FK Sloboda Tuzla

Football club infobox
clubname = Sloboda


fullname = Fudbalski Klub Sloboda
nickname =
founded = 1919
ground = Tušanj Stadium, Tuzla
capacity = 9,000
chairman =
manager =
league = Premijer Liga
season = 2006-07
position =
pattern_la1=_black_stripes|pattern_b1=_blackstripes|pattern_ra1=_black_stripes
leftarm1=FF0000|body1=FF0000|rightarm1=FF0000|shorts1=000000|socks1=FF0000
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=FF0000|body2=FF0000|rightarm2=FF0000|shorts2=FFFFFF|socks2=FF0000

FK Sloboda ("Fudbalski klub Sloboda") is a football club from the city of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The English translation of the team's name is "Football Club Freedom". Currently, FK Sloboda is a member of the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is active in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

History

Foundation and "FK Gorki"

FK Sloboda Tuzla was founded in 1919, as a part of the Labour Sport Society "Gorki", named after the great socialist Russian poet Maxim Gorky. The football club and the labour society was popular in a wide part of the sporting public in Tuzla and beyond. The club was formed on the initiative of the Tuzla branch of the newly formed Communist party of Yugoslavia, under the influence of the ideas of the October revolution of 1917 and revolutionary movements in Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina as its integral part.

After the initial congress of unification and the creation of the Socialist Labour Party (Communists) in Yugoslavia that took place in Vukovar, Croatia in 1919, the first conference of the Tuzla municipal organisation of the SWPY(c) took place on 17 October 1919 in Tuzla. The elected party council decided on the same day to start with the formation of a worker's sporting society. The official founding of the club took place in the end of October 1919, and gathering was led by Jovo Sretenović, Mato Vidović, Safet Hadžiefendić, Ljubko Simić, Niko Trifuović and Petar Dugonjić "RSD Sloboda Tuzla 1919-1989", a monography commemorating 70 years of the club] .

The men elected into the first Board of directors of the club were: Leonard Banker (mason by profession), Mato Vidović (profession unknown), Niko Trifković (painter), Stjepan Brkljačić and Alfred Puhta (electricians), Mijo Cuvaj and Ahmed Mandžić (carpenters), Franto Bauzek (locksmith), Emil Kranjčec, Jakov Čurić and Petar Dugonjić (bakers), Franjo Miškovski (graphics worker), Safet Hadžiefendić (shoemaker), August Mot (chimney sweep) and Karlo Schwartz (plumber). The origin of the original name of the sporting society, "Gorki", was explained by Petar Dugonjić:

"When the final preparations for the organising meeting were being dealt with, it was suggested that the club be named "Sokolović", after Mićo Sokolović, a known worker's rights activist. Then Mitar Trifunović Učo noticed: "People, few will know that we named the Club after our Mića. Most will think of Mehmed-paša Sokolović". The practical Franjo Rezač insisted we go to the meeting with a concrete name suggestion. Mitar Trifunović Učo then said: "If noone objects, I would suggest the club bears the name of Maxim Gorky". I remember it well. Afterwards the name was accepted with enthusiasm at the meeting.""RSD Sloboda Tuzla 1919-1989", a monography commemorating 70 years of the club]

The first headquarters of the club was in Rudarska Street in Tuzla, not far from Skver is today. Afterwars the headquarters moved to the building of the Jewish Bank, then to the Grand Hotel and then back to Rudarska Street. The games were played on two fields - the first one was called the "Communist playground" between what today are the Chemical and Mechanical high-schools and the second one was the field where the Braća Ribar primary schools stands.

All the players were workers, and the "Gorki" first team had the following players: Mirko Veseli, Peri Mot, Karlo Krejči, Santo Altarac, Ivica Šifer, Franto Bauzek, Mijo Josić, Lorenc Ajhberger, Vili Zaboš, Slavko Zafani, Ahmed Mandžić, Alfred Puhta, Jozo Vikić, Malaga Mustačević, Stakić (first name unknown) and several others. The coach was Brato Gamberger, former player of HŠK Zrinjski "RSD Sloboda Tuzla 1919-1989", a monography commemorating 70 years of the club] .

