FC Vojvodina (Novi Sad)

FC Vojvodina (Novi Sad) - Early History


The beginning: 

The most famous club from Novi Sad was formed by a group of students 
from Serbian Ortadox gymnasium back in 1914. when Vojvodina province 
was a part of Austro-Hungarian Empire.  Player and first club official 
Jovan Ljubojevic in agreement with local workshop owner Savo Sijakov 
placed the first club office in Tamerine street forming the teams ruling 
body with which Vojvodina became an official soccer club.

First match and team: 

Vojvodina played its very first match in a  little town of Kovilj, against 
a local team Shaykashi, and won with final result of 5:0. That was the 
first time the player names were written down and the team line up was 
sorted like this: Sv. Jockovic, J. Ljubojevic, M. Milicev, J. Jockovic, 
D. Kovacev, O. Stojanovic, U. Cakovac, Z Ceramov, R. Stojanovic, S. Ignacev 
and D. Sijakov.

After World War I:

Because all the players gone their own ways in life during the World War I, 
the club distorted, but the most part of them which were studying in Prague 
university lead by Uros Cakovac, Milorad Milicev, Zivojin Ceremov, brothers
Milenko and Djordje Sijakov, Kosta Hadzi and Predrag Stojanovic, helped out 
with sending five Czech crowns to reform the club they loved. As the officials 
in Prague's club Slavia were impressed by the gesture of Vojvodina lads, they 
also took care of the small Novi Sad club, forming that way a friendship that 
lasts up to this day with Vojvodina in gratitude playing in same jersey colors
as the Czech team. Vojvodina played its games on UTK stadium where they 
greeted the strongest teams of that time in Yugoslavia as BSK from Belgrade 
in 1920. and HASK from Zagreb in 1921 (both games they lost, from BSK 5:0 
and HASK 3:1). The team played at this stadium  until 1923. when the pitch 
was sold and players had to go back to the  field at “Four Kraichare”.

First international match:

Vojvodina played its first international match against the English navy team 
that arrived in Novi Sad in 1921. The English were defeated 5:0 and were just 
an introduction to a series of international matches to come with Temesvar 
Unirea from which Vojvodina lost 2:0, followed by series of abroad teams from 
Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Greece and Bulgaria.

Friendship with Jews:

The times for Vojvodina were hard after 1923 and poor management of then 
going president Zivojin Bajazet almost shut down the club. But the lucky 
star came across Vojvodina when Dr. Kosta Hadzi took was named as the new 
club president. Young lawyer from Novi Sad, succeeded with his enthusiasm 
to establish great relationship with Jewish club “Juda Makabi” which also 
didn’t have a pitch, with whom Vojvodina joined arms and selected the future 
stadium pitch close to bicycle runway. 

Stadium “Karadjordje”:

In 1924, with help of many donations and savings and income from a operatic 
show from American group “Louisiana”, Dr. Kosta Hadzi opened the first 
stadium  naming it “Karadjordje”  by a famous Serbian hero  which lead the 
Serbian people against the Turkish army. 

First national team players: 

Vojvodina player who first put on a Yugoslavia shirt was a right winger named 
Abraham who was called up for national team in 1924, giving his team a 
reputation of one of the top clubs in the country. During the period between 
two World Wars four more Vojvodina players played for Yugoslavia – Velker, 
Pozega, Dusan Markovic and Bozo Markovic.

First official title:

Understandably Vojvodina played only in city league until 1924. when the 
first regional championship was created under the name of “Beogradski 
Loptacki Podsavez”, of which Vojvodina was the first Champion after great 
battle with rival club Macva.
About this document

Prepared and maintained by Damir Jovanovic for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Author: Damir Jovanovic (family_jovanovic@yahoo.com)
Last updated: 6 Jun 2004