Dragan Mance

Dragan Mance (Serbian Cyrillic: Драган Манце, pronounced [drǎgan mǎntse]; 26 September 1962 – 3 September 1985) was a Yugoslav professional footballer who played as a striker. He spent the majority of his career at Partizan, earning a legendary status among the club's supporters.[1] Mance died in a car accident while traveling to a training session, 23 days before his 23rd birthday.[2]

Dragan Mance
Personal information
Full name Dragan Mance
Date of birth (1962-09-26)26 September 1962
Place of birth Zemun, FPR Yugoslavia
Date of death 3 September 1985(1985-09-03) (aged 22)
Place of death Zemun, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position(s) Striker
Youth career
1977–1980 Galenika Zemun
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1980 Galenika Zemun 2 (0)
1980–1985 Partizan 117 (42)
Total 119 (42)
National team
1982–1984 Yugoslavia U21 5 (4)
1983 Yugoslavia 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Mance started out at his local club Galenika Zemun, joining them at the relatively late age of 15. He quickly showed his promising talent, making his senior debut in the Yugoslav Second League at the age of 17. In September 1980, Mance was transferred to Partizan in exchange for experienced striker Slobodan Santrač who moved in the opposite direction.

Mance made his league debut for Partizan on 22 November 1980 in a 1–1 home draw with Sarajevo, coming on as a second-half substitute. He made five more league appearances until the end of the 1980–81 season. On 12 August 1981, Mance scored his first league goal for the club in a 1–0 home win over Radnički Niš. He finished the 1981–82 campaign with five goals in 21 league appearances. Mance was the team's leading scorer in the 1982–83 season, helping them win the Yugoslav First League after five years. He made 28 league appearances and scored eight goals in the following 1983–84 campaign.

In 1984–85, Mance again finished as the club's top scorer. He is arguably best remembered for scoring a spectacular long-range goal away at Queens Park Rangers in the first leg of the UEFA Cup second round. Despite a 2–6 loss at Highbury, Partizan progressed to the next round after defeating them 4–0 in the return leg at home.[3] Mance scored the opening goal of the match that was placed 70th on the list of the "Top 100 Greatest Matches" by Eurosport in 2009.[4]

In the summer of 1985, after much speculation, Mance signed a new four-year contract with Partizan which would keep him at the club until 1989. He eventually played his last match on 1 September 1985, scoring the team's second goal from the penalty spot to give Partizan a 2–1 home league win over Budućnost Titograd.[5]

International career

Mance was capped four times for Yugoslavia. He made his national team debut on 23 April 1983 in a friendly against France, a 0–4 away loss. His last cap came in November of the same year in another friendly versus France, a 0–0 home draw.

Death
Mance's tomb at Belgrade New Cemetery

Mance died on 3 September 1985 in a car accident on the road while driving in his Peugeot 205 to the team's training session.[6] He was buried at Belgrade New Cemetery.[7] His funeral was attended by 30,000 people.[8] Mance was survived by his parents, Ferdinand and Dušanka, and younger brother, Goran.

Career statistics

Club
Club Season League Continental Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Galenika Zemun 1979–80 10—10
1980–81 10—10
Total 20—20
Partizan 1980–81 60—60
1981–82 215—215
1982–83 3015—3015
1983–84 28840328
1984–85 2712633315
1985–86 520052
Total 1174210312745
Career total 1194210312945

International
National teamYearAppsGoals
Yugoslavia 198340
Total40

Honours
Partizan
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References
  1. "NA DANAŠNJI DAN: Otišao si Dragane, ostala je tuga (VIDEO)" (in Serbian). mozzartsport.com. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  2. "Tri decenije od smrti najomiljenijeg fudbalera Partizana: Mance - legenda koja živi" (in Serbian). blic.rs. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  3. "Europe's biggest second-leg comebacks". uefa.com. 24 April 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  4. "Meč Partizan-KPR među 100 najboljih" (in Serbian). b92.net. 16 September 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  5. "Došao je tiho i otišao u legendu - Dragan Mance (VIDEO)" (in Serbian). mozzartsport.com. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  6. "Božo Koprivica piše za "Blic": Manceov volej za večnost" (in Serbian). blic.rs. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  7. "Otiš'o si Dragane, ostala je tuga..." (in Serbian). pressonline.rs. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  8. "MOMCI, MALOČAS JE POGINUO NAŠ DRAGAN, TRENING JE ZAVRŠEN! Pre 34 godine poginuo je Dragan Mance! Žurio je na stadion i tragično nastradao, cela SFRJ je plakala za njim!" (in Serbian). alo.rs. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
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