Möre BK v Söderåkra AIK, Swedish regional division 6

 

Möre BK 1-0 Söderåkra AIK
Swedish regional division 6, tier 8
Thursday 25 June 2026, kick-off 19:00
Loverslunden, Hagbytorp
Crowd: officially 65, but I counted 80 midway through 1st half

With daytime temperatures here around 30 C and higher forecast for the weekend it's best that lower league matches are played in the evenings when the sun isn't so intense. Nevertheless it was a very hot evening with no breeze to provide a little coolness so I can imagine the players were mighty tired after this. This ground is a short hop from home, about 20 km south of Kalmar. Möre BK are a relatively new club, the result of a merger, but their website doesn't have any historical information so I can't give any historical details here. The club name refers to the area rather than any specific place. Söderåkra is a nearby village with almost 1,000 inhabitants and the club was founded back in 1938. So this was a bit of a derby and there were quite a few away fans.

Both clubs sit in mid-table in the local division 6 (Kalmar/Öland) and certainly want to go into the short summer break (no local football in July) with a few more points. The hosts play in red and black and the visitors in all blue. 

The ground

This is a lovely rural ground surrounded by a variety of trees, particularly tall ones on the east and north sides. The atmosphere is very relaxed and once again I guess that most of the people were friends and family of the players. There are changing rooms and a kiosk beside the entrance and then the west side has the dugouts and long benches for the spectators. The opposite side has an electronig scoreboard and a long simple bench and behind the trees is a training pitch. There are basic floodlights though I don't know if they are used for matches.

I managed to get my half time tea but it took time for the guy to find the kettle. As I have mentioned rather often here tea is not big at football matches in Scandinavia but the people at local grounds generally find a way to oblige even if tea isn't officially on the menu. The players took refreshment breaks in each half and the temperature didn't fall much below 30 C at any point.

The match

Möre held on to the three points after a tight and fiercely contested match. Chances were few and far between but both sides fought for every ball with some crinching tackles. The only goal came after 17 minutes when Isak Olsson got the ball on the right side of the box and fired home in the small gap between the diving keeper and the post. Söderåkra probably had more of the play in the first half but couldn't really make much impact apart from a shot off the post.

At half time neither team wanted to go into the probably hot and stuffy changing rooms and elected to sit on the field for their tactical discussions. The second half was pretty even but the hosts probably had the edge forcing a few fine saves from the visitors' keeper Nilsson. Söderåkra tried hard to force an equaliser but the home defence held out and were very relieved to hear the whistle. They now have one game left before the summer break until the second week in August.

Helsingborgs IF v GIF Sundsvall, Swedish Superettan

 

Helsingborgs IF 5-2 GIF Sundsvall
Swedish Superettan, tier 2
Sunday 21 June 2026, 15:00 kick-off
Olympia stadium, Helsingborg
Crowd: 5,131

A day trip down south to Helsingborg, Sweden's ninth largest city with just over 116,000 inhabitants. It's also the closest city to Denmark with only 3.7 km over the water to neighbouring Helsingør, 20 minutes by ferry. More about the city at the end of this post.

Helsingborgs IF, or simply HIF as everyone calls them, are big names in Sweden having won the championship seven times plus five cup wins but have had lean times recently spending most of their time in the second tier with a few brief visits in the top league; the last time was 2022. Their last title win was in 2011, managed by the legendary Henrik Larsson who both played for and later managed HIF, as well as becoming a folk hero in Glasgow with Celtic and playing no less than 106 times for Sweden. The set-up at Olympia, their home since their foundation in 1909, deserves top league football and although today's attendance was modest they have a big following and can fill the stadium when things are going well. The city longs for a return to the big time but this league is not so easy to get out of as several other leading clubs have discovered over the years. The intense derby matches against Malmö FF are particularly missed though their rivalry with nearby Landskrona BoIS is a good alternative for the time being.

This season has been frustrating for HIF mixing encouraging wins with embarrassing defeats, particularly a painful 0-3 defeat at home to rivals Landskrona a couple of weeks ago. They occupy a mid-table position but need to put together a few wins to climb into the promotion race. The visitors today, GIF Sundsvall, are in a perilous position sitting bottom of the table with only 9 points after 13 games and only 11 goals to their credit. GIF have spent quite a few seasons in the Allsvenskan in recent years but are now facing a tough struggle to avoid dropping into the regional division 1 and at the moment there are few positive signs to note.

