Sports Club Red Star was founded on March 4, 1945, as a result of Belgrade youth’s effort to establish a sport club which they will be dedicated to. At the very beginning, there was made a section of members-friends of SC Red Star which had about 100 faithful supporters of red-whites who started to go with the club on all away games. The section was mostly made of boys from the burjoise parts of the city - Senyak, Topcider Hill, Dedinye, Knez Mihaylova st., but amongst the first Red Star supporters there were also children of workers, who will form the ‘first team’ of supporters leaders in future period. All these guys had something special, because they represented the very soul of our capital.
Mostly they were city rough guys and bohems - all in all young Belgradians who did not like nor army nor communist system, which has already began to rot.

In late 50s begins a separation between spectators and pure supporters, mostly because of the fact that supporters have began to bring rattles, bells and a few flags to the stadium.
With Dragoslav Sekularac arrival in Red Star, supporters get their mirror on the field, because Seki had Belgrade manners, not only talent. Supporters especially appreciated Seki’s battle spirit, which was magnet for new red-white guys. The complete new glow Red Star got after one of the Europe’s largest stadium was built and named Marakana after Brazilian temple of football. The most faithful supporters finally gather on their own stadium, and among them most fanatic are grouping on NorthEast side.

Turning the North into a volcano eruption - end of 70s

70s bring first supporters gathering before the match - mostly in pub ‘White town’, on Green market, where you could find supporters from the ‘old days’, and some of the most popular ‘city guys’. ‘White town’ has a special meaning in the history of Red Star tifos - that’s where they gathered, made jokes, tanked up and trained their voices before the game.

When going to the stadium, the leaders stood in front and walked before the others. If they, by chance, met opponent group, clash was inevitable and the opponents always lose their and other marks. When the roof construction of stadium was finished, the most fanatic supporters have moved to the central part of the North side of stadium, where from even today the Craziness of North begins, as illustrated in a graffiti - EPICENTER OF MADNESS - CRAZY NORTH.

At these days Red Star already became a great club - it reaches to the semifinals of Cup of European Champions and without Dzajic (sent off) it beats Panathinaikos with fantastic score 4:1. Fourteen days later revenge was played in Athens where PAO won 3:0 and threw all red-white supporters down.

Supporters already have large number of away games out of boundaries of old Yugoslavia (although it was very hard to get passport), and their favorites get their support in Madrid, Liverpool, Muenchengladbach etc. The end of 70s brought first big fights, not only at the stadiums, but out of them as well. So, traditional flags with big carrier bars were banned, but that did not stop the fights, especially with great rivals, who were always black and blue after clashes. Rival groups tried to insult us shouting ‘Gypsies’ while we yelled back - ‘We are gypsies, we are the strongest’

Crazy 80’s

In the 80s there was a football fan boom all over the world - so on the North two big supporters groups appear - ULTRAS and RED DEVILS. While ULTRAS were doing it Italian way (long and melodic songs, fireworks, choreography), RED DEVILS group was based on SERBIAN habits - (which was often mixed with English habits) - drinking to death, beating rivals to death and consuming marijuana.

ULTRAS and RED DEVILS leaders were not aware of the fact that they have become idols of young generation, which was very numerous at the stadium. These two groups regularly made unrest, which brought them into conflict with the communist police. Because of many incidents guys belonging to these two groups were regularly arrested.

In the mid-eighties, ULTRAS and RED DEVILS were strengthened by another new group - ZULU WARRIORS. These 3 groups have became the body of the North, and with help of other formations like WINNERS, RED WHITE ANGELS, BRIGATE, EAGLES, R. S. CLAN, R. S. ARMY… they made opponent supporters tremble. They had really big number of away games, where they made friends and (much more often) enemies. Some of the greatest away trips were to London, Paris, Athens, Berlin, Milano, Barcelona and Madrid.

End of 80s came with strong nationalism, and Red Star supporters, in the spirit of their tradition, declare themselves as extreme Serbian nationalists (who could know what it will lead to …), but clearly stating that Red Star is the most important thing in the world - much stronger than all political divisions. While leading supporters groups in Croatia, under cover of HDZ (leading party in Croatia) made several ‘coalitions’ (even that didn’t help them), ‘gypsies’ have always emphasized that their greatest rivals are Partizan’s tifos, although they are mostly Serbs.

