Hajduk Zivi Vjecno. Croatia’s oldest club turned 105 on February 13, 2016, and it was quite a party.
There was only one place to be in Dalmatia yesterday – the temple of Croatian football otherwise known as Poljud Stadium, the home of Hajduk Split. Formed in a beer hall in Prague on February 13, 1911, Hajduk celebrated its 105th birthday with a very busy day on and off the pitch, and TCN was delighted to be invited to take part in the celebrations.
The festivities started the night before with a VIP gathering to get people in the mood, and I left it to my colleague Danni Matijaca to try the first – but not the last – 105 birthday cake.
Coming from the island of Hvar, it was necessary to coordinate the journey with the limited winter ferry schedule, and a few mandatory additions to the usual TCN attire would help me fit in.
The ferry was packed, the majority of its passengers all heading for the same place. Destination Poljud! Torcida Hvar was in fine voice, and there were still more than five hours before kick off.
First stop in a busy day for TCN in Split was the main ferry terminal building, where the impressive Hajduk marketing campaign continued with the opening of the latest official fan shop inside the main building. Hajduk has done an outstanding job is promoting its brand in recent years, adding branded products from quality wine from Zlatan Otok to milk.
A reception at the ferry terminal also unveiled the club’s latest sponsorship deal, with Splitska Banka.
A new partnership with one of Croatia’s most popular beers was also in evidence. Karlovacko is now owned by Heineken.
And there were of course speeches of congratulation, from a very high level delegation of officials, including the mayor of Split, a representative of the Croatian president, and Split-Dalmatia County Prefect, Zlatko Zevrnja.
Hajduk’s appeal could not have been better illustrated on its birthday than with the news that the club’s recent membership drive had attracted an incredible 20,000 people in a matter of weeks. This is a league where attendances for other clubs rarely top 5,000.
The first reception of the day completed, it was time to soak up a little of the pre-match atmosphere in one of the most traditionally Hajduk pubs, just outside the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Diocletian’s Palace.
The atmosphere was expectant as we approached the stadium, with the famous Torcida fan club already in fine voice. The final attendance was 15,846.
There was another VIP reception at the stadium before the game, and just enough time to try the next birthday cake.
The Hajduk press box may not be as sophisticated as the Manchester Uniteds of this world, but it does the job well, and affords a great view of the stadium and pitch, and as we were soon to find out, a good view of both is necessary at Poljud…
The bond between Hajduk and the city of Split (who are part owners) is a special one, as is the relationship between the club and its fans, and the team unfurled a banner before kick-off – You Are Hajduk. To get just a slight feeling of why Hajduk is such a special club, check out TCN’s Goran Antonijevic’s excellent final article on our ‘105 things about Hajduk’ to commemorate the birthday – 22 Turning Points in Hajduk’s History.
The club has endured turbulent financial status in recent years, but as TCN recently reported, the club is now finally making money. One of the most interesting things to observe at a Hajduk match is the innovation of Torcida and the message they want to convey. A huge light at the end of the tunnel banner is how things began.
Hajduk and its fans. An eternal love affair.
Years can pass, even centuries, and the heart of the North Stand will keep on beating.
There was other entertainment at the stadium too – a football match! And Hajduk marked the birthday, and the resumption of the Croatian national league after the winter break, with a 2-0 victory over Slaven Belupo, with a goal in each half from Tino Sušić and Zoran Nižić.
Of course, it never takes a birthday party to light up the North Stand at Hajduk…
It was a clear evening weather-wise, but one could not have guessed from the press box.
And for once, the flares of Torcida were outperformed by the club, as a spectacular firework display commenced at the final whistle, a little of which you can see on this video on the TCN Facebook page.
An excellent day both on and off the pitch for Croatia’s best loved club, and a wonderful atmosphere in the city which is its home. It was a privilege to observe as a foreigner.
And to finish, a journey back in time to celebrations of 100 years, in this spectacular video below. Has any club anywhere in the world ever celebrated in such style?