So, this is a game that HIF need to win to keep them at least on the fringe of the promotion race.

The ground

Olympia has been rebuilt in recent years and is now a comfortable modern all-covered stadium with a capacity of 16,000. The usual facilities of a modern ground are all there with executive boxes, restaurants, a fan pub and a home supporters' end with safe standing. I didn't know this beforehand but today was the last game on the old grass pitch and after the match fans were invited to wait outside where they could get a slice of Olympia turf to take home and treasure. I didn't feel the need to take home a piece of turf and also had a train to catch so I didn't hang around to see how the turf distribution was handled.

Food and drink

As you may have read in previous posts I usually eat before matches since, especially in Sweden, there is usually nothing on sale for vegetarians like me. So I was already well fed before this match but had to check the kiosk menu and to my amazement they had both veggie sausages and veggie burgers for sale! Nothing spectacular but still, better than most clubs. Gold star to HIF! They even had tea. Two gold stars.

The match

As the old cliché goes, it was a game of two halves. The first was slow, nervous and rather dull with few chances. The visitors started well and had most of the pressure in the opening 15 minutes. HIF took over possession but their attacks fizzled out around the penalty area. Then after 33 minutes Malte Hallin headed in a corner from the left and the small band of intrepid away fans (10 of them I think) celebrated. Here we go again said a few home fans around me, anticipating another embarrassing match, but HIF managed to raise their game and started threatening. The pressure paid off a few minutes before the break when the powerful Kevin Nyarko stabbed the ball home after a nice through pass. Half time arrived and we wondered if the hosts could raise their game further in the second.

After the break it was all HIF as they piled on the pressure and the Sundsvall defence looked increasingly vulnerable. Nyarko provided the pass and found Gigovic free around the penalty spot and made no mistake. The relief was tangible around the ground. Two minutes later it was 3-1 after the defence failed to clear a ball and Max Svensson shot home from the left. HIF were now dominant and creating plenty of chances with midfielders Nordin and Bengtsson as the playmakers. Gigovic scored his second on 76 minutes and Nordin scored the fifth with a fine shot from about 20 meters. The visitors got a consolation goal deep into stoppage time.

A much needed win for HIF and something to build on. I'm not sure if they have what it takes to go up but it's a very tight league so who knows. Maybe some reinforcements needed for the autumn. Tough times ahead for Sundsvall with a very unsteady defence and very few goals up front. Changes are needed if they are going to survive.

The home fans were very vocal and the atmosphere was good. Disappointing attendance but the trouble with summer football is that on a summer Sunday like this many people prefer to head for the beaches and parks. Also two days after the Midsummer celebrations (almost as big as Christmas here in Sweden) many people would be a bit tired.

More than football

Up till 1658 Helsingborg and the south of Sweden beolnged to Denmark and the narrow straight between here and Helsingør was closely guarded with fortifications on both sides to ensure that ships passing to and from the Baltic Sea paid their tolls. On the western side is the impressive Kronborg castle where Hamlet has his origins (Helsingør  = Shakespeare's Elsinore) and on the eatern shore was another castle of which only the tower remains. The view from this tower (Kärnan) over to Denmark is a compulsory tourist photo stop (below).

It's a good base for a holiday with two countries to explore and very frequent ferries over the channel. The mansion house, Sofiero castle, and its superb gardens are very popular and the city centre has many charming streets to wander around and shop in. I enjoyed my visit to the art gallery and city museum. Find out more at Visit Helsingborg. 

Nybro IF v Kalmar Södra, Swedish regional division 4

Nybro IF 2-0 Kalmar Södra IF
Swedish regional division 4, South-east Småland, tier 6
Thursday 18 June, 19:00 kick-off
Victoriavallen, Nybro
Crowd: about 130

Nybro is a town with just over 13,500 inhabitants founded about 150 years ago. It is famous for its two glassworks and wood products. As far as sport is concerned, ice hockey is king and Nybro Vikings are established in the second highest league in the country, this year going to the play-offs to the top league. The arena is usually well packed for home games and I go to maybe 4-5 games a season there. The hall is sold out for derby games against Kalmar HC and the rivalry is fierce though not violent. Until 1998 the ice hockey and football teams belonged to the same club, Nybro IF, but the hockey team had greater plans and broke away. Football is a mere sideshow round here these days and the ground, Victoriavallen, is right next to the ice-rink. 

