Slavija Istocno Sarajevo
Encyclopedia
Fudbalski klub Slavija is football
club from Istočno Sarajevo
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
. FK Slavija is a member of the Football Association of Republika Srpska
and it is active in the Premijer liga
of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The club's home stadium is Gradski SRC Slavija Stadium
.
Dominantly the club of Serbs
, Slavija was by far the best club from Bosnia between the two world wars, having played 11 top league seasons (out of possible 16) in Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and Kingdom of Yugoslavia
. The only other Bosnia-based club that managed to make it to top national level was Croat
-dominated SAŠK (6 seasons).
students informally known as Đački sportski klub (ĐSK) or Srednjoškolski sportski klub (SSK). Since cultural and social activities in the city in those days mostly revolved around Hotel Evropa and gymnasium, the idea about a sporting club was initiated on those premises. Some of the students visited Zagreb earlier that year where they got introduced to the game of football and brought back the first ball to Sarajevo. Notable individuals who organized club activities in this early period were students Zdravko Jeftanović (son of Hotel Evropa's owner dr. Dušan Jeftanović), Feodor Lukač, Emil Najšul, Sveto Gerovac, Stevo Jokanović, etc. Their early activities were very sporadic and basically clandestine as Austro-Hungarian
occupational authorities that just annexed Bosnia
instituted a ban on any kind of organized gathering.
In early 1909 the football section got its first pairs of boots and started holding regular practices and training sessions at Sarajevo Polje grounds, more precisely military workout open facility known as Egzercir in Čengić Vila area. Since the open field didn't have any goalposts, the students had to haul them in on foot from the city for every practice and match. ĐSK/SSK also informally took red and white as club colours after Slavia Prague, club that served as inspiration for Slavs throughout Austria-Hungary.
soldiers 4-2. Throughout 1912, ĐSK played friendlies in parts of Austria-Hungary populated by South Slavs
. First such trip outside of Sarajevo was to the city of Split where ĐSK played local side Hajduk. The first match took place on April 7, 1912 and Hajduk won 4-1. A day later on April 8, the teams played another match with ĐSK winning this time 2-1. Curiosity from the Split visit was that posters announcing the two matches around the city billed ĐSK as "Osman" for non-specified reasons. This probably stemmed from the fact that "ĐSK" as club name was informally used even amongst its players so the Split hosts decided to make up a name for their guests' club on the spot. They seemingly found the male Muslim name Osman to be sufficiently funny and decided to print it on the posters as the club's official name.
From the fall of 1912 as the first
of eventually two Balkan Wars
started raging nearby, just beyond the Austria-Hungary's eastern borders, ĐSK naturally began fostering Pan-Slavic
sentiment, and especially the Yugoslav idea
(unification of South Slavs), even harder as national and political aspects of club's activities came to the forefront. While the Balkan League
member states (Serbia
, Greece
, Bulgaria
, and Montenegro
) were getting rid of the last remains of Ottoman influence, Slavs within the borders of Austria-Hungary were restless to make some dents in the armour of their own occupiers - the Austro-Hungarian empire. By mid 1913, the Balkan Wars were over with a resounding victory for Slavs (Serbs and Montenegrins) across the border on the other side of river Drina
. This had an enormously encouraging effect on Slavs (especially Serbs) in Bosnia. Austro-Hungarian authorities were not oblivious to such developments and their repression got stepped up even further. All of this led to increased tensions and boiling pot atmosphere in the city of Sarajevo.
During the second part of 1913, an ethnic split occurred within the ĐSK organization as certain number of members (all of them ethnic Croats) left ĐSK to form Hrvatski sportski klub, which later became SAŠK. However, most others stayed at the club and soon changed the ĐSK's name to Srpski sportski klub (SSK). The freshly re-named entity attempted to make its existence public and official, and to that end enlisted its connections through dr. Dušan Jeftanović, prominent local industrialist and landowner, and Jovo Šošić. However, Austro-Hungarian authorities wouldn't give an inch - the ban on organized gathering stayed firmly in place. Difficult situation that the club found itself in made its members pull together even harder and by the end of 1913 they managed to build a home ground located at Čurčić Vila in Koševo neighbourhood. However, they wouldn't get to enjoy their new home for long.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Gavrilo Princip
in June 1914 set off a chain of events such as the Austrian July Ultimatum
to Serbia, the subsequent Austro-Hungarian declaration of war on Serbia
and the eventual outbreak of World War I
. The position of Serbs in Bosnia became increasingly difficult. SSK members were no exception as many of them got arrested or forcibly conscripted to fight in the Austro-Hungarian army. The newly-built ground at Čurčić Vila got ransacked and burned by an angry mob of Croats and Bosniaks.
