Crveni Đavoli (
Serbian Cyrillic: Црвени Ђаволи;
English: The Red Devils), or simply Đavoli, are the organized supporters of the
Kragujevac
Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...
based professional football club
Radnički Kragujevac. They are one of main supporter groups in
Serbia. Besides football club, they also support other sport sections of the
Radnički Kragujevac Sport Association.
History
Early years
Since its foundation,
Radnički has been a magnet for the audience in
Kragujevac
Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...
and its surroundings. During the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1918–1943), the followers of Kragujevac were one of the most numerous and loyal group of supporters, following their team wherever they played. They were recognizable by the red caps they wore. Trips to away games were organized, usually by train. The first ''"fan train"'' started on 29 July, in 1934. About 600
Radnički Kragujevac fans travelled to
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
for a qualification match for the national championship against BASK. After Belgrade, the ''"fan train"'' became a tradition, and the fans traveling to away games to
Zagreb,
Sarajevo,
Split,
Novi Sad,
Niš,
Skoplje and other cities. At the home games, against teams like Rapid Wien, Olympique Marseille, Ferencváros Budapest and Honvéd Budapest, up to 10,000 fans came to support the club. The support continued after the Second World War. In 1946, Radnički Kragujevac played against
Red Star Belgrade for promotion to the
Yugoslav First League. At the game there were too many fans at the former ''City Stadium'', which was too small to accommodate all visitors and supporters of Radnički Kragujevac. This situation prompted the city and club to build a new stadium. The first game which was played on the new
Čika Dača Stadium
Čika Dača Stadium ( sr, Стадион Чика Дача) is a multi-use stadium in Kragujevac, Serbia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FK Radnički 1923. The stadium was named in memory of Danilo ...
, was in 1957 between Radnički Kragujevac and
Partizan Belgrade in front of 30,000 jubilant fans.
1969 and the origin of the name
The real spectator boom began in
Kragujevac
Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...
in the late sixties. In 1969,
Radnički were promoted for the first time to the
Yugoslav First League after beating Sutjeska from Nikšić and FK Crvenka in the play-off. To Nikšić traveled more than 1,000 Radnički supporters and in
Crvenka
Crvenka () is a small town located in the municipality of Kula in the West Bačka District, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a Serbian ethnic majority, and it had a population of 9,001 in 2011.
Name
In Serbian, th ...
came up to several thousand. At that time began the first attempts at organized support. After being promoted the
Yugoslavian league Radnički acquired much more supporters. In the home game against Hajduk Split were 35,000 spectators. But the away win against
Partizan Belgrade truly made history. On 7 September 1969, the Radnički fans support their team particularly fanatical and organized one of the first torch show. The atmosphere was so good that it was compared with the atmosphere at Old Trafford, home of Manchester United (statements from local and foreign journalists and opponents). On this day, the Radnički fans and the club were given the nickname Crveni Đavoli (English: Red Devils), after the nickname for Manchester United. All thus made headlines. After that game, the Brazilian football giant
FC Santos with the legendary
Pelé
Edson Arantes do Nascimento (; born 23 October 1940), known as Pelé (), is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a forward. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and labelled "the greatest" by FIFA, ...
was so impressed by the atmosphere, instead of the friendly game against
Partizan Belgrade, they drove to Kragujevac and played against Radnički. They were not disappointed, because 40,000 spectators were at the
Čika Dača Stadium
Čika Dača Stadium ( sr, Стадион Чика Дача) is a multi-use stadium in Kragujevac, Serbia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FK Radnički 1923. The stadium was named in memory of Danilo ...
with another seven to eight thousand fans surrounding the stadium. Radnički achieved with the support of their Đavoli in a legendary atmosphere a 4-4 draw. After this Đavoli started to attract worldwide attention. In these years Radnički's home games were very well attended and well known for its great atmosphere mainly made by Đavoli. Numerous Đavoli traveled to away games. So they went to the games to
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
,
Split,
Zagreb,
Skopje,
Ljubljana,
Maribor
Maribor ( , , , ; also known by other #Name, historical names) is the second-largest city in Slovenia and the largest city of the traditional region of Styria (Slovenia), Lower Styria. It is also the seat of the City Municipality of Maribor, th ...
and other cities.
Establishment and 1990s
The first organized meeting of the Đavoli was on 9 March, in 1989. Together, the fans went to the basketball game between Radnički Kragujevac and
Napredak Kruševac Napredak may refer to:
*HKD Napredak, cultural society of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* FK Napredak Kruševac, Serbian football club
*FK Napredak Aleksinac, Serbian football club
*FK Napredak Banatska Topola, Serbian football club
*NK SAŠK Nap ...