Today's game is a Nybro-Kalmar derby but on a much lower level. Nybro IF were founded in 1906 and have played in the second tier of Swedish football several times, the last time being in 1971. Nybro IF are not even top dogs in the town anymore since neighbours Pukeberg are now in the regional division 3. After their win last week against Lindås-Långasjö (see previous post) Nybro are in 4th place in the table whilst today's visitors, Kalmar Södra, are in 7th place. You can read more about Kalmar Södra (= south) in a post here from 2023 but sadly they have since left their charming ground for a modern ground nearby.

The ground

The ground in its present form was built in the late 1950s and is one of the best old-school grounds in the region. The record crowd here is 9,176, against Kalmar FF (who else?) in 1955. The entrance side (south) has a main concrete stand, kiosk and some open terracing. The opposite side (north) has an uncovered wooden stand and a quaint old store building. The east end has a few steps of open terracing whilst the west end borders on the ice rink. I have once seen the ground well filled and that was an U17 match between Sweden and Denmark three years ago. Today's attendance is fairly normal these days but there must be potential for this club to climb higher, given the facilities and size of the town.

The match

Another very pleasant sunny summer's evening and perfect for watching and playing. Nybro deserved the win but there could have been many more goals at both ends if the teams had been sharper up front. As in Saturday's game, Nybro got off to a flying start with several good moves in the first 10 minutes. Then after 15 minutes The ball broke free in the box and Ville Karlsson was free near the penalty spot and fired home the opener. The lead was doubled after 35 minutes when a corner from the right was headed in by the Nybro captain Lukas Qvist. Kalmar had a couple of good chances to reduce the arrears but the hosts deserved their lead at the break.

Incredibly there were no further goals though both sides had plenty of excellent chances. Nybro in particular had a few situations when they chose to pass instead of shooting on goal and the same applied to Kalmar. But the defences held out and Kalmar couldn't reduce the deficit. As in Saturday's match the two home wing men, Hilowle and Ndayabahiki, showed some nice skill and created many chances whilst Eliassi was a workhorse in midfield. Right at the end Nybro forward Pedersen was sent off after collecting two yellow cards in quick succession for vociferously disputing a free kick.

Nybro move up to 3rd place and having seen them twice this week I think they should have a good chance of being in the promotion race in the autumn. If they could sharpen up their finishing in the box they could go all the way.

Lindås-Långasjö FF v Nybro IF, Swedish regional division 4

 

Lindås-Långasjö FF 1-2 Nybro IF
Swedish regional division 4 (South-east Småland), tier 6
Saturday 14 June 2026, 13:00 kick-off
Långasjö Idrottsplats, Långasjö
Crowd:110

I've decided to ignore the World Cup for a number of reasons (FIFA's blatant corruption and hypocrisy, Trump and his hideous regime, exploitation of fans etc) and instead focus on watching local football which goes on regardless. Today it's another trip into the forests of Småland to another charming village, Långsjö (population 332). The football club here meged a few years ago with neighbouring Lindås and that explains the double-barrelled club name. This is quite a common phenomenon here as many small clubs realise that they cannot survive unless they join forces. The deal is usually that the new team's home matches are shared between the two clubs' grounds and today it was the turn of Långasjö to host a game. It's a good way for small clubs to survive.

Lindås-Långasjö have had a tough start to the season and sit at the bottom of the league with 6 points whilst the visitors, Nybro, are in fourth place with 18 points. I plan to visit Nybro next week so I won't write much about them here apart from the fact that they are a team that would prefer to be a couple of levels higher in the pyramid given their history and the size of the town. 

For today's game the home team lined up in black and red whilst the visitors were in their usual red and white stripes.

The ground

A very tidy little ground surrounded by forest, as is so common round here. If you've read other posts in this blog you have probably got the idea by now. The entrance is on the west side with a pavillion including changing rooms, store room and even the local fire brigade/emergency services. There is a simple wooden stand and the substitute benches. At the north end there is a long wooden building with the kiosk and toilets. On the east side there are two simple uncovered wooden stands with room for maybe 20 people in each.

The official attendance came to 110 which is pretty common in the lower reaches of the pyramid and it often makes little difference if a club is in division 4 or division 6. Unusually they even had a match programme, or rather a team sheet, but at least you knew who was playing, often impossible at many games.