Football quickly became an afterthought and SSK was completely inactive all throughout World War I
. After the end of war and the creation of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, SSK reactivated in 1919.
Slavija's first appearance in the Kingdom's top football competition took place in 1924
. It featured only seven clubs and was played in the cup system. Young Slavija team crashed out at the very first stage, losing the quarterfinal to Belgrade
's SK Jugoslavija
2-5.
Next season, 1925
, saw Slavija get a quarterfinal bye. However, in semifinal, Jugoslavija was waiting again and Sarajevo club again conceded defeat in Belgrade, although the final score was a little more favourable this time 2-3.
The 1926 season
again started with a bye, but semifinal proved to be disastrous as Građanski demolished Slavija 0-7 in Zagreb
.
Slavija didn't compete in top competition over the next three seasons.
saw the return to top flight that now featured six clubs and was played in league system. Slavija finished the season in 5th place with 2 wins, 2 draws, and 6 losses, all of which wasn't enough to avoid the drop.
Next chance for top flight football came in 1932/1933 season. By then the competition changed format once more as it was now played in fall-spring league rhythm and expanded to 11 clubs. Slavija finished 9th in the league with 7 wins, 2 draws, and 11 losses, which was just enough to stay afloat.
Football was not played in Kingdom of Yugoslavia
during 1933/34 season, so the next opportunity came in 1934/35. The league now featured 10 teams, and Slavija again barely avoided relegation, finishing third from the bottom with 7 wins, 1 draw, and 10 losses.
The 1935/36 season finally provided a much sought breakthrough for Slavija as the club came within a hair of becoming the champion of Yugoslavia. The top league now featured 14 clubs, most ever in its history up to that point. Another change was that the home-and-away cup system was brought back. Led by Milan Rajlić
and Slavko Zagorac
on the pitch, and Risto Šošić from the bench, Slavija first came up against Cetinje
's Crnogorac, beating them 5-4 on aggregate. Next up was Građanski from Skopje
in the quarterfinals - after losing the first game 1-2, Slavija recorded a famous 10-1 win in the return leg. This momentum carried into the semifinals against Novi Sad
's NAK
as Slavija progressed 4-2 on aggregate. That set the stage for the famous two-legged final against the powerhouse BSK team. First leg finished 1-1, but BSK prevailed 0-1 in return.
The competition for the 1936/37 returned to 10 clubs and league system. Encouraged by their previous season's historic runner-up success, Slavija entered the new campaign with high hopes. They were soon dashed, however, as the club recorded 7 wins, 3 draws, and 8 losses, which was enough for a mid-table 5th place finish.
Next season was virtually identical with 7 wins, 4 draws, and 7 losses that again translated to 5th place in the table. Small consolation was that this was the first time season played in the league system that Slavija didn't have more losses than wins.
Once again just like in World War I, following the Nazi Germany
invasion of Kingdom of Yugoslavia
the club was inactive until the end of World War II
in the Balkans. After the war, SK Slavija was disbanded without any explanation by the new communist authorities. Its stadium at Marijin Dvor was renamed "Šesti april" and used for home matches of FK Željezničar and newly formed SD Torpedo
. The stadium was eventually torn down while its stands and bleachers were given to FK Željezničar for use in their Grbavica ground
that was under construction.
After the break-up of SFR Yugoslavia, Slavija was re-formed. Since gaining promotion for the 2004/2005 season, Slavija competes in Premijer liga
.
The club almost exclusively relied on its own youth system, which it mostly filled with young players from Sarajevo area, but after it established itself in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia's top league during 1930s, Serbs from other parts of Bosnia started flocking to Slavija as well.
