One of the leaders of the Partizan team, nicknamed Šule, recently had a significant interview with the Russian website rbworld.org. They discussed the participation of Partizan fans in a tournament in Moscow.
– When was your first football match?
My first trip to a football match took place when i was 16 years old. Then my friend and me went to the stadium and chosed to be here for whole life – started Šule story.
– Many people know that you’re no longer in the East tribune with the group known as the “Forbidden” (Zabranjeni) and now you are on the “South” (the stand called Tribine Jug where stay Alkatraz and many other Grobari groups). Can you explain the details and the whole situation?
Yes, you are right that really happen. However i want to say that part of Zabranjeni left on East stand due to reasons wich dont need explanation. They took that reason for granted and left on East stand. I believe that one day they will return to South. But that is only guess and no one cant be sure that they will return. We understand them, and they understand us- that si most important. Now i would like to say why we return to South stand. We could not hold off big tickets price (cost of Zabrenjeni is 3-4 bigger then the fans on South) problems with club and police, and all of that are small problems due to biggest one – Red star fans. Red star fans right away use our chaos on stand. They used to start attack on 2 smaller groups and 1 big group. They think that this is war, they attack masked, from behind. That was main reason for return on South. Now we are one big group and white-red (Red Star) will not be able to defeat us. Red Star fans are strong and organized, but very weak individuale. We are brave but we dont have numbers, and becasue of that we lose. Thats why we will stay together and unite again!
– Can you tell, was there any conditions for return from South stand?
Yes we meet with leaders from South stand and send our terms. Now on South stand the decisions wont be made only by Alcatraz but from everyone, all together. This would bring progress for our stand. And i can tell we get only accsess to stand, nothing else.
– So where CSKA Moscow fan wich decide to visit Partizan match should go?
That choice is on CSKA fan. If he go to South or East we will support that decision. He is welcome on both tribunes.
– What is relationship with Ivan Perović family?
We make contact with Ivans father. Even more-he is member of our forum. But he is not happy about our return to South, what we can understand. In the same time he knows that return on South is in interess for “growing” the quality of our community.
– Zabranjeni passed 4 years. What are best moments from that period?
Our victory at the beggining was creation of crystal clear group in wich every partizan fan live only for him. At the beggining, we get slapped in the face with stadium bans, problems with Partizan club management, and big police repressions. People who were on Partizan matches for 20 years, could not enter stadium. We were at womens basketball match-supported the club with heart. We started with 30 people at basketball matches and at the end came to 2 500 at football match. We became ideal model – Grobari style. They start to copy us, South start to sing our songs, copy our dresscode, and we became example for other supporter groups in Serbia. We had actions but that was not our goal. We had banners and main goal was to pay tribute to our club. We started to look that strugle with different eyes. I would love to mention 3 fights with Zvezda fans:
First one in Niš, where we manage to win. Zvezda attacked our smaller group but they encounter big force. We had heavy loses but we manage to win. That is part of story where gypsis (Zvezda fans) get serious oponent.
Second was held in new Belgrade. It was like Niš – 20 our guys won against 30 Red Star fans.
Third battle happened in Železnik (part of Belgrade) before the derby. Red Star fans realise that they were defetead so they try to revenge. 120-130 people armed to bone, 30-35 of ours lads. They smashed us. 2 of our guys were beaten in head and their arms were broken. I have to say that Red Star prepared for this fight for few years. They hided behind corner from where they attacked us. 3 years later im proud and i can say that Zabranjeni became brand.
– In Serbia there is no togetherness at rival groups. How you fell about that?
It is part of serbian mentality. We try to offer Red Star fans 50v50 only hands-no weapons, but then they realize that is easier to attack with weapons when they have bigger number. People who fights only when in bigger number lose in fair fights, but seems that no one cares about it. My personal oppinion for that is horrible. But we, Grobari will try to educate our people and that is our main goal. Broken arm can be recovered but dead man cant return.
– You said that you are brothers with rival fans. What are main diference between Red Star amd Partizan fans?
Red Star fans are well organized. And their action pass well in capital city. Simply they have bigger number than us. To be fan in Belgrade is 24 hours in day, 7 days in week and 365 days in the year. You see, i m not gangster but in Belgrade i have to live like a bandit. I fight without weapons, beacuse im not criminal. But Red Star fans use guns in fights with pleasure. When you go to work for example you can see group of Red Star fans on the street who want to kill you because you support other club. So there is problems with weapons – yes. As long you win fight hands to hands, your opponent will use gun to shot you. That is crime but crime in Belgrade is in close with fanatism.
– You came to Moscow to support CSKA.
I follow the scene in Russia, we have so much to learn from you. Our club is found same as CSKA, so we became brothers. This relationship will continue to grow.
– What you expect from brotherhood in the future?
A lot of our lads was visitting CSKA when your club played in Champions League, and i can confirm that this season the tradiotion will continue. CSKA Moscow & Partizan Belgrade – Orthodox brothers for whole life!
