We’re begging today a series of articles about the history of different European Ultras Scenes and Ultras groups. For this first episode we’ll talk about Delije , the legendary fanatic group of Red Star Belgrade.
In February 1945, during World War II, a group of young men, members of the Serbian United Antifascist Youth League, decided to form a Youth Physical Culture Society, that was to become Red Star on 4 March. The name Cervena Zvezda ( Red Star ) was assigned to the club after a long discussion. The colours they chose where with and red , displayed vertically on their jerseys.
Beginning with 1948 a section of “members -- friends” was established . This section saw more than 120 entries and was mostly made up of young men from the affluent parts of the city -- Senjak, Topčidersko Brdo, Dedinje, Knez Mihailova Street. But Red Star ‘s succes in the early 1950’s , started attracting all sorts of people to the stadium, from intellectuals to middle class people and even the sons of working people.
From the mists of these young working class people the fanatical support of 1970’s will arise . Unlike the fifties and sixties, when the stands of Maracana ( Zvezda’s legendary stadium ) were decorated by an ocasional flag, the 1970 brought new trends among the fans – red and white scarves and hats were worn in mass, the first banners appeared, and lots of flags were brought to the stadium . The fans of Red Star started traveling to away matches by the early 1960’s , but in the 1970’s this became a regular thing for the red and white fanatics.
Oldschool photos of Red Star fans in 1961 away in Zagreb , and at home in 1976.
Then the 1980’s came and along with them a lot of change. Italian and English style influences came from Western Europe and the first ultras/hooligans groups appeared. The groups of the 80’s were Ultras, Red Devils, Zulu Warriors, Winners, Red and White Angels, Brigate, Red Star Army, Red Star Clan, and the Eagles. Out of these groups , the avant-garde were the Ultras and the Red Devils. The Ultras followed Italian influence which consisted of long and melodic songs, fireworks, and choreography. The Red Devils based their group on Serbian habits, which were often mixed with English habits such as heavy drinking, and constantly fighting rivals. Ultras and Red Devils leaders were not aware that they had become idols to the younger generation, which was very numerous at the stadium. These two groups regularly caused unrest, which brought them into conflict with the communist police. Because of many incidents people belonging to these two groups were regularly arrested. During the mid 1980s, Ultras and Red Devils were joined by a new group, the “Zulu Warriors” as the leading groups of the North Stand.
This is also the timeframe when a true friendship is born between Zveda’s and Olympiakos Pireu’s fans. These friendly ties based on similarities clubs -- both teams are from major cities are most successful in their own countries, carry a red and white, come from an Orthodox environment.
In 1988 the first drums were purchased, large quantities of pyrotechnics were used, more and more people travel to away games. In the spring of the 1988th the first serious contact with the club was established . This is the start of a very strong cooperation between Cervena Zvezda organisation and it’s fans , that goes on to this day. The first concrete form of that bond , were the two busses of fans leaving for the legendary game in Milan. Then, at the San Siro stadium 1,000 Red Star fans , using drums, torches, and huge banners. Europe started taking notice.
The late 1980s came with strong nationalism, and Red Star supporters, in the spirit of their tradition declared themselves as extreme Serbian nationalists. They would often chant Serbian songs, and carry Serbian flags. At the moment when politics was already deeply inside the stadiums a big meeting of all North Stand groups was held with only one goal that no other names except Red Star, Belgrade and Serbia should be spoken at the games. This rule is respected to this today.Soon afterward fans got their own room for meetings, and membership cards were also made.
Red Star fanatics in the 1980′s:
Organization of the North Stand was getting better and better , but among the leaders of various groups ruled the general conclusion that the strength and potential are not used enough. The desire to be united into one large organization was really strong.
At the initiative of all major ultras groups a big meeting was held , with some clear goals in mind : to unite all the groups under one banner ,to give this new group a Serbian name, to make props with the group’s name to replace the popular scarves and hats, to outside Belgrade. The meeting was held on Christmas Day of 1989 year and was attended by many supporters.
That was the day the legendary Delije Sever was born !!!
Delije’s logo !!!
Delije is a word of Turkish origin (deli) that entered the Serbian language during the Ottoman occupation of Serbia (15th to 19th century). It’s English translation is “ Heroes”.
They immediately set about trying to get very organised , to decide who is responsible for making scarves, stickers, t-shirt, who is meeting with the Administration, who is in contact with fans outside of Belgrade, who for propaganda work etc . Meetings were held every Thursday at the stadium -- new songs learned, new fans were accepted into the Delije, discussed the current issues and made plans for the next match. The first major game in which the Delije have their presentation was the spring derby of 1989.
Video from the 1989 derby !!!
