Podgorica - in constant conflict with the Cetinje Football Sub-Association - to take action. On January 8, 1940, the founding assembly of the Montenegrin Sports Association was held in the hall of the “Luxor” hotel.
On behalf of the founding committee, the opening speech was given by Milan Milonjic, member of the Government of Montenegro.
"For almost the entire time since the Cetinje Football Sub-Association has existed, a policy of disintegration and material exploitation of people has been pursued, a policy of destroying Montenegrin sport, precisely the dictatorial policy of the previous representatives of Montenegrin football," the report said.
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Fictitious clubs, which exist only on paper and serve the CNP leadership, were also mentioned, and the indictment filed by the state prosecutor against the secretary of the Sub-Union was read out. Nika Bokana, for embezzling 47.000 dinars, which the Ministry of Physical Education intended for the construction of a stadium in Cetinje.
He was elected president of the Montenegrin Sports Federation. Jovan P. Vukcevic, Balšić's former first man. The vice-presidential roles were entrusted to Zaria Radulović, Veljko Ivančević i Bec Lazovic, member of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia for Montenegro and former member of the board of Budućnost. Ugljesa Begovic was appointed as the first secretary, and Milan Milonjić as the second secretary; the first treasurer was Radovan Ivanovicand the other Gojko Mitrović, former football player and official of Buducnost.
Even the composition of the leadership indicated whose views it reflected. This can be indirectly learned from an article in Slobodna misla from January 26, 1940, which was equally critical of the CNP, as well as the hasty launch of the CSS, which was not joined by the Boka Kotorska clubs, and which consisted of “only 1 (and literally one sports club)”.
From Balšić's statement published on the same day, it is clear which one - Montenegro. The first Podgorica club found itself at odds. On the one hand, it accepted the reasons that initiated the creation of the new organization, but "as a disciplined club of the Serbian Football Association... it could not show solidarity with the action of the people who founded the Montenegrin Sports Association.
But, if the Supreme Football Association decides that in addition to the Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian federations, there should be a fourth, Montenegrin federation, Balšić will be ready to take an active part in the legal organization of the latter."
Although their support was limited, representatives of the Montenegrin Sports Federation did not give up: at the end of January 1940, they visited the Minister of Physical Education in Belgrade. Jevrem Tomic, and requested recognition from the Supreme Football Association, in order to have the status of a Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian association.
“If the VNS does not accept us as associates, our newly established association will continue to work and take care of the improvement of sports in the Zeta Banovina.”
The Serbian Football Association reacted decisively. In mid-February 1940, the Board of Directors concluded that “the desire to establish this Association (CSS) is precisely the desire of individuals” and that “the action as such harms the interests of Serbian football sports and that as such the Serbian Football Association rejects and condemns it”. The SLS invited the Cetinje Football Sub-Association to hold a regular annual assembly on 24 March. Since in the meantime, in addition to the Boka Bay clubs, the Nikšić clubs also refused to join the Montenegrin Sports Association, which was not recognized even by the Supreme Football Association, the new organization found itself isolated, at a dead end, with no room for further action.
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