FK Sloboda Tuzla

Foundation

FK Sloboda Tuzla was founded in 1919, as a part of the Labour Sport Society Gorki, named after the great socialist Russian poet Maxim Gorky. The football club and the labour society was popular in a wide part of the sporting public in Tuzla and beyond. The club was formed on the initiative of the Tuzla branch of the newly formed Communist party of Yugoslavia, under the influence of the ideas of the October revolution of 1917 and revolutionary movements in Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina as its integral part.

After the initial congress of unification and the creation of the Socialist Labour Party (Communists) in Yugoslavia that took place in Vukovar, Croatia in 1919, the first conference of the Tuzla municipal organisation of the SWPY(c) took place on 17 October 1919 in Tuzla. The elected party council decided on the same day to start with the formation of a worker's sporting society. The official founding of the club took place in the end of October 1919, and gathering was led by Jovo Sretenović, Mato Vidović, Safet Hadžiefendić, Ljubko Simić, Niko Trifković and Petar Dugonjić.

The men elected into the first Board of directors of the club were: Leonard Bancher, Mato Vidović, Niko Trifković, Stjepan Brkljačić and Alfred Puhta, Mijo Cuvaj and Ahmed Mandžić, Franto Bauzek (locksmith), Emil Kranjčec, Jakov Čurić and Petar Dugonjić, Franjo Miškovski, Safet Hadžiefendić, August Mot and Karlo Schwartz. The origin of the original name of the sporting society, Gorki, was explained by Petar Dugonjić:

When the final preparations for the organising meeting were being dealt with, it was suggested that the club be named Sokolović, after Mićo Sokolović, a known worker's rights activist. Then Mitar Trifunović noticed: "People, few will know that we named the Club after our Mića. Most will think of Mehmed-paša Sokolović". The practical Franjo Rezač insisted we go to the meeting with a concrete name suggestion. Mitar Trifunović then said: "If no one objects, I would suggest the club bears the name of Maxim Gorky". I remember it well. Afterwards the name was accepted with enthusiasm at the meeting.

The first headquarters of the club was in Rudarska Street in Tuzla, not far from Skver is today. Afterwards the headquarters moved to the building of the Jewish Bank, then to the Grand Hotel and then back to Rudarska Street. The games were played on two fields – the first one was called the Communist playground between what today are the Chemical and Mechanical high-schools and the second one was the field where the Braća Ribar primary schools stands.

All the players were workers, and the Gorki first team had the following players: Mirko Veseli, Peri Mot, Karlo Krejči, Santo Altarac, Ivica Šifer, Franto Bauzek, Mijo Josić, Lorenc Ajhberger, Vili Zaboš, Slavko Zafani, Ahmed Mandžić, Alfred Puhta, Jozo Vikić, Malaga Mustačević, Dragoslav Stakić and several others. The coach was Brato Gamberger, former player of HŠK Zrinjski.

The club mostly played against other Tuzla football clubs. Namely, at the time of the formation of FK Gorki there were three other football clubs in Tuzla, Zrinjski, Obilić and Makabi, based around the Croatian, Serbian and Jewish population of Tuzla. In 1921 the Bosniak club Bura was also formed. Unlike these confessional clubs, FK Gorki was multinational and accepted members of all faiths and ethnicities.

It is important to note that the official ground of Tuzla in this period was the field of HŠK Zrinjski built in 1928 on the road to Solina from Brčanska Malta with the help of Kalman Liska, a wood merchant and president of HŠK Zrinjski.

FK Sloboda

In 1924, because of the country-wide ban of communist activities, FK Gorki was banned by the government of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes under the orders of the infamous Obznana. There was an attempt to form another worker's club, called Hajduk, but this was also banned in 1924.

Foundation and activity between 1927–1941

Thanks to the perseverance of labour activists, on 20 November 1927 the Labour-cultural and sporting society Sloboda (Bosnian: Radničko-kulturno sportsko društvo Sloboda) was formed in Tuzla. The society initially had four sections: Sports, Tamburica, Choir and Amateur theatre. The first team of the sports section was: Karlo Mot, Nikola Kemenc, Suljo Nezirović, Alfred Puhta, Safet and Ešo Isabegović, Oto and Ivica Milinović, Josip Leder and Muho Mujezinović, Karlo Schwartz, Vlado Mileusnić, Jozo Kemenc, Rihard Žlebnik, Mujo Begić and many others.

In the beginning of 1928, the sports section becomes independent and renames itself to RSK Sloboda. Although officially under the influence of social-democrats, communists continue to have a substantial influence in the club, hence it is a continuation of the formerly banned FK Gorki. That is the reason the year of foundation is always considered to be 1919, the year when Gorki was formed and not 1928. The first game played by the new club was against FK Solvaj from Lukavac. Because of the discontinuation of several other Tuzla football clubs, like Obilić nad Bura, many players transferred to Sloboda and in 1928 it had a formidable team that consisted of the following players: Asim Mulaosmanović, Muho Mujeznović, Dejan Vujasinović, Mujko Mešković, Meša Selimović, Abdurahman Mujezinović Smrt, Vlado Mileusnić, Karlo Mot, Ivan Majer and others. It is a very interesting fact that Mehmed Meša Selimović, one of the greatest Bosniak writers of all time, played in Sloboda at this period.

Re-foundation in SFRY and rise to the top 1945–1992

During the time of former Yugoslavia, FK Sloboda was active in the Yugoslav First League and the team had much success, despite never winning the title. The best result was achieved in 1977 when FC Sloboda has qualified for the UEFA cup 1977–78. Unfortunately, Las Palmas from Spain was stronger, 5–0 in Spain for Las Palmas and 4–3 for FK Sloboda in Tuzla. This is a club with very rich history in former Yugoslavia giving many stars such as Mesud Nalić, Omer Jusić, Rizah Mešković, Mersed Kovačević, Fuad Mulahasanović, Ismet Hadžić, Dževad Šećerbegović, Mustafa Hukić, Midhat Memišević as well as young players members of U-20 national team such as Isanović, Ćulumarević, Milošević, Hajrulahović, Jogunčić.

Decay, Federal league, back in top flight

After 42 years Sloboda was relegated to Federal league in 2011-12 season. They came back after their 2nd season of being relegated. They were the leaders of the first part of the 2015–16 Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of March 7, 2016 the team are on an 18-game unbeaten run in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina dating back to November 18, 2014.

Supporters

Home team supporters from Stadion Tušanj are known as Fukare Tuzla established in 1987. The name originated from Red-Black Killers in the early 1970s.

Domestic

European

European record

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Managers