Slavija's most notable player ever was undoubtedly Slavko Zagorac
, a classy fullback who spent decade and a half with the club, earning 7 caps for Kingdom of Yugoslavia national football team
between 1932 and 1938.
Two other Slavija players had the honour of being capped for the national team. They are Milan Rajlić
and Florijan Matekalo
who both debuted in 1940 with a single cap each. Petar Manola
spent five notable seasons at the club from 1931 until 1936 before transferring to BSK Belgrade
.
Then there are Branko Stanković and Predrag Đajić who were promising juniors in Slavija when Nazi Germany invaded and dismembered the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in April 1941. Since the club was disbanded by the time World War II ended, both of them had to find another club. They both landed at newly established Red Star Belgrade
where they achieved great careers that led to many appearances for FPR Yugoslavia national football team.
National Cups - 1
Pre-1945 period: Milan Rajlić
Branko Stanković Slavko Zagorac
Post-1945 period: Vlastimir Jovanović
Ilija Prodanović
Bojan Regoje
Dai Lin
Goran Trobok
For the list of current and former players with Wikipedia article, please see: :Category:FK Slavija Sarajevo players.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club from Istočno Sarajevo
Istocno Sarajevo
Istočno Sarajevo is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and de jure capital of the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina adjacent to Bosnia and Herzegovinas capital Sarajevo to its northeast. East Sarajevo consists of a few pre-war suburbal parts of Sarajevo which are now in the Republika...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. FK Slavija is a member of the Football Association of Republika Srpska
Football Association of Republika Srpska
The Football Association of Republika Srpska is a football association in the Serb run entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina called Republika Srpska. The association supervises over 300 football clubs of which 3 are women's teams. The referee association has around 1,200 members. There are also around...
and it is active in the Premijer liga
Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the top football league in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the country's most prestigious level of football competition currently contested by 16 clubs with last two teams relegated at the end of every season....
of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The club's home stadium is Gradski SRC Slavija Stadium
Gradski SRC Slavija Stadium
City SRC Slavija Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Istočno Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Slavija Istočno Sarajevo. The stadium holds 6,000 people....
.
Dominantly the club of Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
, Slavija was by far the best club from Bosnia between the two world wars, having played 11 top league seasons (out of possible 16) in Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
. The only other Bosnia-based club that managed to make it to top national level was Croat
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
-dominated SAŠK (6 seasons).
History
The football club was founded in 1908 as part of the wider sports society of Sarajevo gymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
students informally known as Đački sportski klub (ĐSK) or Srednjoškolski sportski klub (SSK). Since cultural and social activities in the city in those days mostly revolved around Hotel Evropa and gymnasium, the idea about a sporting club was initiated on those premises. Some of the students visited Zagreb earlier that year where they got introduced to the game of football and brought back the first ball to Sarajevo. Notable individuals who organized club activities in this early period were students Zdravko Jeftanović (son of Hotel Evropa's owner dr. Dušan Jeftanović), Feodor Lukač, Emil Najšul, Sveto Gerovac, Stevo Jokanović, etc. Their early activities were very sporadic and basically clandestine as Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
occupational authorities that just annexed Bosnia
Bosnian crisis
The Bosnian Crisis of 1908–1909, also known as the Annexation crisis, or the First Balkan Crisis, erupted into public view when on 6 October 1908, Austria-Hungary announced the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Russia, the Ottoman Empire, Britain, Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, Germany and France...
instituted a ban on any kind of organized gathering.
In early 1909 the football section got its first pairs of boots and started holding regular practices and training sessions at Sarajevo Polje grounds, more precisely military workout open facility known as Egzercir in Čengić Vila area. Since the open field didn't have any goalposts, the students had to haul them in on foot from the city for every practice and match. ĐSK/SSK also informally took red and white as club colours after Slavia Prague, club that served as inspiration for Slavs throughout Austria-Hungary.
1910s
It wasn't until 1911 that ĐSK played its debut match, defeating a selection of ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
soldiers 4-2. Throughout 1912, ĐSK played friendlies in parts of Austria-Hungary populated by South Slavs
South Slavs
The South Slavs are the southern branch of the Slavic peoples and speak South Slavic languages. Geographically, the South Slavs are native to the Balkan peninsula, the southern Pannonian Plain and the eastern Alps...