. The Đavoli took advantage of this day as the day of its official founding. Initially a small group of kids. Mane, Laze, Amerikanac, Pižon are just some of the names of guys who have participated in the foundation. The first tour of the Ðavoli was
Bor. So they went to the games to
Užice,
Čačak,
Kruševac and other cities. Besides football games, they also attended basketball games. In those years cheering starts again and the Đavoli began slowly to grow. But with the decay of
Yugoslavia,
Radnički sank deeper and deeper. The civil war (1992-1995), inflation, and the
UN sanctions, hit the state and its population hard. Radnički played again in the third division and fewer Đavoli gathered. They struggled for continued existence for about two years. In 1994, the management organized tours for the fans. The first game was in
Kraljevo, where the Đavoli went in two buses. For the next away game, there were up to five buses. To all away games, an average of seven buses and to the game after
Požarevac even twelve were filled with the Đavoli. Over time, the situation improved and the Đavoli membership continued to grow.
Characteristics
The Đavoli does not consist of a certain group of people with a specific identity. People from different social backgrounds are assembled at the group. The symbol of the Đavoli is a
Hajduk with the
Serbian traditional cap called
Šajkača
The ''šajkača'' ( sr-Cyrl, шајкача, ) is the Serbian national hat or cap. Traditionally worn by men in the Serbian countryside, it is named after Serb river troops known as '' šajkaši'', who protected the Austrian Empire against the O ...
. In Serbian tradition, the Hajduk is a romanticized hero figure, a kind of Serbian Robin Hood. During the 18th century, the dense forests of
Šumadija were the refuge for the Hajduks that fought against Ottoman occupation.
Kragujevac
Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...
is the main city of the Šumadija region and the Šajkača belongs to the traditional folk attire of Šumadija. Hence, they use the rebellious soul of the Hajduks against injustice and the characteristic Šajkača cap as their symbol.
The Đavoli are primarily an
anti-fascist
Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...
supporter group. One reason is the
Kragujevac massacre
The Kragujevac massacre was the mass murder of between 2,778 and 2,794 mostly Serb men and boys in Kragujevac, by German soldiers on 21 October 1941. It occurred in the German-occupied territory of Serbia during World War II, and came as a r ...
by
Nazi German soldiers during
World War II. About 7000 Serbian men and boys were murdered. Therefore, there is a deep-rooted antifascist attitude within the Đavoli. The group's traditional colors are mainly red which are also the colors of all the Radnički Kragujevac sports clubs. During games fans will often be clad in red, as well as official team merchandise, and other products. Red caps are especially popular, just like the first fans of
Radnički Kragujevac through which they were recognizable. Some also wear the Šajkača. Their style of supporting includes the use of flares and large flags, choreographies, chanting, and displaying banners. Instruments such as drums and trumpets often feature, similar to the supporters in
South America. This creates for the region a typical and distinctive atmosphere. Similar to the
Balkan Brass Band
Balkan brass, popularly known by the Serbian name ''Truba'' ( sr-Cyrl, Труба, "Trumpet"), is a distinctive style of music originating in the Balkan region as a fusion between military music and folk music. In recent years, it has become p ...
s during the
Guča Trumpet Festival
The Guča Trumpet Festival ( sr, Фестивал трубача у Гучи, Festival trubača u Guči), also known as the Dragačevski Sabor ( sr, Драгачевски сабор or ''Dragačevo Fair (Fete, Gathering or Assembly)'', ), is an an ...
in central
Serbia.
Friendships
They are in brotherhood with the organized fan group of
FK Zemun, the Taurunum Boys.
[The Blickfang Ultra, Edition Nr. 25, Radnički Kragujevac vs. Radnički Niš, Germany, 22 September 2012. p. 10] They have this relationship since 1998. It all began when a prominent Taurunum Boy member has lived and has a family in
Kragujevac
Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...
and the Taurunum Boys visited a barrage match back when
Radnički Kragujevac fought to enter the major leagues. Ever since then the brotherhood has been growing and growing, and today it has been passed to the younger generations. The Đavoli have also a long friendship with fans of
Sloga Kraljevo
Fudbalski klub Sloga Kraljevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Фудбалски клуб Слога Краљево) is a football club based in Kraljevo, in Serbia.
History
In 1909 former cavalry captain Mr. Delić came to Kraljevo from Šibenik and broug ...
, the Kasapi ("The Butchers"). This friendship can be seen during football and basketball matches, where they chant together in the stands. It also started recently good relations with the organized supporters of
Radnički Niš, the
Meraklije. Also have personal friendship with some fans of
Lech Poznan. Their relations began mainly through the mutual support of the growing local patriotism in the Serbian fan scene. There is a connection between the clubs as they share the year which they were founded, 1923. Also, both groups were founded in the same year, in 1989.
