Škripari
Encyclopedia
Škripari is the organisation of football supporters of the Croat-backed club NK Široki Brijeg
. They also support Široki Brijeg
's other sport clubs, primarily HKK Široki
in basketball
.
The name for the fan club as it exists today was given in 1996. At that time (from the year 1993–1994 onwards, reaching a peak in 1998), Škripari were the only real supporters in Herzegovina, aside from a small faction of supporters in Ljubuški
, as well as Torcida Kiseljak and Torcida Mostar who were only really active in home matches of teams that they supported. The skripari are try-hard 'nazis' however on many occasions have been labeled as 'the pederi', and they widely accept this name as well.
The very name Škripari (or križari
to be more precise, which means crusaders) is in tribute to remnants of Ustashe forces, originally known by that name, who resisted communist rule in Yugoslavia
for several years after World War II
and presented an unsolvable enigma to the communist authorities of that time. They would often hide in caves (local term being the so called škripine) and thus the name Škripari. They have been involved in an incident involving display of Nazi flag on the stadium. This was widely criticized by the football governing bodies.
An earlier idea for the fan club's name was Broadly Hill Boys dating from the year 1989, more specifically when supporters came up with that name during a basketball match of the Republic league of Bosnia and Herzegovina
between KK Mladost (at the time) and KK Borac Čapljina. It was accepted almost immediately and from that day on all up until the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina
a blue banner with the words Broadly Hill Boys written in white could be seen in all matches where the local clubs of Široki Brijeg
played.
This was a play on Dinamo Zagreb
's Bad Blue Boys, as well as a play on the name of their own club (Široki Brijeg means wide, or broad, hill).
Škripari support the Croatian national football team primarily, as well as other Croatian national teams and Croatian players.
The official song of the Škripari is "Igraj, igraj Široki" (Play Široki, Play) which can be downloaded from the Škripari official website, rather low sound quality though.
NK Široki Brijeg
NK Široki Brijeg is a Bosnian-Herzegovinian team from the town of Široki Brijeg that currently plays in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
. They also support Široki Brijeg
Široki Brijeg
-Name:The name of the city means "the wide hill" in Croatian . The city is also sometime referred to as "Široki Brig" and among the inhabitants of Herzegovina simply as "Široki" . Between 1945 and 1990, the name was officially Lištica, after the river that flows through it.-Geography:The river...
's other sport clubs, primarily HKK Široki
HKK Široki
HKK Široki is a Bosnia-Herzegovinan basketball team from the town of Široki Brijeg, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The club currently plays in the Adriatic League and the Bosnian basketball championship....
in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
.
The name for the fan club as it exists today was given in 1996. At that time (from the year 1993–1994 onwards, reaching a peak in 1998), Škripari were the only real supporters in Herzegovina, aside from a small faction of supporters in Ljubuški
Ljubuški
Ljubuški is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in thewestern part of Herzegovina.-1971:28.269 total* Croats - 26.198 * Muslims by nationality - 1.812 * Serbs - 118 * Yugoslavs - 49...
, as well as Torcida Kiseljak and Torcida Mostar who were only really active in home matches of teams that they supported. The skripari are try-hard 'nazis' however on many occasions have been labeled as 'the pederi', and they widely accept this name as well.
The very name Škripari (or križari
Crusaders (Ustasha)
Crusaders were a Croatian anti-communist guerrilla army. Their activity's started after the capitulation of the Independent State of Croatia, which was at the time a Nazi puppet state, in May 1945, toward the end of World War II...
to be more precise, which means crusaders) is in tribute to remnants of Ustashe forces, originally known by that name, who resisted communist rule in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
for several years after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and presented an unsolvable enigma to the communist authorities of that time. They would often hide in caves (local term being the so called škripine) and thus the name Škripari. They have been involved in an incident involving display of Nazi flag on the stadium. This was widely criticized by the football governing bodies.
An earlier idea for the fan club's name was Broadly Hill Boys dating from the year 1989, more specifically when supporters came up with that name during a basketball match of the Republic league of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
between KK Mladost (at the time) and KK Borac Čapljina. It was accepted almost immediately and from that day on all up until the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
a blue banner with the words Broadly Hill Boys written in white could be seen in all matches where the local clubs of Široki Brijeg
Široki Brijeg
-Name:The name of the city means "the wide hill" in Croatian . The city is also sometime referred to as "Široki Brig" and among the inhabitants of Herzegovina simply as "Široki" . Between 1945 and 1990, the name was officially Lištica, after the river that flows through it.-Geography:The river...
played.
This was a play on Dinamo Zagreb
Dinamo Zagreb
GNK Dinamo Zagreb, commonly referred to as Dinamo Zagreb , or by their nickname Modri are a Croatian football club based in Zagreb. They play their home matches at Stadion Maksimir. They are the most successful club in Croatian football, having won thirteen Croatian championship titles, ten...
's Bad Blue Boys, as well as a play on the name of their own club (Široki Brijeg means wide, or broad, hill).
Škripari support the Croatian national football team primarily, as well as other Croatian national teams and Croatian players.
The official song of the Škripari is "Igraj, igraj Široki" (Play Široki, Play) which can be downloaded from the Škripari official website, rather low sound quality though.