Örebro SK facts for kids
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| Full name | Örebro Sportklubb | ||
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| Founded | 28 October 1908 | ||
| Ground | Behrn Arena, Örebro | ||
| Capacity | 14,400 | ||
| Chairman | Kent Persson | ||
| Head coach | Christian Järdler | ||
| League | Superettan | ||
| 2024 | 11th | ||
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Örebro Sportklubb, often called Örebro SK or just ÖSK, is a professional football club from Örebro, Sweden. The club is part of the Örebro Läns Fotbollförbund (Örebro County Football Association). They play their home games at Behrn Arena.
Örebro SK's team colors are white shirts and black shorts. This is why they are nicknamed Svartvitt, which means "black-whites" in Swedish. The club was started on October 28, 1908. They have played 50 seasons in Allsvenskan, which is Sweden's highest football league. Their first season in Allsvenskan was in 1946–47.
Contents
Örebro SK's Journey in Football
How ÖSK Started
Örebro SK was founded in 1908. A group of 79 young people left another club, IFK Örebro, because of disagreements. Pelle Molin and Karl Graflund were key people in starting the new club. They first thought of names like Örebro Idrottsförening (Örebro athletic association). But they decided on Örebro Sportklubb (ÖSK) and chose to play in all black uniforms.
In 1909, ÖSK won its first title in a local bandy tournament. The club's first football match was played that same year. By 1911, they started playing league football in the Örebro League. ÖSK won this league for the first time in 1913.
In 1917, they played in the Västmanland-Närkeserien. They also reached the semifinals in the district championship. In 1920, their first coach, Hjalmar Bergman, joined the team. ÖSK also played in the cup for the national championship. They even played their first international match against B 93 Copenhagen from Denmark.
In 1922, the club changed its uniform colors. They switched from all black to white shirts and black shorts. Örebro SK celebrated its 15th anniversary in 1923. Their home stadium, Eyravallen (now Behrn Arena), was also built that year.
Örebro SK had some ups and downs in the early leagues. In 1925, they finished last in Swedish football Division 2. But they were allowed to stay because of a special rule. In 1926, they were promoted to Swedish football Division 1. However, they were quickly sent back down to Division 2 after losing to Westermalms IF.
In 1928, during their 20th anniversary, ÖSK was relegated to Swedish football Division 3. They hoped to return quickly but lost a play-off game. However, ÖSK did return to Division 2 in 1933. They finished second in 1934 but were relegated to Division 3 again in 1936.
In 1939, Konrad Kalman from Hungary became the new manager. Also, Fritjof "Tjoffe" Olsson became the first ÖSK player to play for the Swedish national team. The club returned to Division 2 in 1940. They went undefeated in Division 3 and won a play-off against IF Rune. The next year, they finished second in Division 2.
In 1946, ÖSK was promoted to Allsvenskan for the first time. They beat Surahammar in a play-off. But they only stayed in the top league for one season, being relegated in 1947. They returned to Allsvenskan in 1948 for their 40th anniversary, but again, it was only for one year.
ÖSK returned to Allsvenskan once more after beating Surahammar in a final league game. This time, they stayed longer. In 1952, the club had its best season yet, finishing eighth. But the next year, they were relegated back to Division 2.
In 1958, Orvar Bergmark, a player for ÖSK, won a silver medal in the 1958 FIFA World Cup. Sweden hosted this World Cup. One of the club's founders, Karl Graflund, retired after 48 years as chairman.
ÖSK Becomes a Top Team (1960–1978)
Örebro SK returned to Allsvenskan in 1960. They beat IFK Kristianstad and IFK Luleå in play-off games. That same year, the club sold its stadium, Eyravallen, to the city of Örebro.
The club won a bronze medal in 1961 by finishing fourth. A derby game against their rivals Degerfors IF had 20,066 fans. This is still the club's record for attendance. In 1962, the club finished sixth. Orvar Bergmark left ÖSK to play for AS Roma in Italy.
ÖSK became a steady mid-table team in Allsvenskan. They finished eighth in 1963 and 1964, sixth in 1965, and seventh in 1966. In 1967, they won their second bronze medal. In 1969, they were very close to finishing second in the league. But they lost their last game and ended up in fifth place.
In 1970, the club was almost relegated. But they stayed in the league by beating the previous year's champions, IFK Göteborg, 1–0. This win sent IFK Göteborg down to Division 2 instead. This game is famous for being the first time football hooliganism happened in Sweden. Angry IFK Göteborg fans ran onto the field and took down the goal posts.
