Jim Milisavljevic

Jim Milisavljević

Personal information
Full name	Dragoljub Milisavljević
Date of birth	(1951-04-15)15 April 1951
Place of birth	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Date of death	23 February 2022(2022-02-23) (aged 70)
Place of death	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Position(s)	Goalkeeper, Striker
Youth career
1961-1968	Footscray J.U.S.T
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1968–1975	Footscray J.U.S.T
1978–1985	Carlton Serbia
International career
1973-1974	Australia	0	(0)
Managerial career
	Carlton Serbia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Dragoljub "Jim" Milisavljević (Serbian Cyrillic: Драгољуб Милисављевић; (15 April 1951- 23 February 2022) was an Australian soccer player, referee, coach and administrator, who played as a goalkeeper. He was a member of the Australian 1974 FIFA World Cup squad in West Germany, and represented the state of Victoria. Throughout his career he played club football for Melbourne sides Footscray J.U.S.T and Carlton Serbia.

Biography

Milisavljević was born in Melbourne on 15 April 1951 .From a Serbian background Jims father Slavoljub a Serbian kings guard was a prisoner of war held in a German Camp, He came to Australia via Italy on ship with wife Milica and Jim’s (brother)older sibling in 1949 when the war was over as he couldn’t go back to his motherland .A natural athlete, Milisavljević took to both soccer and Australian rules football in his youth. At age 10 he joined Melbourne's Yugoslav community club Footscray J.U.S.T. whilst simultaneously playing Aussie rules at school, eventually leading to a junior leave stint at the Carlton Football Club. He made his senior debut for J.U.S.T in 1968 at the age of 17 as a reserve to Marko Fode. It was at this point that Milisavljević deciding to commit himself to soccer and departed the Carlton Football Club. He would later credit his rugged goalkeeping skills to his Australian Rules Football background.

In 1970 Milisavljević became the first choice goalkeeper at J.U.S.T. During this period he also began represented the Victorian state team at youth level, captaining the Under-21s team and making his senior debut in 1973. Milisavljević's greatest professional honour came in 1974, when coach Rale Rašić selected him to represent Australia in goals alongside team mates Jack Reilly and Allan Maher at the 1974 FIFA World Cup in West Germany.

Following the tournament Milisavljević underwent (his third) wrist surgery which significantly setback his goalkeeping abilities. One of Milisavljević's carrier highlights came in the 1975 Ampol Night Cup when he scored the match-winning goal for J.U.S.T in his last game for the club, triumphing over South Melbourne Hellas after being put on as an impact striker during extra-time by coach Čedo Ćirković. Milisavljević went on to become a qualified soccer referee, though his career was cut short due to the introduction of age limitations that prevented him from adjudicating senior matches.

In 1978 Milisavljević returned to soccer joining lower tier side Carlton Serbia as a coach and (utility) player. Following his second retirement from active football Milisavljević remained with Carlton Serbia in an administrative capacity, helped drive the club towards further promotions at state level. He would later serve as a commissioner in Football Victoria and a functionary at Springvale White Eagles F. C. In his later years Milisavljević continued providing coaching tuition to aspiring goalkeepers whilst remaining an active figure in Australia's soccer community.

Milisavljević died on 23 February 2022 in Melbourne. His funeral liturgy was held at the Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church, Brunswick East, and was buried in Springvale Botanical Cemetery. He is survived by his wife Milica, son Milan, daughter Miriam, and his seven grandchildren Stefan, Marko, Kristijan, Jovana, Petar, Nikola, and Luka.