OFK Beograd - Supporters

Supporters

OFK Beograd's fans are commonly known as Plava Unija (Blue Union) since 1994.

The whole story begins in 1911 when Beogradski Sportski Klub (BSK) was founded, a club who dominated the fields of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, but it was also known for one other thing, its fans.

The club's fans followed the team wherever it went, they carried the spirit and of the city of Belgrade in their hearts, and were always present in the clubs' hardest moments. Many things could've broken the enthusiasm of the fans, such as the war or constant name changes, but nothing could separate the fans from their beloved club.

The fans' modern history is not as glorious as it used to be, but one thing is sure – the old spirit is also present in the new fans' hearts.

An organized group appears for the first time in 1984 under the name of "Blue Thunders". The group lives under that name until 1990, but influenced by the rise of nationalism in Yugoslavia, they change their name to "Sokolovi". The group officially collapses in 1993 as football is nothing more than pure non-sense during that period in Serbia. The fans' love towards the club was certainly not forgotten and in 1994 a new group is founded – Blue Union Belgrade. The name says it all, as all the club's lovers unite to create what is today OFK Beograd's official fan group.

Every new beginning is complicated, one of the first things to do for the young group was to create a name for themselves and show that they exist. In any possible manner. Originality and aggressiveness towards the others proved to be the key to success. A confrontation with the club's board was inevitable since watching your team collapse slowly is not what the fans needed, but the Blue Union was the only one to stand up. Obviously, confrontations with other fan organizations of the same level happened, in an attempt by the Blue Union to get respected across Serbia. The group's participation in all events in the city put them shoulder-to-shoulder with the other organizations in the country already from the beginning. During that period, the group's friendship with Voždovac's fans, "Invalidi", officially begun. That friendship, over the years, has become something more and it is still the same today.

OFK Beograd has played in the "B" Division from 1996 to 1998, which was very interesting since they were the only team from the capital city of Belgrade. During those years, the group gains in expansion and under the slogan of "JEDAN TIM – JEDAN GRAD – JEDNO IME – BEOGRAD" follows the club throughout Serbia. The slogan translates to "One team – One city – One name – Belgrade".

When the "A" and "B" divisions made only one, the Blue Union started printing out their own newspapers. It was the first time such an initiative was taken by a club from Serbia. During every home game, every fan received a copy. Inside were articles about the club's past, its legends, the historic games, etc. Unfortunanely, there were only ten editions before the newspapers ceased to exist.

Originality, which is still strived for, was one of the most distinguishing characteristics of BU in that period. There are many examples, but here we will mention just some of them: while all other supporter groups were engaged in competition for the best looking and aesthetically most appealing banner, BU wore and presented awkward, ugly, hand made banners in all sizes; group didn’t care much for flamboyant choreographies or for the choreographies at all for that matter; pyrotechnics were all right but not a must; we renewed the terrace fashion of wearing turnover spitfire jackets and established the habit of wearing blue-collar workers overalls when following team on away games as a mean to make statement regarding social background of the group members. Also, we can mention the time when FK Milicionar, a pro-regime police-backed team, entered the first division the group reacted with creation of banner which bore a message “GOAL AGAINST REGIME”. Among other things, members of BU also reinstated the old ex-Yugoslav firms habit of “finding” local home crews when our team was on away matches, no matter which Serbian town or city was in question.

Crisis in Serbia during the spring of 1999. took its toll on complete football supporter scene and BLUE UNION was no exception. Pressure which was built up and directed toward our group culminated in those turmoil times and seriously damaged long-built reputation and prestige of all OFK BEOGRAD supporters and devoted fans. Project which was ultimately named “CLUB OF OFK BEOGRAD SUPPORTERS” is an attempt to restore all of the core values and principles which formed the character of fans of this renowned football club from Karaburma neighborhood.

BLUE UNION BELGRADE in 2004. celebrated 10th anniversary, but also two decades of organized supporting on Karaburma terraces. We can regard football season of 2002–2003. as a sort of overture to the mentioned celebration and it was during this season that the group started “REGULAR CHAMPIONSHIP AND CONSEQUENCES” and all of us remember big fuss which was caused by “It’s regular, istn it?” parole which was raised after the Sutjeska-OFK Beogard match and what was at a time a spontaneous form of protest against corruption in Serbian football, a menace that deprived supporters of the most precious thing in football – it's beauty.

BLUE UNION also formed a friendship with supporters of Dynamo Moscow, although this camaraderie started spontaneous, later it gained a more organized and serious form. Soon mutual visits and joint supporting on each other team games followed so today we can be proud on this great friendship with our Russian colleagues.

In latter history, group is still struggling to maintain genuine urban spirit which was Blue Union hallmark ever since forming. Organization was also improved and raised to a higher level including development of marketing, attracting new generations of supporters, improving aesthetic appeal of our choreographies which are now marked by our easily recognizable style. Periodically, group is engaged in production of complete assortment of supporter requisites and the profits of their sales are used to raise popularity of the club and finance the work of group. The OFK Beograd supporter web site – – must be also mentioned, because it represent a viable source of all actual information related to the OFK Beograd club, football in generally but also the supporter scene in Serbia, region and beyond that…All those activities and initiatives are undertaken with one and just one goal, a that is return of OFK Beograd to the paths of old glory and on the place that rightfully belongs him with the faithful army of supporters that follow him all the way to the top. Of course, it is needless to mention the repression to which supporters of our group were exposed all these years, and which we are managing to overcome somehow just as a whole plethora of other inhibiting factors that characterize the land and time we’re living in.

The Blue Union continues to support their beloved club even if the attendance at Omladinski Stadium is very low in the recent years. Since 1994, a lot of events happened, the younger people who were founding members of the group are still very present and active, and one thing is sure: the Blue Union is still proudly supporting OFK Beograd and will always be.