. First such trip outside of Sarajevo was to the city of Split where ĐSK played local side Hajduk. The first match took place on April 7, 1912 and Hajduk won 4-1. A day later on April 8, the teams played another match with ĐSK winning this time 2-1. Curiosity from the Split visit was that posters announcing the two matches around the city billed ĐSK as "Osman" for non-specified reasons. This probably stemmed from the fact that "ĐSK" as club name was informally used even amongst its players so the Split hosts decided to make up a name for their guests' club on the spot. They seemingly found the male Muslim name Osman to be sufficiently funny and decided to print it on the posters as the club's official name.
From the fall of 1912 as the first
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
of eventually two Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
started raging nearby, just beyond the Austria-Hungary's eastern borders, ĐSK naturally began fostering Pan-Slavic
Pan-Slavism
Pan-Slavism was a movement in the mid-19th century aimed at unity of all the Slavic peoples. The main focus was in the Balkans where the South Slavs had been ruled for centuries by other empires, Byzantine Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Venice...
sentiment, and especially the Yugoslav idea
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
(unification of South Slavs), even harder as national and political aspects of club's activities came to the forefront. While the Balkan League
Balkan League
The Balkan League was an alliance formed by a series of bilateral treaties concluded in 1912 between the Balkan states of Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia, and directed against the Ottoman Empire, which at the time still controlled much of the Balkan peninsula...
member states (Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
, Greece
Kingdom of Greece
The Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 in the Convention of London by the Great Powers...
, Bulgaria
Kingdom of Bulgaria
The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control...
, and Montenegro
Kingdom of Montenegro
The Kingdom of Montenegro was a monarchy in southeastern Europe during the tumultuous years on the Balkan Peninsula leading up to and during World War I. Legally it was a constitutional monarchy, but absolutist in practice...
) were getting rid of the last remains of Ottoman influence, Slavs within the borders of Austria-Hungary were restless to make some dents in the armour of their own occupiers - the Austro-Hungarian empire. By mid 1913, the Balkan Wars were over with a resounding victory for Slavs (Serbs and Montenegrins) across the border on the other side of river Drina
Drina
The Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
. This had an enormously encouraging effect on Slavs (especially Serbs) in Bosnia. Austro-Hungarian authorities were not oblivious to such developments and their repression got stepped up even further. All of this led to increased tensions and boiling pot atmosphere in the city of Sarajevo.
During the second part of 1913, an ethnic split occurred within the ĐSK organization as certain number of members (all of them ethnic Croats) left ĐSK to form Hrvatski sportski klub, which later became SAŠK. However, most others stayed at the club and soon changed the ĐSK's name to Srpski sportski klub (SSK). The freshly re-named entity attempted to make its existence public and official, and to that end enlisted its connections through dr. Dušan Jeftanović, prominent local industrialist and landowner, and Jovo Šošić. However, Austro-Hungarian authorities wouldn't give an inch - the ban on organized gathering stayed firmly in place. Difficult situation that the club found itself in made its members pull together even harder and by the end of 1913 they managed to build a home ground located at Čurčić Vila in Koševo neighbourhood. However, they wouldn't get to enjoy their new home for long.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Gavrilo Princip
Gavrilo Princip
Gavrilo Princip was the Bosnian Serb who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914...
in June 1914 set off a chain of events such as the Austrian July Ultimatum
July Ultimatum
The July Crisis was a diplomatic crisis among the major powers of Europe in the summer of 1914 that led to the First World War...
to Serbia, the subsequent Austro-Hungarian declaration of war on Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
and the eventual outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The position of Serbs in Bosnia became increasingly difficult. SSK members were no exception as many of them got arrested or forcibly conscripted to fight in the Austro-Hungarian army. The newly-built ground at Čurčić Vila got ransacked and burned by an angry mob of Croats and Bosniaks.
Football quickly became an afterthought and SSK was completely inactive all throughout World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the end of war and the creation of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, SSK reactivated in 1919.