The match

An entertaining game with plenty of chances at both ends but Nybro just about deserved the win on the basis of their first half performance. The visitors started very positively and dominated most of the first half with skillful passing and very tricky wingers in Hilowie and Ndayabahika who were a constant threat to the home defence. They took the lead in the 11th minute after a corner from the left was shot home from close range by Lukas Quist. Two minutes later the lead was doubled after some neat passing and a blocked shot broke to Ndayabahika  on the edge of the box and he made no mistake with his shot. It looked as if Nybro would score more as they lined up several good chances but somehow the hosts survived and slowly clawed their way back into the game.

The second half saw the home team go up a gear or two and put Nybro under pressure for long periods. The visitors were dangerous on the breakaway and could have added to their lead but the home defence stood firm. Then after 59 minutes a long ball found tall striker Felix Hellström and he beat his marker and shot past the diving keeper to reduce the deficit. Things got increasingly tense as the match wore on and the hosts were frustratingly close to equalising on several occasions. But the Nybro defence held out and Nybro took the three points to keep them in the promotion race. Frustration of course for Lindås-Långasjö would remain at the bottom of the league but there were many positives to build on, especially from their second half performance. Sharpness in front of goal is what is lacking at the moment.

Next week I plan to see Nybro at home, one of the nicest lower league grounds round here.

Sweden U23 v Mexico U23, Women's international friendly

 

Sweden U23 1-1 Mexico U23 
Women's international friendly
Monday 8 June 2026, 19:00 kick-off
Fredriksskans, Kalmar
Crowd: 943

This was a perfect opportunity to pay a nostalgic visit to Kalmar FF's old stadium, Fredriksskans, with its scenic lakeside location close to the town centre. The Swedish women's under-23 team taking on their Mexican counterparts at a ground only used today for level 5 or lower football and assorted athletics events is an exotic event in the local football calender. They played a game here a few days ago against Norway, winning 2-0 so hopes were high for a repeat performance this evening. This was the first time a Swedish under-23 women's team had met Mexico and possibly the first time the Mexican national anthem had been played officially in Kalmar!

The atmosphere was definitely different from a men's match with most of the singing coming from enthusiastic groups of young girls. Many girls' teams and their trainers had come to cheer on the Swedish team. I even spotted about ten people in Mexican shirts. It was not a big crowd but we filled most of the stand. The main stand was only open to TV cameras and assorted officials and guests.

The ground

Fredriksskans was home to the town's football club, Kalmar FF, until 2010 when they moved to a new arena outside town (see posts about Kalmar FF here and here). In 2008 they surprised everyone when they became Swedish champions and I saw many of their games at this ground back then. Since KFF moved out the ground has been used for lower league matches with crowds of seldom more than 100 as well as athletics and summer concerts. There used to be several training pitches beside the ground but those have now become a desirable residential area.

Fredriksskans today has two similar covered stands opposite each other, one from the seventies and the other from the mid-nineties, and are still in fairly decent condition but are seldom full. The official capacity today is 8,973 and the record crowd here was 15,243 set in 1949 against Malmö FF. The lake end has the remnants of a small terracing and the other end had catering kiosks and an outside barbeque. There is a running track and all the other athletics facilities, meaning that you are always quite far from the action. One historical building is the former tennis and gymnastics hall, Gymnasten, built in 1928 (see right).

The match

I enjoyed the game and both teams played attractive football all the way. The first half hour belonged to the Mexicans who had some very skilful and fast players, in particular Lourdes who played right wing in the first half and switched to the left for the second. She was very fast and enjoyed dribbling around defenders. The two tall central defenders, Ruiz and Gonzalez, were also very effective. Sweden were quiet until the last phases of the first half when they put pressure on the visitors and probably should have scored with a shot from Nildén but the keeper made a fine save.

The second half followed a similar pattern with Mexico in charge for the first half hour or so and they finally got their reward after 61 minutes when Marcia Paola García Ramír headed home after the Swedish defence failed to clear a corner. Since this was a friendly there were a lot of substitutions in the second half. Both teams had a full team on the benches! Sweden began to put pressure on the visitor's defence and it paid off after 79 minutes when Svea Rehnberg fired home after some good build-up on the right. Both teams pressed for a winner but to no avail and a draw was a fair result. 

At the end they had a symbolic penalty shoot-out that Mexico won. A good match in the summer evening sun.