To show that it isn’t under anybody’s patronage, and that it uses its own head, the North gives an example to the others. In the moment when politics was already deeply inside stadiums and when Red Star fans were close to thing that has already happened to supporters from Croatia, which became a branch of a leading political party, big meeting of all North groups was held - with only one goal - that no other name except Red Star, Belgrade and Serbia should be spoken on the games. That rule is obliged even today, although fans use every opportunity to express their political opinion.

Soon an info-center for fans was opened, and also a shop of supporters arsenal (caps, scarves, posters, shirts, audio tapes etc. …). We also got a room for meetings, and member card were also made. From the day of founding DELIJE stated that they intended to be a modern European group, which became true in a very short while.

Of course, fights with Partizan fans and fans of Croat and Moslem clubs were still inevitable. In these fights DELIJE ‘best crew’ was never beaten. DELIJE proved their willingness to fight for Red Star and Serbia on May 13th in Zagreb, during the antological incident, when great battle with home supporters Bad Blue Boys happened and when whole southern side of the Dinamo stadium was demolished.
Of course, unforgettable are fights with other Croat groups, like Torcida Split (Hajduk fans).

European glory - early 90’s

New North epoch started, away trips were more often and more organized. It became absurd to talk about the number of DELIJE, because this number was greater from game to game. DELIJE catch their star, and do not let her go, they follow it on every game, not even dreaming that it will lead them to heavenly heights… These years there was strong North wind blowing, and hurricane named Red Star was blasting around Europe, having no mercy to anyone.

DELIJE in great number follow their beloved club on trips to Zurich, Glasgow, Dresden, Munich and to the finals in Bari. DELIJE members who were in Dresden speak of that trip as the best one, because of the great clash with German police. Fight lasted for few hours, and funny domestic nazi-supporters had kicked asses, pretty much. On semifinals second game DELIJE made unforgettable fireworks and with fantastic supporting they helped the players to do the impossible and go to the finals of European Champions Cup.

The finals are not just a dream anymore, and ships, planes, bicycles, bikes took the world’s craziest fans - DELIJE of the North, to one single place - St Nicola in Bari, Italy.
In Bari everything and everybody was with us. St Nicola, Ciciolina and dozens and dozens thousands of supporters from all parts of Yugoslavia and Europe. Mighty God listened to our prayers and gave us what we wanted for years - the Cup of European Champions. Fans of Olympique Marseille left Bari in tears - some of them because of their club’s defeat, some because of ‘close encounter’ with Delije - who have brought dozens of souvenirs grabbed from the opponent fans.
Winning of European Cup didn’t fulfill our ambitions - December 8th 1991 in Tokyo Red Star beats South-American champion Colo-Colo of Chile and wins the title of the World Champion.

Together with Red Star’s winning of European throne comes the destruction of ex-country. In season 1991/92 international community forbids our clubs to play their matches in Yugoslavia - so Red Star hosted Portdown in Szeged and Anderlecht in Budapest (Hungary), and Panathinaikos and Sampdoria in Sofia (Bulgaria). Despite of war, poverty, closed state borders, the most faithful supporters in the world follow Red Star on all matches, beating everyone who came in their way. Guys from Genova will forever remember the clash with DELIJE, and so will the green-whites of Athens.

The war came along as old country fell apart. The Serbian national spirit brought many supporters from the North side to front - to preserve Serbian people in Republic of Srpska and Serbian Kraina from being slaughtered by Ustashi (Croat) knife. The legend of brave guys from the North who gave their lives for mother Serbia will always be present among the Red Star supporters.

New boys, old passion - End of 90’s …

When sanctions were over, things got a little bit better. Young guys, 18-25 years old came in the front, after getting experienced on the stadiums all over Serbia and Montenegro. Old supporters also keep coming back. ULTRAS way is most popular, because the name DELIJE became a synonym for every Red Star supporter, and the greatest fan always want to differentiate themselves.
All away games in the country are very attended, and love for the Red Star DELIJE show not only supporting footballers, but basketballers, handballers, volleybalers, waterpolers as well.

First European trip for new generation of ULTRAS was on 15.10.1995 when handball club Red Star played abroad match in Gyor - Hungary - one bus of ULTRAS went there.
Next year, about 200 fans from Serbia, and few thousands Serbs who worked in Western Europe, supported Red Star in German town Kaiserslautern. Good cooperation between Red Star management and the fans, showed very good results in Barcelona, when 1500 fans followed their club - amongst them 100 of them to whom the club had paid the trip to Catalonia. On games in Kaiserslautern and Barcelona ULTRAS have showed that they are a group who has no problem about traveling with their beloved club, even on most distant relations, despite of crisis in Yugoslavia. Clashes with German and Spanish policemen proved that ‘gypsies’ are very keen on incidents, of course only in situations when it is necessary The choreographies on ‘Marakana’ on match against Germans, and especially against Barcelona, proved once again our great organization. No supporting group in Europe can say for themselves that they have made 4 different choreographies on 4 sides of stadium - like ‘gypsies’ did against Barcelona. Great number of eminent European fan magazines give a lot of space to DELIJE, because they also realize that we are in the very top of Euro Ultra scene.

