February 13, 1911. – October 7, 1979.
It should be noted that Šime Raunig scored the maiden goal at Stari Plac, on June 11, 1911, in a game against local team Calcio, whereas the final goal came on September 5, 1979, when Mišo Krstičević scored in the League derby against Dinamo Zagreb.
Before the foundation of Hajduk, this area, abutting the old Municipal Gas Works, was used exclusively as an exercise ground for the Imperial Army of Austria. The local population therefore nicknamed it the King's Field, Krajeva njiva in the Split dialect.
After many applications and endless difficulties, and by virtue of some rather clever logic, Hajduk was cleared to use this exercise ground for sporting activities. Not much work was needed to convert the military exercise ground into a 100 by 60 meter playing field. However, the long side was east to west, which presented a significant obstacle to football players because of the Sun's path. The ground was also, typically for Split, somewhat stony, making it a hard and dangerous surface for anyone attempting to play football on it.
Seating for spectators along the northern and southern edge of the field consisted of beer barrels topped by flanks. This was later "modernized" into borrowing actual chairs from restaurants, coffee shops and bars in the area – and even from private homes.
Hajduk's facilities were in this primitive (but quaint) state for a full eight years, not counting the four years of war. Then, in 1923, the first major change was made. The field was reoriented so that the long side was now north to south, which finally limited the effects of sun glare. Also, the playing field was expanded to the more common size of 105 by 70 meters. The ground itself, though, was just as hard and stony as before.
The first stand, covered and made of wood, was erected in 1926, to commemorate the occasion of Split hosting the Sokolski slet, a youth athletics gathering popular at the time. However, a fire destroyed the stand before it was a year old. It was three years later that another wooden, covered stand was built, with a capacity of 900. This stand was destroyed during WW2, partly due to aerial bombardment, and partly because members of the Italian occupying force demolished the remains for firewood and other uses.
In 1949, as the country was beginning to recover from war, large-scale works on the Stari Plac, the "Old Ground," began. Although there was no grass pitch as yet, a drainage system was installed and a stand built in the west of the field with a capacity of 1400. Ten years later, the sandy pitch was replaced with grass, while the temporary eastern stand did not make its appearance until much later.
The Stari Plac remained in this shape until Hajduk moved to Poljud in 1979.
Such was the life of this celebrated Hajduk ground. It was home to numerous generations of excellent football players, the staging ground of countless unforgettable games, and the place where great Split sporting triumphs were celebrated. This abundance of inspiring tradition continues to excite players and supporters of the Whites of all generations.
Champion of Yugoslavia - 9 titles
Champion of Croatia - 3 titles
Winner of Yugoslav Cup - 6 titles