From 1971 to 1976, ÖSK usually finished in the middle or lower part of Allsvenskan. In 1977, Örebro was again close to relegation. They secured their spot in the top league in the very last game. But this only lasted one more year. After 18 seasons in a row in Allsvenskan, Örebro was relegated to Division 2 in 1978.
Challenges in the Second Division (1979–1987)
Between 1979 and 1981, ÖSK finished second in Division 2 for three years in a row. They just missed out on promotion to teams like IK Brage and AIK. After losing several players, the 1982 season was disappointing. ÖSK finished fifth in Division 2.
Before the 1983 season, the club's leaders decided to try hard to get back to Allsvenskan. They hired famous manager Roy Hodgson. He had won two gold medals with Halmstads BK. New players were also brought in. However, IFK Norrköping and Djurgårdens IF were stronger teams. Örebro finished third in a tough second division.
In 1984, ÖSK, still managed by Hodgson, won Division 2 North. But now, they had to play a play-off game against the second-place team from Division 2 South to get promoted. Mjällby AIF was too strong, and ÖSK lost both games. At the end of the season, Hodgson moved to Malmö FF. He was replaced by Stuart Baxter, who had just stopped playing for ÖSK.
After finishing fourth in 1985, the 1986 season was almost a disaster. The club was saved from relegation only because rivals Västerås SK beat Enköpings SK on the last day. In 1987, another big effort to reach Allsvenskan was made. They signed well-known coach Rolf Zetterlund. But the club only finished third, which was a disappointment.
The Dahlkvist Years: Back in the Top League (1988–1999)
The next attempt in 1988 was much more successful. Before the season, coach Zetterlund brought Sven Dahlkvist to ÖSK from his old club AIK. Dahlkvist was named Sweden's player of the year in 1984. He was one of the biggest signings in the club's history. He became a club legend as both a player and a coach.
As the club celebrated its 80th anniversary, ÖSK finally secured the promotion back to Allsvenskan. At the same time, Örebro SK Fotboll became a separate club focused only on football. Örebro SK Ungdom was also created for younger players.
Örebro SK's return was successful. The club quickly became a top team in Allsvenskan. In their first year back, ÖSK qualified for the play-offs for the championship. They finished fourth but lost the semi-final against IFK Norrköping. In 1990, the club reached the semi-finals again, finishing third. But this time, IFK Göteborg was too strong. Their goalkeeper, Thomas Ravelli, made an amazing save against a header from ÖSK captain Sven Dahlkvist.
In 1991, a new league system was introduced. In the new 10-team league, the club finished second. They were only behind IFK Göteborg because of goal difference. But they dropped to third place in the Mästerskapsserien, which was played between the top six teams. ÖSK's strong results were thanks to new striker Miroslaw Kubisztal. He was signed from GKS Katowice in Poland. "Miro" or "Kuba" quickly became a favorite with the home crowd. Even today, ÖSK fans are called "Kubanerna" in his honor.
The great performance in 1991 also meant Örebro played in the UEFA Cup for the first time. ÖSK was unlucky to draw the future champions Ajax in the first round. ÖSK held the Dutch team to 0–0 for 60 minutes in the first game. But they eventually lost 3–0 and then 1–0 in the second game at home.
The next year, 1992, was not as good. The team did not qualify for Mästerskapsserien. Instead, they had to fight against relegation in Kvalsvenskan. After a bad start where Örebro SK struggled to score, they secured their spot in Allsvenskan. This happened after a big 7–1 win against BK Häcken. They finished second and qualified for the new Allsvenskan, which had 14 teams and no play-offs for the championship from 1993. Örebro also played in the UEFA Cup for the second time. They lost a close match against KV Mechelen (2–1 overall) in the first round.
Coach Zetterlund left the club after the 1992 season. Kent Karlsson replaced him. ÖSK looked good in pre-season games. But they played poorly when the league started. Karlsson soon had to leave his coaching job for personal reasons. Dahlkvist, who had retired as a player in 1991, took over. He had been the club's technical director. He now had both roles. The 1993 season ended with a disappointing 12th place for Dahlkvist's team. This meant ÖSK had to play a play-off against Vasalund/Essinge IF to stay in the league. The club managed to stay in Allsvenskan because of the away goals rule. The first match was 2–2, and the return game at home was 0–0.
