You are never to old to start following Hajduk…
During the last Sunday’s match against Rijeka, the east stand of the Poljud Stadium had a special guest. For the first time in her nearly nine decades long life, 88-year-old Mara Selak Bodrožić came to Poljud. Although Hajduk lost the match, Mara was not too disappointed, saying that with God’s help it will be better next time, reports Dalmatinksi Portal on November 6, 2015.
The club leadership heard about her story and invited the 88-year from Svib near Cista Provo to return to Poljud. They have asked her to join the vast Hajduk family and have given her an annual ticket for the east stand.
“I want to be at the east stand, everybody I know is always there”, Mara said, referring to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who are all club members and regular spectators at Poljud Stadium, although some of them live as far as Germany. They are the ones who originally asked the oldest member of the Selak Bodrožić family to come to Poljud. Grandson Ante suggested to his father Mato to take the grandmother to the match against Rijeka.
Two days later, she became a member of Hajduk Football Club and was welcomed at the Poljud Stadium by the club chairman Marin Brbić and marketing director Aljoša Bašić. Mara toured the Poljud Stadium, went out on the pitch, where on the center Bašić pinned to her a badge with Hajduk’s emblem. The 88-year-old could not hide her pleasure and excitement. She toured the trophy room as well, where she watched with admiration all of Hajduk’s trophies, plaques and awards. It was difficult to find a trophy which was won before Mara was born. However, they did manage to find one from 1912.
It is interesting that, given that she was born in 1927, when Hajduk won its first title, the 88-year-old witnessed in her lifetime all of Hajduk’s championships titles. When asked who was her favorite player, Mara gave a short answer: “Hajduk!”
At the end, chairman Brbić and marketing director Bašić said they wished she would come again to the Poljud Stadium, during this and next seasons as well.
