The history of FK Vojvodina began as the brainchild of a circle from the Novi Sad aristocracy. FK Vojvodina's team colors were inspired by SK Slavia Prague, and the two teams still share the same colors as of 2015.
Founding On 6 March 1914, in Sava Šijakov's weaving mill in the Temerinska Street 12, a group of students of the Serbian Orthodox high school established with the help of intellectuals and craftsman a football club in Novi Sad. The club was founded in secrecy, because the former Austro-Hungarian authorities banned larger organized gatherings of juveniles in the Vojvodina region which was inhabited mostly by Serbs. The club took the name Vojvodina, in order to emphasize the memory of the political-territorial unit of the Serbs in the "Serbian Vojvodina" in which the Serbs, at least on paper, get the same rights as all other citizens in the Habsburg Empire for which they have fought for years. The name Vojvodina means in Serbian a type of duchy, more specifically, a voivodeship. It derives from the word "vojvoda", and means "one who leads warriors" or "war leader".
Among the club founders on that day were the future textile industrialist Milenko Šijakov, the future university professor Vladimir Milićević, the future chemists Milenko Hinić, the future lawyers Radenko Rakić and Kamenko Ćirić, Gojko Tosić, Đorđe Živanov, Branko Gospođinački, the future doctor of law Kosta Hadži and others. The new club played its first match in the village of Kovilj against local club FK Šajkaš. Vojvodina played in bright blue colours and white shorts and won by 5–0. Svetozar Jocković, Jovan Ljubojević, Milorad Milićević, Dusan Kovačev, Jovan Jocković, Ozren Stojanovic, Sava Ignjačev, Gavanski, Predrag Stojanovic Ciga, Živojin Đeremov and Uros Čakovac entered the record books as the first players in the history of Vojvodina. The players were mainly pupils and students, who came from Prague in the summer holidays and played only that one match, because shortly before World War I broke out. The strict hand of the Austro-Hungarian authorities stopped all Serbian organizations in Novi Sad and Vojvodina was the first time in the situation to be shut down.fkvojvodina.com – Jedan jedini klub (1) – The one and only club (1)
The Millionaires team (1918–1944) After the liberation, Vojvodina resumed the work thanks to the enthusiasm of Serbian students from Prague. The first president of Vojvodina became Milenko Šijakov, son of weaving mill owner Sava Šijak, and the first secretary became Dr. Živko Bajazet, the longtime president of the Serbian merchant bank and member of the Sokol organization. The club financed solely by membership fees and by generous contributions as by Maks Grin, Daka Popović, the Novaković brothers, Ilija Balabušić and the members of Dunđerski family. Part of the Vojvodina players and management who studied in Prague, were also members of football club Slavia Prague. The Czech club supported the Vojvodina members during the difficult times before and during World War I and contributed in the development of the club. In 1920, was brought from Prague the first set of red and white jerseys. At the club meeting held on 23 July 1922, it was decided that in honour of Slavia Prague the red and white colors adorn the jerseys of Vojvodina. The coat of arms was also partially modeled after Slavia Prague's coat of arms, where the red star of the Czech team was replaced with the blue star, so that Vojvodina's coat of arms had all the colors of the Serbian flag. The first coach, technical director and chief organizer of Vojvodina was the lawyer Dr. Kosta Hadži, one of the main founder of Vojvodina and the Novi Sad Football Subassociation. Under his leadership, Vojvodina won the Novi Sad Subassociation league in 1926, which was the first trophy in its history. Vojvodina played with following players: Mihajlović, Živić, Kričkov, Popović, Vajs, Aleksić, Grgarov, Marjanović, Šević, Petrović, Dudás and Saraz. The club provided the first professional contracts to its players, and also brought professional players from abroad such as Czech Josef Čapek and Hungarians Sándor Dudás and Abraham Saraz.80 crveno belih godina by Vladimir Todorović and Miroslav Gavrilović, pag. 18 One of the best and most influential Vojvodina players at that time was Dušan Marković, an effective striker who played for Vojvodina from 1921 to 1935. End of the 1930s, Vojvodina brought many good players into the team, which was later known as the Millionaires team and one of the best was Jožef Velker, which became to a crucial player of the club. In 1932, 1934, 1935, 1937–1940, Vojvodina won the Novi Sad Football Subassociation league. Since then, Vojvodina begun having serious pretensions to gain promotion to the Yugoslav First League. The club failed to immediately make an impact, but during the season 1940/41, Vojvodina fought for the top.fkvojvodina.com – Vodja "milionera" – The leader of the "millionaires" The final stage of the championship was interrupted by the beginning of World War II, and the Axis bombing, mobilization and country's occupation made the continuation of the competition impossible.fk.vojvodina.com – Jedan jedini klub (1)