Before the 1994 season, Örebro SK only bought one new player. But this player was very important. Former Anderlecht star Arnor Gudjohnsen was signed from BK Häcken. He played as an attacking midfielder behind striker Miroslaw Kubisztal and young star Mattias Jonson. Gudjohnsen immediately helped create one of the best attacks in Allsvenskan.
1994 became the best season so far in the club's history. The club scored 62 goals and fought for the championship until the very last minute. On the final day, ÖSK, IFK Göteborg, and Malmö FF all had a chance to win Allsvenskan. IFK Göteborg and Malmö FF played against each other. Örebro SK won easily away against Landskrona Bois. The only way ÖSK would not win the title was if IFK Göteborg won their game. IFK Göteborg scored a late winning goal to secure the championship. Örebro in 1994 also became the first Swedish club to score in every one of the 26 games of the season.
The club did not reach the same level in 1995 as the year before. They were close to winning a medal but missed out at the end. The club also had an embarrassing third appearance in the UEFA Cup. They were disqualified after using too many foreign players in a preliminary round against Avenir Beggen from Luxembourg. This mistake raised questions about Dahlkvist's double role as coach and technical director.
After the 1995 season, Mattias Jonson was signed by Helsingborgs IF. He later became a regular player for the national team. Jonson was replaced by Dan Sahlin, who was signed from relegated Hammarby. Daniel Tjernström also joined from local rivals Degerfors IF. Despite a bad start to the 1996 season, the club finished fifth. They had some impressive games in the second half of the season.
1997 was a mixed season. The club moved up and down the table. But as often happened, the club played strongly in the autumn. This earned them a fourth-place finish and a bronze medal. Striker Dan Sahlin's good form also earned him the golden boot as the league's top scorer. This year, Örebro again played in the UEFA Cup. They qualified for the main tournament after beating FK Jablonec from the Czech Republic on away goals. In the main tournament, Rotor Volgograd from Russia was too strong, winning 6–1 overall.
The 1998 season started very poorly. After six matches, the team was at the bottom of the table. However, the team improved and for a while held second place. But they ended up sixth after losing their two biggest stars, Arnor Gudjohnsen and top scorer Dan Sahlin, during the summer break. The next year, 1999, the club again started poorly but got stronger over the summer. However, in the autumn, their form faded. The club had to play play-off matches against Assyriska FF. Örebro only won and stayed in Allsvenskan in the second match, during extra time. Goalkeeper Anders Karlsson also became the player with the most appearances for the club, with 373 matches in total. After the 1999 season, Dahlkvist left his roles as coach and technical director. He had spent 12 mostly successful years with the club. This included the promotion in 1988, the silver medal in 1994, and bronze medals in 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1997.
A New Start and Challenges (2000–2006)
As the new millennium began, Örebro SK was expected to challenge for the top of Allsvenskan again. They signed head coach Mats Jingblad from IFK Göteborg and former top scorer Niklas Skoog in 2000. After beating IF Elfsborg in August, the club was in third place. Many believed they were on the right track. However, due to mixed results, the club finished 10th. At the end of the season, talented local player Mats Rubarth left the club for AIK.
The 2001 season was only slightly better, with an eighth-place finish. The club scored the second-highest number of goals in the league (48 goals). But they also let in 44 goals. Many games that should have been wins ended in draws because they conceded late goals. The club also lost top scorer Skoog to Malmö FF during the summer. The 2002 season ended with a seventh-place finish, even without the high goal-scoring of previous years.
After the season, Eyravallen (Behrn Arena) was renovated. The natural grass field was replaced with artificial turf, and new stands were built. Another club legend, goalkeeper Anders Karlsson, retired after nearly 20 years with the club.
The 2003 season, under new coach Stefan Lundin, started well for Örebro. But again, a poor end to the season saw the team finish eighth. Promising goalkeeper John Alvbåge and Danish veteran Lars Larsen joined the team. They quickly became favorites with the Örebro fans.
The 2004 season became one of the toughest years in club history. First, Örebro had to fight hard to avoid relegation. A great effort with five straight wins at the end of the season earned them a mid-table finish (seventh, later changed to eighth). But in the end, this effort was not enough.
ÖSK had been having financial problems for some time, facing big deficits. Even after a huge effort by supporters and sponsors, the club was relegated by Elitlicensnämnden (The Elite license board). This board ruled that the club's finances did not meet the standards of the Swedish Football Association. Örebro SK's appeal failed, and the club was forced to play in Superettan (the second division).