1920s
In 1921 SSK changed its name to SK Slavija. Over the next few years Slavija built a 4,000-capacity stadium in Marijin Dvor area of Sarajevo. In line with its student background the club devoted its potential to developing young players.Slavija's first appearance in the Kingdom's top football competition took place in 1924
Yugoslav First League 1924
The 1924 Prva Liga held in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was the second nation-wide domestic football competition. At this point there was no league championship in the modern sense as the competition was held in a single-legged cup format, with participating clubs qualifying via...
. It featured only seven clubs and was played in the cup system. Young Slavija team crashed out at the very first stage, losing the quarterfinal to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
's SK Jugoslavija
SK Jugoslavija
Sportski klub Jugoslavija, commonly known as SK Jugoslavija was a Serbian football club from Belgrade. It was originally formed as SK Velika Srbija in 1913 and changed its name to SK Jugoslavija in 1919.-History:...
2-5.
Next season, 1925
Yugoslav First League 1925
The Yugoslav First League season 1925 was a football competition in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. It was the second straight year that the club from Belgrade, Jugoslavija, has taken the championships.-Quarter finals:...
, saw Slavija get a quarterfinal bye. However, in semifinal, Jugoslavija was waiting again and Sarajevo club again conceded defeat in Belgrade, although the final score was a little more favourable this time 2-3.
The 1926 season
Yugoslav First League 1926
The 1926 Yugoslav First Class was a football competition held within the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. The two dominant teams of pre-World War II Yugoslav football, Jugoslavija and Građanski, began laying the foundations of the next seven decades of a deeply rooted rivalry between Zagreb...
again started with a bye, but semifinal proved to be disastrous as Građanski demolished Slavija 0-7 in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
.
Slavija didn't compete in top competition over the next three seasons.
1930s
The 1930 seasonYugoslav First League 1930
The number of teams participating was once again six in the 1930 season. The champion, Concordia Zagreb, was a newly formed team consisting of previous HAŠK players.-League:*top scorer: Moša Marjanović -Champions:...
saw the return to top flight that now featured six clubs and was played in league system. Slavija finished the season in 5th place with 2 wins, 2 draws, and 6 losses, all of which wasn't enough to avoid the drop.
Next chance for top flight football came in 1932/1933 season. By then the competition changed format once more as it was now played in fall-spring league rhythm and expanded to 11 clubs. Slavija finished 9th in the league with 7 wins, 2 draws, and 11 losses, which was just enough to stay afloat.
Football was not played in Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
during 1933/34 season, so the next opportunity came in 1934/35. The league now featured 10 teams, and Slavija again barely avoided relegation, finishing third from the bottom with 7 wins, 1 draw, and 10 losses.
The 1935/36 season finally provided a much sought breakthrough for Slavija as the club came within a hair of becoming the champion of Yugoslavia. The top league now featured 14 clubs, most ever in its history up to that point. Another change was that the home-and-away cup system was brought back. Led by Milan Rajlić
Milan Rajlic
Milan Rajlić was a Bosnian footballer.Probably the best known player in the city of Sarajevo during 1930s and 1940s, he started playing football at Slavija Sarajevo youth system in 1933. He played more than 150 games for the club and scored 65 goals...
and Slavko Zagorac
Slavko Zagorac
Slavko Zagorac was a Bosnian Serb football manager and player....
on the pitch, and Risto Šošić from the bench, Slavija first came up against Cetinje
Cetinje
Cetinje , Цетиње / Cetinje , Italian: Cettigne, Greek: Κετίγνη, Ketígni) is a town and Old Royal Capital of Montenegro. It is also a historical and the secondary capital of Montenegro , with the official residence of the President of Montenegro...
's Crnogorac, beating them 5-4 on aggregate. Next up was Građanski from Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
in the quarterfinals - after losing the first game 1-2, Slavija recorded a famous 10-1 win in the return leg. This momentum carried into the semifinals against Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
's NAK
NAK Novi Sad
NAK, Novosadski atletski klub was a football club from Novi Sad, Kingdom of Yugoslavia.-History:...
as Slavija progressed 4-2 on aggregate. That set the stage for the famous two-legged final against the powerhouse BSK team. First leg finished 1-1, but BSK prevailed 0-1 in return.
The competition for the 1936/37 returned to 10 clubs and league system. Encouraged by their previous season's historic runner-up success, Slavija entered the new campaign with high hopes. They were soon dashed, however, as the club recorded 7 wins, 3 draws, and 8 losses, which was enough for a mid-table 5th place finish.
