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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.
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Delije - Red Star supporters