- When what you have just seen took place, I was merely 16 years old. I could not have known that WW1 was about to begin, nor could I sense what kind of troubles and suffering our nation would go through in the 20th century. I could not have imagined that precisely I would be the president of that football club that we founded on that March afternoon, let alone that one day my statue would be standing before the Karađorđe stadium. Yet, what I knew for sure on that day in the knitting workshop of Mr. Sava Šijakov, what I was strongly convinced in, was that March 6th of 1914 would remain forever in our hearts, and that is what matters the most, that our hearts were in the right place.
- Kosta, but what will be the name of our club?
- Our club will be called – Vojvodina Football Club!
- Yes! Like the former Serbian duchy, and the Tamiš Banat!
This one-act play marked the opening of the Ceremonial Academy in the honor of the 110th birthday of our ’’old lady’’. On that March afternoon, whose warmth could be felt by everyone who carries the blue star in their heart last night, the grammar school pupils of Novi Sad couldn’t have known that they were creating something that would be celebrated with so much pride, a century and a decade after. Radenko Radić, Gojko Ružić, Vladimir Milićev, Dušan M. Hinić, Kosta Hadži, Ranko Tošić, Đorđe Živanov, Đorđe Šijakov, Banko Gospođinski and Kamenko Ćirić were those boys whose presence was brought back to life at the ’’Large stage of Jovan Đorđević’’, and took us back to that March 6th in 1914, when it all began.
Vojvodina Football Club marked their 110th anniversary last night at the Large stage of the Serbian National Theater, and on that occasion they hosted a Ceremonial Academy in the honor of the old lady.
A row of laughter, a row of pride, a row of tears, and all over again, that is how you could best describe the atmosphere last night, where each Vojvodina fan felt special, as if the audience became a part of the important history that was written in 1 hour of program to remember.
Along with the representatives of Vojvodina FC and Vojvodina Sports society led by Dragoljub Zbiljić, the Mayor of Novi Sad Milan Đurić, the Minister of Sport and Youth, Zoran Gajić, the members of the Veteran Association of the old lady, Voša’s dear sports friends from other Serbian clubs, were all present at the last night’s celebration.
After a short introductory performance that took us back to that famous 1914, when it all began, the president of the Club, Dragoljub Zbiljić addressed those present.
- It was all born out of a youthful love, when one of the founders fell in love in Kovilj. Vojvodina played and won against the team of Kovilj with 5:0. I assume that Jovan Ljubojević won over the heart of that girl that day, and from then on until today, our club has been led by passion, emotions, and love. As well as the faith and self-confidence. I am sure that we are growing year by year, and we are heading towards even greater goals and results. On each March 6th we gather in order to pay respect to the previous generations, and to send them a message that we are learning from their victories and mistakes. We are learning from our own mistakes, unfortunately, but Vojvodina continues to walk towards the highest goals, we know what we are doing and we are heading towards the future as one. Long live Vojvodina, happy birthday to us! – president of the old lady said.
His speech was followed by a short movie about that famous first match in Kovilj, when the captain Jovan Ljubojević wanted to impress one lady, and Voša allegedly celebrated with the result 5:0. However, the protagonist of that story was a different lady altogether. An eternal one, whose attention new generations are trying to conquer, she is our great grandmother, our grandmother, our mother and daughter, our teacher and lifelong companion and inspiration – that old lady, that blue star, that Vojvodina.
Then, Vasa Pušibrk, the honoring president of the Veteran Association of Vojvodina FC address those present. He reminisced about that famous title 58 years ago, when Vojvodina was 8 points before the second-placed Dynamo, and the Red Star was in the fifth place, and Partizan in the 11th. Vasa reminded younger generations what it looked like to be a participant of the European Cup.