ÖSK managed to keep most of its players for the first season in Superettan. Goalkeeper John Alvbåge left for Viborg. Patrick Walker, who had been with the club before, returned as head coach. Many expected the club to quickly return to the top league, especially after a strong pre-season. The home fans had high expectations. They even booed the team despite a 3–0 win against Bodens BK in the first game. That turned out to be their last win for a while. After a terrible spring, ÖSK was struggling against relegation. A better autumn secured a fifth-place finish. But ÖSK was nowhere near promotion.
2006 started with impressive wins. But the club lost its ability to score goals in the middle of the season. Bosnian player Nedim Halilović was brought in from NK Varteks. This signing proved very important. Halilović's goal-scoring in the autumn of 2006 brought the club back to the top. After an exciting final day of the season, Örebro beat Assyriska FF 2–1. At the same time, Brommapojkarna lost to Trelleborgs FF. This meant the club was back in Allsvenskan! The win against Assyriska also marked the end of an era. Veteran Thomas Andersson, who had to leave the field due to a bleeding injury, played his last game for the club. After this, Andersson is remembered by fans as Captain Blood.
A Fresh Start (2007–)
2007 was a tough comeback season in Allsvenskan. Nedim Halilović could not find the same goal-scoring form. The club fought against relegation with other newly promoted teams, Trelleborgs FF and Brommapojkarnas IF. (Only one team was relegated that year because the league was expanding to 16 teams).
After signing local talent Abgar Barsom (who used to play for city rivals BK Forward) and firing coach Patrick Walker, Örebro's form improved in the autumn. An exciting first away win of the season against Elfsborg secured another year in Allsvenskan.
To prepare for the 2008 season, the club's board decided to change the club's focus. Finnish-Swedish coach Sixten Boström was brought in, helped by local coach Alexander Axen. Players like Larsen and Barsom left the club. But two other local talents, Magnus Kihlberg and Samuel Wowoah, returned. Boström also showed immediate trust in the very talented Nordin Gerzic. Gerzic became a regular player after spending most of 2007 on the bench.
Despite some impressive games, the team struggled to score. They lacked a natural target player in their new 4–3–3 system. Gerzic, a natural midfielder, often played as a center forward in the spring. At the summer break, it looked like the team would have to fight against relegation again. However, in the summer, Danish striker Kim Olsen was brought in. This meant Gerzic could move back to midfield. Former goalkeeper John Alvbåge also made a popular return to the team. The new players filled important gaps, and Örebro immediately started winning. After earning seven points in three games against top teams like IFK Göteborg, Kalmar FF, and Elfsborgs IF, relegation was no longer a threat. Örebro was one of the best teams in the second half of the season. They eventually finished seventh.
The successful end to the 2008 season continued into 2009. Several new talented players joined the team. These included Alejandro Bedoya (who played for the US national team) and Michael Almebäck. Local talent Marcus Astvald also joined. Both Almebäck and Astvald were selected for Sweden's U-21 squad. After an unlucky start with two losses, Örebro soon joined the top teams. Only a period of bad form late in the season stopped them from winning another medal. Örebro finished sixth.
In 2010, Sixten Boström worked with almost the same team as in 2009. They added Paulinho Guara on loan from Korean Busan. Despite a couple of unexpected home losses early in the season, it was clear Örebro would be a top team. Clear losses both away and at home to eventual champions Malmö FF ruined their chance for a gold medal. But impressive home wins against Elfsborg and Helsingborg (both 3–0) showed the team's potential. The team finished third, earning them a "little silver" medal. This also gave them a spot in the second qualification round for the 2011-12 UEFA Europa League.
In the summer of 2010, striker Kim Olsen left the team. A number of young players were brought in. One of them, Astrit Ajdarevic, had an immediate impact. He came on as a substitute and scored a late, beautiful equalizer against Elfsborg away. Then he scored two goals in a home win. However, Ajdarevic was not fit enough to become a regular starter. Örebro wanted to extend his contract, but he received a better offer from IFK Norrköping. So, he left the team at the end of the season.
