The Firm - Vojvodina Novi Sad

As one of the oldest football clubs in Serbia (founded in 1914), FC Vojvodina always had considerable army of supporters. Yet, in the last decade, affected by the evident decay of quality of football in Serbia, corruption throughout all segments and levels of Serbian sports associations, when government and mafia owned and sponsored clubs were “expected” to win championships, there was fewer and fewer FC Vojvodina supporters on the stands of “Karadjordje” stadium. They were all waiting and hoping for better times in Serbian football as well as in FC Vojvodina. However, in spite of all difficulties our nation had faced in the last decade (wars, economic sanctions, repression etc.), a group of hard-core FC Vojvodina supporters was proudly following the club. They are still next to their club, no matter where it would play. They call themselves the FIRM.   In 1945, along with communism, Serbia got two new football clubs from Belgrade, Partizan and Red Star. Right from their foundation, they had enormous support from the communist party. The success was guaranteed and thousands of football fans started to support those two clubs, blinded by communist propaganda, at first imposed by Tito’s communists and later by Milosevic’s socialists. As a result, Partizan and Red Star have a support of nearly 80% of football fans in Serbia. Similar problem also exists in our city, Novi Sad, which is only 90 km away from Belgrade. Today, we have the whole army of football idiots who think that one should support only the best and only the winners. Due to this understandable anger against our nation's capital, there is a constant battle over each of our fellow citizens, battle to win them back to its one and only FC Vojvodina.   Lately, while FC Vojvodina struggles in our national league, the FIRM is growing in numbers as well as in its strength. Young generations are accepting FC Vojvodina as their club, becoming its loyal followers. The FIRM is now one of top four Serbian supporter groups. Well organized, they established themselves as very aggressive and noisy group both in their own Novi Sad and elsewhere throughout Serbia and Europe. The FIRM always protected the name and honour of FC Vojvodina and Novi Sad, putting themselves against opponent supporters, police or even club officials who were not doing enough for the club.   The FIRM is always on the north side of the stadium and resembles “the 12th player” for FC Vojvodina. It would be very important for them to have their club successful again and to start playing international matches. That would draw more and more people on the stadium and the FIRM would have a chance to demonstrate their loyalty and strength even outside Serbia. Last, but not the least, one can say that the FIRM represents FC Vojvodina’s strongest link simply because…they were ALWAYS next to their club, and they will keep doing it forever.   Yesterday...Today...Tomorrow...Forever FIRMA !!!