Four years of non-presence in Europe were not enough to weaken DELIJE. On the contrary in season 1996/97 organization on the North got even better - speaking of away games, production of new fan - requisites, more often choreographies, and a lot of ULTRA subgroups appear, and the most significant ones are Ultra Boys, Red Boys, Brigate, North Army, Kenjaj, Lunatics, Iron Boys, Goblins, Red Evil, Heroes…

Most of these young groups have united in the one of strongest Serbian fan-mob - Belgrade Boys. Their incidents were well known on our tifo-scene even before those groups officially united. Everybody still talks about amazing clashes with United Force (F.C. Rad Belgrade fans, the best ‘fresh blood’ in Serbian hool-scene), when in 1996/97 season 400 of hools fought, 3 of them were seriously wounded by knifes, and 22 of them were arrested, as Delije won the battle. Then fights in Novi Sad against Red Firm (Vojvodina’s supporters), and clashes with Zemun fans, when 3 of them finished in hospital, with heavy injuries.
Belgrade Boys did some actions, which can be described only as ‘new ways of hooliganism’, like - ambushing a whole train full of Grobari who were arriving at derby match in our Belgrade, when about 40 of Bgd-Boys rocked the train, and had fought with running-away Partizan’s fans.

Clashes with Grobari always have been and will always be - main event in red-white world of Delije.
In this year, 3 big incidents happened with them. First, on football match, when Grobari launched rocket-fireworks from their South terrace, one of them hit 16-y-old boy at Delije’s North terrace, who died immediately. After this, police proclaim use of pyrotechnics on football matches, and punishment was 3 months for every single firework. Of course, Delije didn’t care too much for that new law, and continued to use all kind of pyro’s, everywhere.

Red Star supporters were and will always be anti-Communists. Even now, when police torture is worse then ever, Delije continue with their style: songs, choreographies, and incidents…
In the season of 2000/2001, Delije had one of biggest fight with police: on the match with Torpedo (Georgia) in the qualf. for Champions League - clashes with police started in 35th minute, and lasted almost hour and a half!
Result? 13 seriously injured anti-riot-cops, who tried to be “peace-force” on our North terrace.

Other incidents happened in the May of 2000.
After 2nd play-off match in basketball, with our main rivals, Partizan’s Grobari (Gravediggers), waited for us near one of the biggest bus-stations in city, about 30-40 of them, all with sticks, rocks etc..
But, young Belgrade Boys sent informers, and they spreaded through the city and after collecting information where they were - Bgd-Boys surrounded Partizan’s fans on the main city-bus station, and then the fight began.
There was not real fight, because our opponents scared to death when they saw approximately same number of red-white guys, but coming from 3 sides. After first minute, when rocks were flying all over, Delije lighted light-torches and run inside Grobari group, beating everyone. After they ran away, Belgrade Boys charged them through the city, even with cars. And only two days later, at 3rd playoff game Grobari were collecting in front of one supermarket, about 70-80 of them, drinking and singing, and our youth forces (yeah.. again Belgrade Boys:), about 40 of them, lighted torches and with wood-sticks ran into them. About 10 Grobari were injured, and all the rest run away from the clash-scene.

Delije are together in everything, but every singular group has its own life, and this was a short description of just one of existing Delije-group - Belgrade Boys.

There are guys like Ultra Boys (I don’t have a time or energy to describe all the things that those guys did), or old (but still the best) Ultras Red Star Belgrade, etc.. but I think this story was enough to show you why we are so popular in Tifo-world…

Things are getting better in Serbia. From the view of soccer-fans, of course. Number of spectators is rising, number of organized fan-groups, too. And, international club competitions are again here, in front of Serbian fans.

So…

Europe, take care, ’cause we are back.. now even stronger.

Tags: belgrade, crvena zvezda, Marakana, red devils, red star, serbia, ultras, yugoslavia, zulu warriors

This entry was posted on Monday, April 19th, 2010 at 6:22 am and is filed under Articles, Ultra Groups. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.