Fliseryds IF v Fågelfors IF, Swedish regional division 6

 

Fliseryds IF 0-7 Fågelfors IF
Swedish regional division 6 (Högsby), 8th tier
Thursday 4 June 2026, 19:00 kick-off
Björkvallen, Fliseryd
Crowd count: 44

Another game in the lowest level of football in this part of Sweden. The pleasant village of Fliseryd has just over 700 inhabitants and the earliest record of the place is from the14th century. It's about 20 km from the Baltic coast, is surrounded by forest and one of the main rivers in the region, Emån, flows through the village. The football team has no major achievements as far as I know but of course play a vital role in village life with football in the summer and floorball (innebandy) in the winter. They have had a tough start to the season, bottom of the league with 5 straight defeats, 5 goals scored and 23 conceded. 

The visitors today, Fågelfors, sit in mid-table with 9 points from their 5 games. Their history goes back over 100 years and they have also played most of their time in the lower reaches. Since this is a very local league the teams don't have far to travel for their matches.

The ground

A fairly typical set-up for the village clubs round here. A pavilion, changing rooms and kiosk on one side as well as a building that I suspect houses groundkeeping equipment and suchlike. Spectator facilities include several picnic tables near the touchline. On the opposite side are the dugouts whilst the ends are open. The crowd were probably mostly family and friends of the players and there were plenty children playing and running around. Very relaxed in other words. The kiosk sold the usual hotdogs and coffee and full marks to them for finding a tea bag for me!

The match

An evening to forget for the home team as Fågelfors won easily and could have scored more. The weather was overcast and we had rain later in the first half. I spent the forst few minutes wondering which team was which but soon worked it out - Fliseryd in black and Fågelfors in red. The visitors took the lead after 10 minutes with a header from Johansson after a free kick on the left. That became a two goal lead after the tall Emil Lind wasunmarked on the right of the box and slotted home. The hosts had one or two promising attacks but had no power up front whereas the visitors were faster and had several good chances to increase the lead. The home goalkeeper had to go off after taking a bad knock and the reserve keeper (or maybe an outside player forced to take on the role) came on. 

At half time there was still some hope for Fliseryd but that soon disappeared as the guests scored at regular intervals with Patrick Karlsson scoring a second half hat-trick. This win will certainly give them a good chance to be in the promotion race later in the year. My hopes of seeing a consolation goal for Fliseryd were sadly in vain and they are now anchored at the bottom of the league. We did however get a few moments of evening sunshine towards the end.

IFK Påryd v Degerhamns IF, Swedish regional division 6

IFK Påryd 0-3 Degerhamns IF
Swedish regional division 6 (Kalmar/Öland), 8th tier
Wednesday 27 May 2026. 19:00 kick-off
Mörevallen, Påryd
Crowd count: 59

Another lovely sunny evening and a local division 6 match in the village of Påryd. The village is surrounded by forest (most places are in this part of the world), has a population of 650 and a football club with both men's and women's senior teams plus boys' and girls' teams. The club has never advanced higher than the 6th tier but that is still good considering the size of the place - clubs like this provide a vital social function. They have managed a couple of wins so far this season and will be hoping to manage at least a mid-table position.

The visitors today were Degerhamn from the south of the neighbouring island of Öland. A few years ago they were one of the worst teams in the region and were on the receiving end of many heavy defeats. I saw them beaten 12-0 in one game. However, they have improved in the last two seasons and are now at the top of the league with an unbeaten record.

The ground
A very typical Swedish lower league ground with trees all round, a pavillion, kiosk and changing rooms on one side and wooden benches on both sides of the ground. A friendly and relaxed atmosphere and of course everyone seems to know everyone.

The kiosk sells the usual Swedish selection of hotdogs, coffee and sweets and even had tea on the menu to keep me happy. The last time I was here they also had an outdoor barbeque but maybe that is reserved for weekend matches.

The match
Degerhamn increase their lead at the top of the table and seem to be heading upwards for the first time in many years. They won this match deservedly and were simply faster and sharper than the hosts. They had a couple of clear chances in the early stages but home keeper Mellmark made a couple of fine saves to keep the scores level. Påryd had plenty of possession but couldn't really make many chances in the penalty box. Then in the 28th minute a through ball found Adam Kryssing in space and he slotted the ball home for the opener. The visitors were worth their one goal lead at the break. 