Next season was virtually identical with 7 wins, 4 draws, and 7 losses that again translated to 5th place in the table. Small consolation was that this was the first time season played in the league system that Slavija didn't have more losses than wins.
Once again just like in World War I, following the Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
invasion of Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
the club was inactive until the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the Balkans. After the war, SK Slavija was disbanded without any explanation by the new communist authorities. Its stadium at Marijin Dvor was renamed "Šesti april" and used for home matches of FK Željezničar and newly formed SD Torpedo
FK Sarajevo
FK Sarajevo is a professional football club based in Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia-Herzegovina and is one of the most popular clubs in the country. Founded on October 24, 1946, the club was the most successful club from SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in former Yugoslavia, winning two First League...
. The stadium was eventually torn down while its stands and bleachers were given to FK Željezničar for use in their Grbavica ground
Grbavica Stadium
Grbavica Stadium is located in Grbavica, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The football stadium has terraces close to the pitch and it is the home of FK Željezničar. The stadium has a capacity to hold 12,000 spectators, with 9,000 places that are seated...
that was under construction.
After the break-up of SFR Yugoslavia, Slavija was re-formed. Since gaining promotion for the 2004/2005 season, Slavija competes in Premijer liga
Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the top football league in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the country's most prestigious level of football competition currently contested by 16 clubs with last two teams relegated at the end of every season....
.
Notable players
Although Slavija has always been a club that fostered strong Serbian sentiment, its rosters over the years have also featured some Croats, Bosniaks, Jews, Hungarians, Czechs, Austrians and Germans.The club almost exclusively relied on its own youth system, which it mostly filled with young players from Sarajevo area, but after it established itself in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia's top league during 1930s, Serbs from other parts of Bosnia started flocking to Slavija as well.
Slavija's most notable player ever was undoubtedly Slavko Zagorac
Slavko Zagorac
Slavko Zagorac was a Bosnian Serb football manager and player....
, a classy fullback who spent decade and a half with the club, earning 7 caps for Kingdom of Yugoslavia national football team
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
between 1932 and 1938.
Two other Slavija players had the honour of being capped for the national team. They are Milan Rajlić
Milan Rajlic
Milan Rajlić was a Bosnian footballer.Probably the best known player in the city of Sarajevo during 1930s and 1940s, he started playing football at Slavija Sarajevo youth system in 1933. He played more than 150 games for the club and scored 65 goals...
and Florijan Matekalo
Florijan Matekalo
Florijan Matekalo was a Croatian and Yugoslav footballer and manager. He played for both the Kingdom of Yugoslavia's national team and the Banovina of Croatia's national team.Matekalo started his career with local side Elektrobosna Jajce before moving to Slavija Sarajevo...
who both debuted in 1940 with a single cap each. Petar Manola
Petar Manola
Petar Manola was a Serbian international football player.-Club career:...
spent five notable seasons at the club from 1931 until 1936 before transferring to BSK Belgrade
OFK Beograd
Omladinski fudbalski klub Beograd, commonly referred to as OFK Beograd , is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia, more precisely from the Karaburma urban neighborhood. It currently is the oldest team playing in the Serbian SuperLiga. The name means "Youth Football Club Belgrade" in Serbian...
.
Then there are Branko Stanković and Predrag Đajić who were promising juniors in Slavija when Nazi Germany invaded and dismembered the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in April 1941. Since the club was disbanded by the time World War II ended, both of them had to find another club. They both landed at newly established Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
where they achieved great careers that led to many appearances for FPR Yugoslavia national football team.
Honours and achievements
National Championships - 0- Yugoslav First LeagueYugoslav First LeagueThe Yugoslav First League was the premier football league in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and socialist Yugoslavia...
: - Runners-up (1): 1935–36
- Premier League of Bosnia and HerzegovinaPremier League of Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the top football league in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the country's most prestigious level of football competition currently contested by 16 clubs with last two teams relegated at the end of every season....
: - Runners-up (1): 2008-09Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2008-09Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2008–09 was the ninth season since its establishment and the seventh as a unified country-wide league. It started on 2 August 2008 and ended on 23 May 2009...