- When we kicked out Admira from Vienna, we began to believe that we could do a lot more. But that we would defeat one Atletico Madrid that belonged to a whole another dimension, not a lot of people believed in. At that point, they hadn’t lost at the home terrain for an eternity. We had a good team too, we were cheeky and rude, real punks of Novi Sad. That faith and determination of ours was the basis for the performance that we had been building up. That winner’s mentality we picked up from the golden generation before us, and upgraded it. Unfortunately, they never won a single trophy, but at the end of the fifties and the start of the sixties they set a foundation for all that came afterwards. That was our stepping stone for our jump towards the title. Me and my contemporaries believe that this generation should also be a stepping stone towards the title in the near future. We have a good team, a president who stabilized the club and with a dash of that cheekiness from the first championship generation, Vojvodina can once again show what they can achieve. At our European path we were later stopped by Celtic, who became the European champion later, with the goal even they were ashamed of. 23 years had passed between the 1st and the 2nd title, and 35 from the last title, but the waiting was filled by the trophies from the Serbian Cup. The energy is there, guarded by decades. In the name of the 1966 championship generation, I would like to congratulate on this important and great jubilee – Vasa Pušibrk said, among other things.
After another thunderous applause followed by lumps in the throat, the Mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Đurić addressed the audience, and with a lot of pride reminisced about the time when as a boy he went to watch the games at the stands of Karađorđe stadium.
- As I stand here before you, I cannot deny that I am overwhelmed by deep and honest feeling of love towards the club that marks its 110th Vojvodina FC is an important part of my childhood and life, Vojvodina is an important part of who I am today. My love towards the club and Novi Sad determined my line of work, my wish to be involved in social activism, and politics. By Vojvodina’s side I learned how to love and respect our city. As I watched the games with my father and brother, I began to realize the magnitude and importance of this club. For many of us, those childhood, blurry memories about the first visits to the stadium remained deeply carved in my memory, and from them grew my loyalty to Novi Sad, and to the club that proudly wears red and white colors. I remember the year 1989, and the excitement that was tangible in the air. I felt an indescribable sense of belonging, and pride for being a part of this club. For me, the games of the time were more than just games: to be at the stadium was a proof of loyalty towards the city. What all the young people who would like to wear the red and white jersey must look upon, are the previous generations who spread the glory of our city and club around the globe. This jubilee is a great moment for the Serbian football and sport in general. When something exists for 110 years, that is a confirmation of unbelievable love and longevity that is deeply rooted in the identity of Novi Sad. May the future of our club be paved with victories and trophies. Happy birthday Old Lady! – proudly congratulated the Mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Đurić.
After Dimitrije Banjac radio broadcasted all the most important moments of Voša’s history, a new dramatic act began, a dialog somewhere in the heavens, from a blue star, where the ushers Vujadin Boškov and Toza Veselinović reminisced about their golden generation and everything that went on after – the first, then the second championship generation. They concluded that Vojvodina was ’’always on the one side, and everybody else on the other side’’.
At the end of that act, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Zoran Gajić, who used to be the coach of Vojvodina Volleyball Club and wrote the golden pages of the old lady.
- I arrived to this celebration with a special emotion. I was the coach of the Volleyball team of Vojvodina, and that was the most successful period on the club’s level. Sports is really popular at the world scene at the moment, and we as a nation have showed numerous times that we are a world power, and that in fair plays we are stronger and more successful than those richer than us. Throughout its long history until today, Vojvodina Football Club has remained true to itself, and at the territory of the Autonomous province of Vojvodina, sport has always played a meaningful part in the preservation of the national identity. Football was leading that wave. Through decades we were and remained a country under pressure from all the world powers, we never attacked, but were always attacked, and we defended our national interest in many wars. For hundred years we have been doing the same thing, by creating results and participating in great competitions. It all affects the promotion of our country and people. I would like for Vojvodina FC to return to the paths of the old glory, and win titles again – said Zoran Gajić, the Minister of Youth and Sports.
With the final act, Vojvodina Football club paid homage to all their players who wore the red and white jersey over 110 times, and this act closed the curtains of the Ceremonial Academy in the honor of the 110th birthday of the Old Lady.
After the Academy, all those present at the plateau in front of the Serbian National Theater, had the opportunity to enjoy the concert of Big Band, which was the last act that will be remembered, maybe even for the next 110 years.
