Sloboda Tuzla

Founded
 Ground

**Fudbalski Klub Sloboda Tuzla** (English: Football Club Sloboda Tuzla) is a Bosnian professional football club based in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The English translation of the team's name is *Football Club Freedom*. The club is a member of the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina and has been active in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina since it was founded.

## History

### 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.[1]

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.*[1]*

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.[1]

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.

Panoramic view of the stadium

### 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.

### Bosnian First League 1993-2000

In
 1991 Sloboda was to be relegated from 1st Yugoslav league, but after
Croatian and Slovenian teams left Yugoslav 1st league Sloboda was there
for season 1992 but left leaugue with Željezničar, Sarajevo and Velež
after breakout of war. Until 2000 Sloboda played First League of NFSBiH,
 after 2000 Sloboda played Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Season 1994-1995 was first season of Bosnian First League,
Sloboda won Tuzla Group but lost in First Play Off Round from Bosna
Visoko,and reached finals of National Cup, but lost to Čelik Zenica.

Next season saw Sloboda wining third place in League, top scorer
was Nedim Omerović with 17 goals, same thing happens again in Cup,
losing to Čelik.

In season 1996-1997 Sloboda declined and ended up tenth in First
League. In Season 1997-1998 Sloboda missed Championship Playoff with
Croat teams by 3 points.

Season 1998-1999 was turbulent one, by the end of first half of
championship Sloboda was in relegation zone, on winter Mustafa Hukić
took club over and made great success by reaching fifth place.

Season 1999-2000 started with huge expectations, fans expected
great things, but on August 7th manager of Sloboda Mustafa Hukić died in
 car crash, and Sloboda ended up in 7th place and runner up in 3 team
finals of National Cup.

Number of great players played for team during these years such
as Vedin Musić, Muhamed Konjić, Sakib Malkočević, Nedim Omerović.

### Federal league, back in top flight 2012-

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.[2]

## Honours

### National

Active competitions
* Bosnian Premier League: (1st tier)
	+ Runners-up (1): 2015–16
* First League of FBiH: (2nd tier)
	+ Winners (1): 2013–14
* Bosnian Cup:
	+ Runners-up (6): 1994–95, 1995–96, 1999–2000, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2015–16

Defunct competitions
* Yugoslav First League: (1st tier)
	+ Third Place (1): 1976–77
* Yugoslav Second League: (2nd tier)
	+ Winners (1):: 1958–59
* Yugoslav Cup:
	+ Runners-up (1): 1970–71

### European

* UEFA Intertoto Cup:
	+ Winners (1): 1983