- First League of the Republika SrpskaFirst League of the Republika SrpskaFirst League of the Republika Srpska is a second level football competition in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since there were three different football championships in country, organized on ethnic principles, the "First League of the Republika Srpska" was the top flight in Republika Srpska before 2002....
: - Winners (1): 2003-04
National Cups - 1
- Football Cup of Bosnia and HerzegovinaFootball Cup of Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by clubs from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The winner qualifies for the UEFA Cup.Until 1999/2000 season, three separated cups were organized...
: - Winners (1): 2008-09
- Runners-up (1): 2006-07
- Republika Srpska CupRepublika Srpska CupThe Football Cup of Republika Srpska is a knock-out football competition contested annually by clubs from Republika Srpska in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is run by the Football Association of Republika Srpska.-Football Cup Finals of Republika Srpska:- External links :*...
: - Winners (1): 2005-06
European record
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 UEFA Intertoto Cup 2007 The UEFA Intertoto Cup 2007 was the 19th and penultimate edition of the competition and took 50 entries. Three rounds were held, and 11 teams qualified for the second qualifying round of the UEFA Cup. The draw took place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on 23 April 2007... |
UEFA Intertoto Cup UEFA Intertoto Cup The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued... |
1R |  |
Sant Julià UE Sant Julià Unió Esportiva Sant Julià is an Andorran football club, playing in the village of Aixovall in the parish of Sant Julià de Lòria, some 6 km from the capital, Andorra la Vella and 4 km from the Spanish border.... |
3-2 | 3-2 |
| 2R |  |
Oţelul Galaţi FC Otelul Galati Fotbal Club Oțelul Galați is a Romanian football club based in Galați . They have spent the majority of the last few decades in the top division, securing several seasons of European football and enjoying success in the Romanian Cup. They won their first league title in the 2010–2011 season and... |
0-0 | 0-3 | ||
| 2009-10 | UEFA Europa League | 2Q |  |
Aalborg | 3-1 | 0-0 |
| 3Q |  |
Košice MFK Košice MFK Košice is a professional Slovak first division football club based in Košice. The club, founded in 1952, won the Slovak League twice, the Slovak Cup four times and the Czechoslovak Cup once. The most successful era of the club has been in 70's and 90's years of past century which they have... |
0-2 | 1-3 | ||
Current squad
As of September 22, 2010Notable former players
These players played in the club and have played in national teams:Pre-1945 period: Milan Rajlić
Milan Rajlic
Milan Rajlić was a Bosnian footballer.Probably the best known player in the city of Sarajevo during 1930s and 1940s, he started playing football at Slavija Sarajevo youth system in 1933. He played more than 150 games for the club and scored 65 goals...
Branko Stanković Slavko Zagorac
Slavko Zagorac
Slavko Zagorac was a Bosnian Serb football manager and player....
Post-1945 period: Vlastimir Jovanović
Vlastimir Jovanović
Vlastimir Jovanović is a Bosnian football defensive midfielder who plays for Korona Kielce and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.-Career:...
Ilija Prodanović
Ilija Prodanović
Ilija Prodanović is a Bosnian international footballer. As of 2010, he plays for NK Zvijezda Gradačac in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-External links:...
Bojan Regoje
Bojan Regoje
Bojan Regoje is a Bosnian Serb professional footballer playing with the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina club FK Slavija Istočno Sarajevo since 2003....
Dai Lin
Dai Lin
Dai Lin is a Chinese football player who currently plays for Shanghai Shenhua in the Chinese Super League.-Club career:Dai Lin started his professional football career with Liaoning Zhongyu in 2005 with his debut match against Changsha Ginde F.C. on the 14th of April in a 2-0 win...
Goran Trobok
Goran Trobok
Goran Trobok is a former Montenegrin football player.-External links:* at Serbian Federation site.* at National-football-teams.* on Transfermarkt....
For the list of current and former players with Wikipedia article, please see: :Category:FK Slavija Sarajevo players.
External links
- FK Slavija website
- Milomir Odović podnio ostavku, sportin.ba, August 19, 2007
- Dušan Jevrić novi trener Slavije, sportin.ba, September 6, 2007