The name Radnički means "Labour's" in
Serbian
Serbian may refer to:
* someone or something related to Serbia, a country in Southeastern Europe
* someone or something related to the Serbs, a South Slavic people
* Serbian language
* Serbian names
See also
*
*
* Old Serbian (disambiguat ...
and its roots come from the relations which the clubs had with
Labour movements during the first half of the 20th century. Their often mentioned slogan is: "Radnička deca, radnička braća", which translates to "Workers children, workers brothers". Another connection is their
anti-fascist
Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...
attitude through similar tragedies which happened in both cities during the
World War II. In the city of
Kragujevac
Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...
the
Kragujevac massacre
The Kragujevac massacre was the mass murder of between 2,778 and 2,794 mostly Serb men and boys in Kragujevac, by German soldiers on 21 October 1941. It occurred in the German-occupied territory of Serbia during World War II, and came as a r ...
and in
Niš the
Bubanj massacre, both committed by
Nazi German soldiers, which had in both cities a strong influence on subsequent generations. All reasons, why the first top tier match between these clubs ended during the
2012–13 season especially in a respectful and peaceful atmosphere for each other, although they not played against each other for a long time.
[The Blickfang Ultra, Edition Nr. 25, Radnički Kragujevac vs. Radnički Niš, Germany, 22 September 2012. p. 13]
Trivia
In the former
Yugoslavia, the Đavoli were considered to be one of the most passionate fans. They also showed their passion outside of the stadium. Being a fan of
Radnički Kragujevac for some meant love for their team above all else, even their partners. Many of the male fans were fans before they got married, and so would take their future wives to the stadium and to tell them that this was their first and greatest love of their lives. So trying to explain his passion for the club. One even took his girlfriend to the stadium and told her the following sentence: ''"This is my first love, you're my second".'' Then he made her a marriage proposal and she accepted it. To date, there are fans who do the same. It has become something of a tradition. But there are also other examples. There was a fan who suddenly left the
Slava
Slava may refer to:
Ships
* ''Slava'' class cruiser, a modern Russian warship
** Soviet cruiser Slava (1979), now Russian cruiser ''Moskva'', a ''Slava'' class guided missile cruiser sunk during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
* Russian ba ...
(one of the most significant feast days for many
Serbs), attended the game and returned as if nothing had happened. Another story happened during a wedding. A couple of Radnički Kragujevac fans among the guests went quickly to the stadium, watched the game in their suits and returned quickly to the wedding. The current generation also carries the same passion.
Crveni Ðavoli today
![Red Devils Kragujevac2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Red_Devils_Kragujevac2.JPG)
The Đavoli grew again to a few thousand men strong organized fan group. Young and new generations from
Kragujevac
Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...
and
Šumadija District are accepting
Radnički Kragujevac as their club, becoming its loyal followers. Moreover, they have in own city the upper hand against local fans of the big
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
clubs
Crvena Zvezda and
Partizan Partizan may refer to:
Sport
* JSD Partizan, a sports society from Belgrade, Serbia, which includes the following clubs:
**AK Partizan, athletics
** Biciklistički Klub Partizan, cycling
** Džudo Klub Partizan, judo
**FK Partizan, association fo ...
, which certainly can not say too many towns in
Serbia by itself.
They are now one of the main Serbian supporter groups and are more known as ultras, not hooligans. Well organized they are always on the south side of the
Čika Dača Stadium
Čika Dača Stadium ( sr, Стадион Чика Дача) is a multi-use stadium in Kragujevac, Serbia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FK Radnički 1923. The stadium was named in memory of Danilo ...
, from where they fiercely support their club. Besides football, they also support other sports sections of the Radnički Kragujevac Sport Association, especially the basketball club Radnički Kragujevac, the handball club
RK Radnički Kragujevac
Rukometni klub Radnički ( sr-cyr, Рукометни клуб Раднички), commonly referred to as Radnički Kragujevac, is a men's and women's professional handball club based in Kragujevac, Serbia. It's a part of the Radnički multi-spo ...
and the volleyball club
OK Radnički Kragujevac
Odbojkaški klub Radnički ( sr-Cyrl, Одбојкашки клуб Раднички), commonly referred to as Radnički Kragujevac, is a men's professional volleyball club based in Kragujevac, Serbia. It's a part of the Radnički multi-sports ...
. The goal of the Đavoli is to return to the old strength like in the glorious late 1960s, to grow as a group and in his organization and the creation of a passionate atmosphere at Radnički's games, especially at home games but also on away games.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crveni Davoli
Ultras groups
Serbian football supporters' associations