The club mostly played against other Tuzla football clubs. Namely, at the time of the formation of FK Gorki there were three other football clubs in Tuzla, "Zrinjski", "Obilić" and "Makabi", based around the Croatian, Serbian and Jewish population of Tuzla. In 1921 the Bosniak club "Bura" was also formed. Unlike these confessional clubs, FK Gorki was multinational and accepted members of all faiths and ethnicities.

It is important to note that the official ground of Tuzla in this period was the field of HŠK Zrinjski built in 1928 on the road to Solina from Brčanska Malta with the help of Kalman Liska, a wood merchant and president of HŠK Zrinjski.

FK Sloboda

In 1924, because of the country-wide ban of communist activities, FK Gorki was banned by the government of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croates and Slovenes under the orders of the infamous "Obznana". There was an attempt to form another worker's club, called "Hajduk", but this was also banned in 1924.

Foundation and activity between 1927-1941

Thanks to the perseverance of labour activists, on the 20th of November 1927 the "Labour-cultural and sporting society" Sloboda (Bosnian: "Radničko-kulturno sportsko društvo" Sloboda) was formed in Tuzla. The society initially had four sections: Sports, Tamburica, Choir and Amateur theatre. The first team of the sports section was: Karlo Mot, Nikola Kemenc, Suljo Nezirović, Alfred Puhta, Safet and Ešo Isabegović, Oto i Ivica Milinović, Josip Leder and Muho Mujezinović, Karlo Schwartz, Vlado Mileusnić, Jozo Kemenc, Rihard Žlebnik, Mujo Begić and many others.

In the beginning of 1928, the sports section becomes independent and renames itself to "Labour Sporting Club" Sloboda. Although officially under the influence of social-democrats, communists continue to have a substantial influence in the club, hence it is a continuation of the formerly banned FK Gorki. That is the reason the year of foundation is always considered to be 1919, the year when Gorki was formed and not 1928. The first game played by the new club was against FK Solvaj from Lukavac. Because of the discontinuation of several other Tuzla football clubs, like Obilić nad Bura, many players transferred to Sloboda and in 1928 it had a formidable team that consisted of the following players: Asim Mulaosmanović, Muho Mujeznović, Dejan Vujasinović, Mujko Mešković, Meša Selimović, Abdurahman Mujezinović Smrt, Vlado Mileusnić, Karlo Mot, Ivan Majer and others. It is a very interesting fact that Mehmed Meša Selimović, one of the greatest Yugoslav and Bosnian writers of all time played in Sloboda at this time.

Re-foundation in SFRY and rise to the top 1945-1992

During the time of former Yugoslavia, FK Sloboda was active in the Yugoslav First League and the team had much success, despite never winning the title. The best result was achieved in the beginning of 80's when FC Sloboda has qualified for the UEFA cup. Unfortunately, Las Palmas from Spain was stronger, 6-1 in Spain for Las Palmas and 3-2 for FK Sloboda in Tuzla. This is a club with very rich history in former Yugoslavia giving many stars such as Dževad Šećerbegović, Mersed Kovačević, Fuad Mulahasanović, Milošević, Ismet Hadžić, Sarić, Midhat Memišević as well as young players members of U 20 national team such as Isanović, Culumarević, Milošević, Hajrulahović, Jogunčić. It has to be mentioned that football club Sloboda was always in shadow of the most famous and the best club in Bosnia and Herzegovina, football club Sarajevo.

* Primary colors: Black & Dark Red
* Address: Rudarska br. 2, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Honour

Yugoslav 3-rth place, bronch medal: 1976. Bosnia and Herzegovina 1996

"Uefa Intertoto cup/Rapan cup winner": 1983.

"Yugoslav cup runner up": 1971.

"Bosnian cup runner up": 1995, 96, 98, 2000, 2008.

Tuzla- regional war champion/division 1 (one time played). 1995.

Current squad

External links

* [http://www.fukare.ba/ FK Sloboda supporters site] bs icon
* [http://www.fksloboda.ba/ Official Site]