Crvena zvezda players won the eleventh Champion of Yugoslavia title in the season 1972/1973. Two rounds before the end of the championship, the 10th June 1973, the red and white team secured the first place both theoretically and practically. During that season, marked by the 50th anniversary of Yugoslavian championships, the domination of our most successful club continued.
It was the 14th trophy for that generation of Crvena zvezda, which was – whether others admit it or not – the most successful, not only in the history of the red and white club, but also in the entire history of Yugoslavian football up to that moment. And in this champion race, Miljanić’s protégés proved once again, just like many times before, to be our most complete team. In addition to one of the strongest defenses, Crvena zvezda also had fierce offense, a characteristic of the team notable also in previous seasons. Offense and attack were the basis of the game. Only three defeats throughout the whole championship and the highest number of victories away from home.
This great triumph turns into a real feat if you consider the bad luck that followed the red and white troop throughout the championship. It happens very rarely that team - especially the winning team - is so cripples by injuries. Regularly or occasionally as far as eight players lacked on the team: Antonijević (military service), Krivokuća, Džajić, Janković, Aćimović (serious injury), Dujković, Đorić (unfit) and Filipović, who had a hard time recovering after a surgery. Some up to that moment little-known or completely anonymous players experienced a swift promotion: Olja and Vladimir Petrović, Keri, Jovanović, Nikolić, Panajotović and others.
As head coach, and guide on the route, Miljan Miljanić was the source of success and certainly one of the most responsible for the new title. The players who stood out most in the field were the most experienced sports-veterans: Pavlović, Dojčinovki, Džajić, Krivokuća, Aćimović, who were in control of the game. The national team debutants also played an important part on the team: Ognjen Petrović, Bogićević and Karasi, extraordinary Keri, as well as the greatest revelation of the Crvena zvezda School of football - Vladimir Petrović Pižon.
Red Star’s final standings in the rank: 34 21 10 3 71:28 52
Roster:
Zoran Antonijević 4, Jovan Aćimović 28-3, Zoran Bingulac 1, Vladislav Bogićević 32-1, Kiro Dojčinovski 28, Ratomir Dujković 8-5 received goals, Milovan Đorić 11, Slobodan Janković 17-3, Živorad Jevtić 2, Nikola Jovanović 12, Stanislav Karasi 32-17, Mihalj Keri 29, Branko Klenkovski 3, Petar Krivokuća 26-3, Vojin Lazarević 34-25, Dušan Nikolić 5, Mile Novković 14, Miroslav Pavlović 33, Aleksandar Panajotović 7, Vladimir Petrović 31-7, Ognjen Petrović 27-23 received goals, Sead Sušić 2, Zoran Filipović 17-5, Dragan Džajić 22-9.
Coach:
Miljan Miljanić