This period between the two world wars was marked by a fierce rivalry that existed in Novi Sad between Vojvodina and NAK.PREMOTAVANJE: Prozaida za Velkera at mozzartsport, 6-7-2015
The tragedy (1939–1944) During World War II, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was invaded and partitioned by the Axis powers, and its northern parts, including Novi Sad, were annexed by Hungary. One of the first decisions of the occupiers was the prohibition of Vojvodina and the confiscation of its property. Large parts of the club archives were destroyed by the new authorities, and most of the trophies which were won up to this time were lost. The local population was suppressed and many Serbian, as well as Jewish, Roma and other civilians, were murdered (including women, children and the elderly), perished in concentration camps, like the Šarvar concentration camp, or were expelled, including many Vojvodina members. But many citizens of all ethnicities – mostly Serbs, but also some anti-fascist and pro-Serb local Hungarians, Slovaks and others – joined the resistance and fought together against the fascist occupation, among them, many Vojvodina members. Especially bloody was 1942, when in a single sweep Hungarian troops killed over 4,000 local Serbs, Jews and Roma, mostly during the Novi Sad massacre. During the war, Vojvodina lost almost the entire team, among them: Božidar Petrović, Milan Simin and his brother Pera Simin, Dušana Šućov, Svetozar Džanić, Milan Stoja, Živko Brzak and Radovan Božin. Also many club officials and fans died.fk.vojvodina – Jedan jedini klub – (1)Zvonimir Golubović, Racija 1942, Enciklopedija Novog Sada, knjiga 23, Novi Sad, 2004, page 219.
Golden generation and the fifth force (1944–1961) Surviving club members, players and board members, led by Dr. Kosta Hadži, Đuro Živić, Branko Milovanović and Aleksandar Kanazir, initiated the restoration work of the club in 1944. On 24 July, in 1946, the new communist authorities decided the merger of three clubs from Novi Sad: Vojvodina, Slavija and Radnički under the new name Sloga Novi Sad. This met a lot of resistance among the population and the supporters continued to call the club Vojvodina. The club initially played in the Yugoslav Second League until it reached the promotion to the Yugoslav First League in 1948.
In 1950, after a long resistance by the supporters, the old name Vojvodina was returned. The following year, Vojvodina reached for the first time the Yugoslav Cup final and was the first team in Yugoslavia, which broke the myth of the so-called " Velika četvorka – the big four" (Red Star Belgrade, Partizan Belgrade, Hajduk Split, Dinamo Zagreb). This was the beginning of the so-called golden generation, which was known for its developed technical football. On 11 December, in 1955, Vojvodina played against Hajduk in Split and after an impressive football display from Vojvodina, the thrilled fans of Hajduk took the Vojvodina players on their shoulders and carried them from the field. In the 1950s, Vojvodina finished the seasons regularly in the top half of the table. In 1953, they finished the season as fourth, 1957 as second, 1959 as third and became the fifth force in the Yugoslav football. Also on the international stage Vojvodina had good results, so in 1957, where they reached the Mitropa Cup final, and two years later the semi-finals. During this period, the most influential players were Vujadin Boškov, Todor Veselinović, Zdravko Rajkov, Sima Milovanov, Dobrosav Krstić, Stevan Bena and Aleksandar Ivoš. Striker Todor Veselinović was the top scorer of the Yugoslav league in 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1961.fk.vojvodina.com – Jedna jedini klub (2)fk.vojvodina.com – Kralj strelaca – King of the shooters
Winning of the first championship (1960s) In 1962, Vojvodina was runners-up. However, the results deteriorated in the following seasons and Vojvodina even started fighting against relegation. In 1964 everything changed with Vujadin Boškov as the technical director and Branko Stanković as coach. Vujadin Boškov remodeled and modernized the club. The infrastructure was improved and a new sports center was built. It also organized a successful scouting network and the administration, headed by president Arsa Kovačević, was able to provide all necessary conditions for the competition. Coach Branko Stanković changed the style of play and shifted the emphasis on discipline and running. The only player who had a free hand was Silvester Takač, one of the best players of this generation. In 1966, Vojvodina won the Yugoslav first league for the first time with eight points ahead of second placed Dinamo Zagreb. Members of this generation were Silvester Takač, Ilija Pantelić, Žarko Nikolić, Ivica Brzić, Rajko Aleksić, Đorđe Pavlić, Dobrivoje Trivić, Stevan Sekereš, Đorđe Milić and Stevan Nešticki.