The transfer period after the 2010 season was even busier. Despite early rumors that top players would leave, only Roni Porokara and Paulinho Guara left from the starting lineup. Örebro, with good finances, went on a shopping spree. They signed a top player, Valdet Rama, from Hannover 96. Former Örebro defender Patrik Haginge returned. They also signed center-forward Andreas Haddad and young stars like Atashkadeh, Lushtako, Ibrahim, Yasin, Berger, and Holmgren.
However, the 2011 season did not meet the high expectations of the fans. Even though Örebro SK often scored the first goal, they had three long losing streaks. They ended up in a disappointing 12th place in Allsvenskan. They also had an early exit from the Europa League qualification (against Sarajevo). Finally, they lost the semi-final of the national cup (against cup and league champions Helsingborgs IF). The strong ÖSK team became weaker throughout the season. Center Andreas Haddad and right fullback Patrik Anttonen missed most of the season due to injury. During the summer, arguably the team's two best players, Mikael Almebäck (to FC Bruges) and Alejandro Bedoya (to Glasgow Rangers), left for small transfer fees because their contracts were ending soon. Shortly before the end of the season, goalkeeper John Alvbåge also announced he was leaving for IFK Gothenburg.
In July 2018, Brendan Hines-Ike was transferred to K.V. Kortrijk. The fee was reportedly US$750,000. This was the biggest sale in Örebro SK's history. It was also the biggest purchase for KV Kortrijk.
ÖSK Players
Current Squad
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ÖSK Coaches
Kálmán Konrád (1939–42)
Harry Magnusson (1942–44)- Erik Östling (1944–45)
- Werner Löwenthal (1945–47)
- Harry Magnusson (1947–48)
- Gösta Dunker (1948–49)
- Gösta Dunker and Sten Dahl (1949–50)
- Per Kaufeldt (1950–51)
- Widorf Pettersson (1951–52)
- Widorf Pettersson and Bertil Nordahl (1952–53)
Frank Soo (1953–54)- Gösta Lindh (1954–55)
- Widorf Pettersson (1955–56)
- Harry Magnusson (1956–57)
- Åke Engvall and Billy Burnikell (1957–58)
- Orvar Bergmark and Billy Burnikell (1958–59)
- Orvar Bergmark (1960–61)
- Karl Neschy (1962)
- Vilmos Varszegi (1963–64)
- Gösta Lindh (1965–66)
- Lennart Samuelsson (1967–71)
- Orvar Bergmark (1971–73)
- Tord Grip (1974–75)
- Benny Lennartsson (1975–77)
- Benny Lennartsson and Orvar Bergmark (1978)
- Tord Grip (1979–80)
- Kenneth Rosén (1980–82)
- Roy Hodgson (1983–85)
- Stuart Baxter (1985)
- Arvi Taaler and Milan Stojanović (1986)
- Rolf Zetterlund (1987–92)
- Kent Karlsson and Sven Dahlkvist (1993)
- Sven Dahlkvist (1994–99)
- Mats Jingblad (2000–02)
- Stefan Lundin (2003–04)
Pat Walker (2005–06)- Pat Walker and Urban Hammar (2007)
Sixten Boström (2008–2012)- Per-Ola Ljung (2012–2014)
- Alexander Axén (2014–2017)
- Axel Kjäll (2017–2021)
Vítor Gazimba (2021)- Marcus Lantz (2021)
- Joel Cedergren (2022)
- Axel Kjäll (2022)
- Christian Järdler (2022–present)
ÖSK Achievements
League Titles
- Allsvenskan (Sweden's top league)
- Second Place (2): 1991, 1994
- Superettan (Sweden's second league)
- Second Place (2): 2006, 2013
- Division 1 Norra
- Winners: 1988
Cup Successes
- Svenska Cupen (Swedish Cup)
- Second Place (2): 1987–1988, 2014–2015
ÖSK in Europe
- Q= Qualifying Round
- UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League (European Competitions)
| Season | Round | Opponents | Home Game | Away Game | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991–92 | 1st Round |  Ajax |
0–1 | 0–3 | 0–4 |
| 1992–93 | 1st Round |  KV Mechelen |
0–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
| 1995–96 | Qualifying Round |  Avenir Beggen |
0–0 | 0–3 | 0–3 |
| 1997–98 | 2nd Qualifying Round |  FK Jablonec |
0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 (away goals) |
| 1st Round |  Rotor Volgograd |
1–4 | 0–2 | 1–6 | |
| 2011–12 | 2nd Qualifying Round |  FK Sarajevo |
0–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 |
See also
In Spanish: Örebro SK para niños
