The defeat against Banat, which had experienced adult players, did not discourage the boys of Zvezda. On the contrary, they devoted themselves even more to training and played two away matches – the first in Bašaid and the second in Baodra. In these games, Zvezda also included a few former Jedinstvo players, which added physical strength to the team, but it came at the cost of the technical combination play that had been their trademark. Had they continued this way, Zvezda probably would not have fared better than Banat.
Fortunately, Zvezda took advantage of the fact that young, talented players had been sidelined at Banat. These players no longer had a chance to join the first team, nor did they feel any connection to the club for which they had worked hard and spent their last dinars on equipment to support. They moved to Zvezda, giving the team a greater selection of talented youth and freeing up space for their development, while removing older players who might have slowed the team’s progress.
Among the gifted young footballers, Stevan Mojić and Stanimir Blažin stood out. Mojić was slightly ahead, with excellent game vision, making him the main playmaker. His wisdom, precise dribbling, and powerful shot made him a player capable of threatening the opponent’s goal on his own. Unfortunately, life took him away from football at an early age, a great loss for Novi Bečej sports.
The talented full-backs Vlaidiša Kiprović and Branko Juanin also made a significant contribution, complementing each other perfectly. While Kiprović was calm and composed, Juanin was energetic and impulsive, often joining the attack, but Kiprović always managed to clear danger and protect the defense.
Other skilled young players included Sredoje Baračkov — Gadža and Ištvan Berta, both with significant experience and a longer playing history.
The most common Zvezda lineup in 1937 was:
- Goalkeeper: Đoka Vratan
- Full-backs: Vlaidiša Kiprović, Branko Juanin
- Half-line: Stanimir Blažin, Bora Kovačev, Sredoje Baračkov
- Attack: Ivan Garčev, Stevan Mojić, Ištvan Berta, Bora Zavišić, Dušan Vlajovanov
Occasionally appearing were Aca Majinski, Jovan Perić, Bogdan Boškov, and Jovan Petkanić. All were young men aged 15 to 17.
In 1937, Bora Kovačev joined the team. Older and physically stronger than the other players, with significantly greater football knowledge, his arrival greatly strengthened the squad. However, due to the physical immaturity of most players, results still fell short of the team’s true potential.
Zvezda cultivated a beautiful, technically polished, and combination-based style of play. Bora Kovačev always subordinated his quality to the collective, showing remarkable fairness and commitment.
The following year, matches were played more frequently, almost every week, contributing to the team’s cohesion and development. That year, 15 matches were played, including games against the strongest clubs from neighboring towns. Notable victories included a 5:2 win over Kosova from Kikinda in Novi Bečej, a 7:3 victory against Poštar from Belgrade, and a draw with Švebiš from Petrograd.
The Zvezda team of 1936 that defeated Hajduk in Baodra 1:0:
Standing from left to right: Rada Pinćin, Kasijan Malešev, Vladeta Jovanović, Stanimir Blažin, Milenko Garčev, Bora Zavišić, Bogdan Boškov, Stevan Mojić, Aca Majinski, and Miša Glavaški.
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