 They played against Ljubljana handball club and won with staggering 43–4.In 1953, the first such league season in Yugoslavia had begun, but the Celje team only took a disappointing last place among the six teams.The Celje handball club wasn't so successful as anticipated, for they were playing in a regional league until 1961, when after two failed qualifications in 1959 and 1960, finally managed to enter the First Republic (Slovenian) League.