Urged on by the fact that the Whites have been systematically promoted in Croatia's capital for decades now, a group of our club's enthusiasts have taken the initiative to found a new HNK Hajduk Supporter Society in Zagreb. As all statistics point to Zagreb as the city with the largest number of Hajduk fans anywhere in the world, it is natural for the Zagreb units of Hajduk's army to wish to raise their organization to a higher level.
The contract between the new Society and Hajduk's Membership Department was signed on the day of the derby match with Dinamo. By virtue of this signature, the members of the new Society have become Hajduk members, with all accompanying rights and duties. Since one of the Society's main guidelines is the honor and respect for tradition, it is no accident that Zvonko Šimunić was chosen as its inaugural President. He is the son of Branko Šimunić, one of the founders of the initial Hajduk Supporter Society in Zagreb, which was founded as far back as 1949. The Vice President is award-winning journalist Danko Radaljac, while the Society's Secretary will be Mate Kukavica, a judge of the Zagreb Municipal Court.
In the spirit of upholding tradition, the first two members who signed up for the Society are Zdeslav Vukas and Filip Matošić. Even the most cursory knowledge of Hajduk's history must of course include both those last names. The former is the son of Hajduk's greatest ever player, the Bernard "Bajdo" Vukas, while the latter is the nephew of Hajduk's all-time top goalscorer, Frane Matošić.
Hajduk's Membership Department and the new Society plan to work together to reanimate Hajduk fandom in Zagreb. Their plans are both ambitious and far-reaching. The Zagreb Society's goal is to greatly increase their membership base by the end of the calendar year, and they hope also to provide a focal point for various activities which were previously customary for Supporter Societies.
The Zagreb Hajduk Supporter Society would like to express their gratitude to first and foremost Hajduk enthusiasts in Croatia's capital who were the driving force of the entire project and made wading through mounds of red tape purposeful and thus bearable. They would also like to thank Jasenko Ljubica and the Membership Department staff, who clearly understand that the thread linking together everyone who supports Hajduk is the wish for our club's better future.