The 1990’s started and Red Star was a major football club on European club competitions. This gave the Delije a chance to travel and show Europe what they are made off. But as good as the 90’s started for Red Star , they were really bad for the state of Yugoslavia. The country slowly deteriorated, nationalism had taken over across the whole of the Balkans, and a war was proclaimed unavoidable by many. On May 13, 1990 an estimated 3,000 of the Delije members traveled to Zagreb’s Maksimir to see Red Star take on Dinamo Zagreb. Always an intense rivalry, the fact that this particular match took place just weeks after Croatia had held its first multi-party elections in about 50 years (which, incidentally, was won by the parties favouring Croatian independence) only served to increase the tension between the two. The ensuing riot was one of the most violent events in sporting history, and many believe that the violence in Zagreb that day was the first sign of the war that was going to come. It has served as a prime example of what politics can do when mixed with sport.
The fights of 13.05.1990
The Delije however would shortly be rewarded with the best Yugoslav football team ever assembled. During their run in the 1990-91 Champions League the Delije followed Red Star wherever they played. They traveled all over Europe, defeating Grasshopper Zürich, Glasgow Rangers, Dynamo Dresden and German giants Bayern Munich along the way to Bari (the host of the final), where they faced Marseille. The 1991 Red Star team gave the fans something that many Delije could only have dreamt about until then; the European Cup trophy, defeating the French side 5-3 on penalties, with Prosinečki, Binić, Belodedić, Mihajlović and Pančev scoring. This same team even went on to become world champions, by defeating Colo-Colo of Chile 3-0 in the Intercontinental Cup.
Red Star Belgrade vs Bayern Munchen 1991.
Red Star Belgrade vs Olympique Marseille 1991.
But as the war in the former Yugoslavia raged on , many members of the Delije provided the base for Arkan’s Tigers, a Serbian paramilitary force later implicated in multiple acts of genocide.
Arkan :
An article about the Yugoslav football and the war on our forum !!!
The Tigers made a dramatic appearance on the north stand during the Belgrade derby game of 22 March 1992, played between Red Star and Partizan, where they held up road signs saying: ’20 miles to Vukovar’; ’10 miles to Vukovar’; ‘Welcome to Vukovar’. More signs followed, each named for a Croatian town that had fallen to the Serbian army. Arkan was then director of the Red Star supporters’ association. This association between radical and ultranationalist was not fortuitous. In the early nineties, Slobodan Milosevic himself, who was then president of Serbia, directed the Chief of State Security, Jovica Stanisic, to enroll Arkan to control and direct the violence of the Red Star ultras. Since then Delije power within the club was even more remarkable. Arkan controlled ticket sales, travel for fans and took the opportunity to enroll in the most extreme unit. Twenty of them were the first volunteers of the SDG, which once numbered over 10,000. Many of them never got to return to the stand to see Zvezda play or sing allong with their Delije brothers.
In 1992 Zvezda played their home in Sofia, first with Panathinaikos, and later to Sampdoria. In the match against the italian side ,Delije once again demonstrated its vitality and indestructibility. More than 20.000 fans traveled to Bulgaria’s capital city, the Delije’s absolute record when it comes to match it outside the borders of Yugoslavia. Hundreds of buses poured into Sofia, a frantically cheering in the stadium was completed with pyrotechnics and choreography of the Serbian flag made of red balloons, blue and white strip of cardboard. Unfortunately, the game is lost and Red Star failed to qualify for another European Cup final to be played that year at London’s Wembley Stadium. The last day of May 1992. the international community imposed sanctions on Serbia. This will go on until 1995.
Unfortunately the war transformed on of the best leagues in Europe into a mediocre one. Red Star Belgrade will only ocassionally shine again on European scene , but will continue to be a major force in Serbia’s championship. This prominence on the home scene gave Delije the chance to replenish their numbers , make the generational exchange and remain a very important European ultras group.
As a sign of appreciation, during the late 1990s, Red Star Football Club painted the word Delije in block letters across their stadium’s North Stand.
Delije in the 1990 ‘s:
The 2000’s saw a decentralization of Delije , with a new wave of subgroups and a new generation of fans emerging. At any given time, one or two subgroups assert themselves as the most prominent through dedication, regular attendance, willingness to fight, etc. and as a result get to hang their banners on the most visible parts of the stand, their leaders get to lead the chants, etc. Currently, the subgroup Belgrade Boys enjoys the greatest clout while others such as Ultra Boys, Brigate, Heroes, KCZ, Ultras, HCZ etc. also wield a lot of influence. Since Red Star enjoys a lot of support outside of Belgrade as well, various fan groups exist in cities across Serbia, Montenegro, and Republika Srpska. Delije continues to be a major part of Red Star’s every day life , they still have an office in the stadium facilities and exerting some pressure on the players of Red Star and its directors.
The new generation of Delije is every little bit as extraordinary as their predecessors. They are always by the team’s side , be it on internal or European competitions , they are supporting Red Star’s teams in other sports and their choreos and pyroshows are bigger then ever.
It’s safe to say they are back and they are here to stay !!!
Delije in 00′s :
Videos of Delije’s choreographical and pyro shows :
Passion knows no sport for Delije… supporting their team at basketball and waterpolo:
Delije graffities and tattoos :
Sources : www.wikipedia.org , carlesvinyas.wordpress.com and www.delije.net