Påryd tried to force an equaliser in the second half but never really threatened the visitor's goalkeeper. After 65 minutes a cross from the left found an unmarked Alfred Linklint on the right of the penalty box and he calmy fired home. The hosts continued to push for a goal but lacked power up front and it was no surprise when Degerhamn scrambled home a third from a free kick on the right.

An enjoyable evening was crowned for me when I won the match lottery and a nice collection of notes to spend . I can't remember when I last won anything!

Kalmar FF v Degerfors IF, Swedish Allsvenskan

Kalmar FF 2-1 Degerfors IF
Saturday 23 May 2026, 15:00 kick-off
Swedish Allsvenskan (tier 1)
Guldfågeln Arena, Kalmar
Crowd: 4014

My local team Kalmar FF are back in the top flight after a season downstairs, Superettan. I wrote a post about them back in 2023 (see here) and as far as the ground is concerned nothing has really changed. Kalmar have made a shaky start to the season with some promising signs now and again but only 7 points from eight games so far. The visitors Degerfors from central Sweden are only two places above Kalmar on 9 points.Both teams are likely to be in the lower half of the league table.

I wrote about Kalmar FF's history last time but can mention again their incredible achievement of becoming Swedish champions in 2008 with solid teamwork and without any highly paid stars. That's one thing I love about football here - that almost any team can win the league and in recent seasons we're seen smaller teams like Mjällby, Häcken and Elfsborg taking the title and putting the big guns in their place. This season Sirius from the city of Uppsala are setting the pace and could well go all the way unless continental clubs entice their key players away in the summer.

Kalmar have had some lean seasons recently resulting in relegation in 2024. Admittedly it's not surprising for a town with around 35,000 inhabitants - they have achieved a lot. I must admit I have found it tough following them since they seem to prefer to play rather negative possession football - passing from side to side and backwards for long periods with few attempts on goal. There are signs that they are trying to play a more attractive attacking game but it only comes in short bursts. When they do play more direct football with through balls to the strikers it often pays off.

Degerfors are an admirable phenomenon in Swedish football. The town is dominated by its ironworks and has only just over 7,000 inhabitants but Degerfors IF have probably put the town on the map more than the industry. Many home matches have crowds that represent over half the population! They have played 29 seasons in the top league and few teams look forward to playing them at their home ground.

The ground
As described previously it's a nice modern, fully enclosed ground with good views for all. The capacity of around 12,000 is seldom challenged and today's attendance of just over 4,000 is fairly typical unless they play a team with a big following. The away end was virtually empty with about 30 intrepid away fans making a bit of noise. The home fans have become more vocal in recent years and they sang and chanted all the way to the end. In general the atmosphere is very calm and family friendly. Not many people get too worked up.

Food and drink
As I wrote last time around it's standard Swedish football fare (hotdogs, popcorn, coffee, soft drinks, sweets). A bit more variety would be nice.

The match

Three vital points for the hosts though they had to work hard for them. Degerfors dominated the first 20 minutes and had some good chances forcing some fine saves from home keeper Brolin. But as the half wore on Kalmar began to threaten with some good long range efforts. Finally the breakthrough came close to half time when a low cross from the left was missed by everyone except unmarked right back Rony Jansson who fired in the opener.

The second half started cautiously but then there were chances at both ends. After 67 minutes the hosts increased their lead with a lovely volley from Charlie Rosenqvist after a perfect cross from Rony Jansson on the right. That should have wrapped things up and Kalmar easily contained subsequent Degerfors pressure until they pulled a goal back through Pikkarainen after a goalmouth scramble but it was too late. A third win for the hosts and of course it's games like this that you simply have to win if you are going to stay up. A good afternoon in the sun.

Odense BK v Vejle BK, Danish Superliga

 

Odense BK 0-1 Vejle BK
Sunday 17 May, 14:00 kick-off
Danish Superliga (tier 1)
Nature Energy Park, Odense
Crowd: 11,136

My first visit to the beautiful city of Odense on the island of Fyn. I've been on many trains that stopped there but but this time I got out. The Danish season is now virtually wrapped up and this was not only the last home game of the season for Odense (or OB as they are known) but the last game at the stadium before the diggers move in and start a major renovation project. I was told that they will rebuild one stand per season and in the end they will have a modern all-round covered stadium. I'm sure it will be very good but it won't have the character of the present ground.

