 The story about Hajduk,
its great victories and triumphs is not complete without the
TORCIDA.
It is hardly worth
mentioning a football team without its supporters, and the
story about Hajduk's fans, their supporting, fanatic
devotedness could go on for days.
In the past Split had
many champions - European, world, Olympic, but each victory of
the masters of football was received and respected in a very
special way. Very soon after having founded Hajduk as early as
1911, this club became a symbol of the town. Among numerous
Hajduk fans, members of the most passionate group, the
TORCIDA, have a special place. What is TORCIDA in fact?
The question can be
answered in so many ways and each of the answers can be
correct. Each member of the TORCIDA will proudly say that it
is the oldest supporters' organisation on the territory of
former Yugoslavia and consequently in the free and sovereign
Republic of Croatia. This group of supporters was founded in
1950 before the great match between Hajduk and Red Star that
was to be played in Split on October 29. The match was to
decide the champion so the Hajduk supporters, following the
example of the Brazilians, decided to create a unique
atmosphere and help their club. Students from Split in Zagreb
were specially active and brought along from Zagreb several
thousand students and other Hajduk fans. There was excitement
in town whole day and the venue gathered more than 20.000
spectators. Many of them remained outside the stadium
listening attentively to what was happening on the field. Led
by the TORCIDA, the spectators fanatically rooted for Hajduk
whose players scored the decisive goal in the 88th minute of
the match. Enough reason for an incredible celebration in
Split. The government in Belgrade was unfavourable towards
this organised supporting and some of the TORCIDA founders
were sentenced to few years of imprisonment after the match.
The activities of the TORCIDA were forbidden. Nevertheless,
from year to year, at all Hajduk matches the spectators rooted
just as the TORCIDA, although it had to be done discretely.
In 1980, the most
passionate Hajduk supporters who followed their players at all
away matches, restored the TORCIDA, united a number of fan
groups wishing to achieve a southern-like, thundering
atmosphere at all Hajduk's matches.
Throughout these years
the TORCIDA played an important role in building up national
awareness among young people. Many were therefore imprisoned
which makes it understandable why the majority joined the
Croatian army from the very beginning fighting for the
sovereignty of their nation. Some of them laid down their
lives and a memorial tablet was laid in the northern part of
the Poljud Stadium, where the TORCIDA stands, for eternal
remembrance. The war reaching more peaceful days, the TORCIDA
took its position at the northern stand again. Along came new
generations of fans who supported their team three times to
the title of National Champion, two Cups and a Supercup, to
the great victories in European Champions League in 1994/95.
What exactly are these
supporters like is best indicated by statements of top players
such as Preud'homme, Cannigia, Rijkaard and others who played
at this stadium last season and were thrilled by Torcida's
supporting... At the end of this story that continues, we have
to remind that TORCIDA is not made only of fans from Split.
Hajduk is very popular and there is hardly a town in Croatia
that does not have organised TORCIDA supporters. Torcida is
active abroad. At international matches you will always notice
the great banners - TORCIDA Rotterdam. When Hajduk plays major
matches, its fans come from all over Europe, America,
Australia...
After all, long ago on
Hajduk's stadium a graffiti was written saying "Hajduk
lives forever". With these words the story of its unique
supporters lives on... |