Supporters
Since their inception in 1960, Maribor have developed a loyal, passionate and dedicated fanbase and Maribor's fans are considered the best in the country. After Slovenia declared independence in 1991, most of the town's industry perished and over 25% of the population was unemployed. Still, the people remained loyal to the club. The club is by far the most popular football team in the country and is, in number of football supporters, second only to the Slovenia national football team. Besides the city of Maribor and the surrounding area, the club also has a large fan base in the regions of Styria (Štajerska) and Carinthia (Koroška), from which a number of fan groups emerged from places such as Ptuj, Ljutomer, Pragersko, and Šentilj. The club also draws a significant number of supporters from northern Upper Carniola (Gorenjska), with supporters located between Rateče and Kranj, and northeastern Lower Carniola (Dolenjska), in the area around Krško and Kočevje, as well as the capital city of Ljubljana itself. This is due to a large number of students and workers from eastern part of the country. A small number of supporters are also present in Ilirska Bistrica in the Slovenian Littoral (Primorska). Soon after the foundation of Maribor, the club was branded as the citizens club, while their city rivals Železničar Maribor has always been branded as the club of the working class. This was mainly because Maribor was seen, by the fans, as the successor of Branik Maribor, a club that folded in 1960. Many fans of Branik then started to cheer for Maribor, a club that was founded only couple of months later.
Since the establishment of the Slovenian league, 1. SNL, Maribor had the highest average attendance in almost every season to date (17 out of 21), and, overall, had more spectators on its home matches than the second and third most viewed clubs in the league combined. The highest attendance was in season 1996–97 when on average 5,289 people attended Maribor's matches, which is still a record in Slovenian club football. To date, Maribor is the only team in Slovenian league that gathered over 10,000 people during their league matches, achieving that number on several occasions. The highest attendance ever on a Slovenian league match was on 1 June 1997, when Maribor played against Beltinci (14,000). In addition, they are the only club that gathered over one million people on their matches in Slovenian league, since its foundation in 1991.
The club also has an ultras group called Viole Maribor established in 1989 which is, by numbers and organization, considered the biggest in Slovenia. The core of Viole consists of around 250 fans, while the whole group has over 500 official members. They are located on the southern stand of the stadium which has a capacity of just over 2,000. The most Maribor fans gathered on an away match in domestic competitions was in 2001, when 3,000 fans gathered in Ljubljana, while the most fans gathered on an away match abroad was in 2012 during the club's UEFA Champions League campaign, when over 1,000 fans gathered in Zagreb. Their biggest rivals are the Green Dragons of Olimpija Ljubljana. Recently another fan group emerged to support Maribor at their matches. The group is called ESS (East Side Supporters) and consists mostly of former members of Viole Maribor, now season tickets holders. They are, as the name implies, located at the east stand of the stadium.
Famous fans
- Famous, non football related, supporters with verifiable citations confirming their support for NK Maribor are listed on this list alphabetically.
- Zmago Jelinčič – Politician and head of the Slovenian National Party
- Franc Kangler – Politician and current mayor of Maribor
- Anže Kopitar – Professional ice hockey player and current member of the Los Angeles Kings
- Primož Kozmus – 2008 Olympic and 2009 World champion in hammer throw
- Tone Partljič – Writer, author, playwright, former politician (lifetime honorary season ticket holder)
- Primož Peterka – Former Ski jumper, two times FIS Ski Jumping World Cup champion
- Lojze Peterle – Politician and current Member of the European Parliament
- Zoran Predin – Musician, singer, songwriter, record producer
- Sasha Vujačić – Professional basketball player and current member of the Anadolu Efes S.K.
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Famous quotes containing the word supporters:
“No Government can be long secure without a formidable Opposition. It reduces their supporters to that tractable number which can be managed by the joint influences of fruition and hope. It offers vengeance to the discontented, and distinction to the ambitious; and employs the energies of aspiring spirits, who otherwise may prove traitors in a division or assassins in a debate.”
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881)
“His [O.J. Simpson’s] supporters lined the freeway to cheer him on Friday and commentators talked about his tragedy. Did those people see the photographs of the crime scene and the great blackening pools of blood seeping into the sidewalk? Did battered women watch all this on television and realize more vividly than ever before that their lives were cheap and their pain inconsequential?”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)
“The opposition is indispensable. A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, always learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters. For his supporters will push him to disaster unless his opponents show him where the dangers are. So if he is wise he will often pray to be delivered from his friends, because they will ruin him. But though it hurts, he ought also to pray never to be left without opponents; for they keep him on the path of reason and good sense.”
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974)