OB were founded way back in 1887 as a cricket club but soon after they started a football section. They have a proud history and have won three Danish championships (1977, 1982, 1989) and five cup wins. In recent years they have been the island Fyn's sole representatives in the top flight but before the 1980s they had stiff competition from local Odense rivals, B1909 and B1913, who have now sunk into local league football. OB have competed in European cups many times and in 1995 they even knocked Real Madrid out of the UEFA Cup (forerunner to the Europa League) winning the second leg in Madrid by 2-0, a match still remembered as the miracle in Madrid. During their golden years of the late 70s and 80s they were managed by Richard Møller Nielsen who later managed the Danish European champions of 1992. 

Today's visitors, Vejle from Jutland, are rock bottom of the league and were relegated several weeks ago. They have, however, a more illustrious history than OB with five championships and six cup victories, mostly during their glory days of the 1950s and 1970s when their most famous son Allan Simonsen became European player of the year.

The sun was shining and there was a party atmosphere in the ground in anticipation of a fitting send-off for the old stadium. Sadly Vejle proved to be party poopers giving their dedicated band of supporters in the ground a rare chance to celebrate at the end.

The ground
So sad they're rebuilding the place because it ticked nearly all the boxes for me. The main stand is very distinctive with glassed-in hospitality and media facilities in the upper sections. It looked pretty new to me but maybe it will be integrated into the new stadium. The other sides are all enclosed seating except for terracing for the ultras and the away fans terracing at the opposite end. Of course I'm old-fashioned but I prefer more idiosyncratic grounds that are instantly recognizable - modern stadia are generally very similar.

Before the game there was a rock band playing in the fan zone with the band members suitably kitted out in OB's blue and white striped shirts. There was a nostalgic moment for older fans before kick-off when veteran entertainer and fan Arne Lundemann sang the club song from the seventies with enthusiastic backing from the fans.

Food and drink
The stadium outlets had the usual selection of hot dogs (large size), beer, soft drinks etc) but there were other outlets in the ground that offered alternatives and I wish more clubs could realise that many of us do not want the standard selection. As ever in Denmark you are never more than 10 meters from a beer with bars all round the ground.

Clubs in Sweden especially should try to invite a couple of catering vans into the ground to offer, say kebab/falafel/pancakes/pizza slices. It's always good to have a choice and that was the case here.

Pre-match mingle with the band rocking away

The match
After all the build-up and a friendly and relaxed atmosphere around the ground I was hoping for lots of action and goals. But sadly that never materialised as the visitors comfortably held on for an unexpected win to end their frustrating season at the bottom of the league. Six of the OB team were leaving the club after this game and a few key players were missing and this could explain the result.

The party was pooped already in the fourth minute when Vejle were awarded a penalty thanks to VAR spotting that the home keeper had punched a Vejle player when trying to clear a corner from the right. No one around me had seen anything and the referee initially signalled for a goal kick. I don't go to many games with VAR and didn't understand the delay at first. Anyway up stepped  Christian Gammelgaard and put the visitors in the lead from the spot. The rest of the half was uninspiring for the home fans and OB had only a few serious attempts on goal. Far too much sideways passing and their forward pushes were easily defended. We all hoped for more fire and energy in the second half.

Happy Vejle fans

OB looked sharper in the second half as they pushed for an equaliser but again they didn't really click in the final third. Vejle had a well crafted goal disallowed for offside after another VAR session. After that OB did go up a gear and had a couple of great chances towards the end, in particular a cracking free kick that hit the post, but to no avail. The fans and players applauded each other at the end for the season's hard work and an 8th place in the league.

More than Football
Odense is a lovely city with a relaxed feel to it, very Danish I would say. It is most famous as the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, the writer of so many much-loved children's stories such as the Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, The Little Mermaid and the Emperor's New Clothes (a story that I think should be compulsory reading for everyone, especially our politicians). He wrote many other books of course: novels, poetry, travel books, memoirs as well as an opera. The H C Andersen House in the centre of town is superb, especially for children, and a prize-winning piece of modern architecture in its own right.

Another attraction, especially for me as a railway fan, is the Danish National Railway Museum. This is also very child friendly. The city's main art gallery, the Brandts Art Museum, has a large collection of fine Danish and Swedish art. Plus a lovely park beside the river and many pubs and cafes. I had an excellent weekend and saw a lot.

See more on the official tourist site: Visit Odense

H C Andersen centre