Dragan Mance (, ; 26 September 1962 â 3 September 1985) was a Serbian and Yugoslav footballer who played as a striker. He spent the majority of his career at Partizan, earning a legendary status among the club's supporters. Mance died in a car accident while traveling to a training session, at age 22.
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 SantraÃÂ who moved in the opposite direction.
Mance made his league debut for Partizan on 22 November 1980 in a 1âÂÂ1 home draw with Sarajevo, coming on as a second-half substitute. He made five more league appearances until the end of the 1980âÂÂ81 season. On 12 August 1981, Mance scored his first league goal for the club in a 1âÂÂ0 home win over RadniÃÂki Nià ¡. He finished the 1981âÂÂ82 campaign with five goals in 21 league appearances. Mance was the team's leading scorer in the 1982âÂÂ83 season, helping them win the Yugoslav First League after five years. He made 28 league appearances and scored eight goals in the following 1983âÂÂ84 campaign.
In 1984âÂÂ85, 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 2âÂÂ6 loss at Highbury, Partizan progressed to the next round after defeating them 4âÂÂ0 in the return leg at home. 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.
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 2âÂÂ1 home league win over BuduÃÂnost Titograd.
At international level, Mance was capped four times for Yugoslavia. He made his national team debut on 23 April 1983 in a friendly against France, a 4âÂÂ0 away loss. His last cap came in November of the same year in another friendly versus France, a 0âÂÂ0 home draw.
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. He was buried at Belgrade New Cemetery. His funeral was attended by 30,000 people. Mance was survived by his parents, Ferdinand and Duà ¡anka, and younger brother, Goran.
Partizan