GIF Sundsvall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
GIF Sundsvall

Full name	Gymnastik- och Idrottsföreningen Sundsvall
Nickname(s)	Giffarna Norrlandslaget (Northland team)
Short name	GIF
Founded	25 August 1903; 121 years ago (1903-08-25)
Ground	NP3 Arena, Sundsvall
Ground Capacity	8,000
Head coach	Brian Clarhaut
League	Superettan
2022	Allsvenskan, 16th
Home colours Away colours Third colours

GIF Sundsvall is a Swedish professional football club from Sundsvall. Its full name is Gymnastik- och Idrottsföreningen Sundsvall. People also call them Giffarna or just Sundsvall.

The club was started on August 25, 1903. They play their home games at NP3 Arena. This stadium can hold about 8,000 fans. GIF Sundsvall has played 19 seasons in Sweden's top football league, Allsvenskan. Their first time in the league was in 1965.

GIF Sundsvall is ranked twenty-second in the overall Allsvenskan table. The club's main colors are blue, yellow, and white. These colors are on their team badge and uniforms. Even though white is not much on their current uniform, it has been an important color for the club for a long time.

Club History

A chart showing how GIF Sundsvall has moved through the swedish football league system.

GIF Sundsvall playing in their blue and white uniforms against Malmö FF.

The club began on August 25, 1903. It started at Matilda Andersson's Café. Back then, GIF Sundsvall stood for "Godtemplarnas Idrotts Förening Sundsvall". This meant it was mainly for people who did not drink alcohol.

In 1920, the rules about alcohol became less strict. So, the club's initials changed. They now stand for "Gymnastik och Idrottsföreningen Sundsvall". This means "Gymnastics and sports club Sundsvall".

The team first reached Sweden's top football league in 1965. Since then, GIF Sundsvall has often moved between the top league and the second division. They have played in Allsvenskan in many different years. These include 1975, 1987–89, 1991, 2000–06, 2008, 2012, and 2015–19.

GIF Sundsvall used to have other sports teams. They had women's football, bandy, and ice hockey. The bandy team won the district championship in 1921. The ice hockey team stopped playing in the late 1960s. In 1985, the women's football team moved to Sundsvalls DFF. This happened because the women's team felt they did not get enough support from the men's team.

Home Stadium

Exterior view of Idrottsparken, also known as Norrporten Arena.

GIF Sundsvall plays its home games at NP3 Arena. This stadium was once called Idrottsparken and Norrporten Arena. It is in the center of Sundsvall. The stadium first opened on August 6, 1903.

It was updated in 2001 and 2002. Now, it can hold 8,000 people. About 5,000 of these seats are covered by a roof. From 2006 to 2016, the stadium was known as Norrporten Arena. Since 2004, the field has artificial turf instead of real grass.

The most people ever to watch a game there was 16,507. This happened on October 15, 1961, when GIF Sundsvall played against Högadals IS.

A panorama view of NP3 Arena in Sundsvall.

Club Supporters

The official fan club for GIF Sundsvall is called Patronerna. It started in 1999. It began as a fun idea among friends who supported another friend. But soon, the club became well-known.

The name "Patronerna" refers to the old sawmill owners. These owners were very powerful in Sundsvall a long time ago. In 2005, a group called FP-tifo won an award. This group creates the cool displays and banners for the fans at games.

Team Achievements

GIF Sundsvall has won several awards and titles:

• Superettan:
  • Runners-up (3): 2011, 2014, 2021
• Division 1 Norra:
  • Winners (2): 1990, 1999
• Norrländska Mästerskapet:
  • Winners (1): 1942
  • Runners-up (2): 1928, 1951

Current Players

First-team squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Andreas Andersson 3 DF Forrest Lasso 4 DF Alexander Blomqvist 5 DF Dennis Olsson 6 MF Peter Makrillos 7 MF Erik Andersson 8 MF Pontus Silfwer 9 FW Linus Hallenius 11 FW Saku Ylätupa 12 FW Ronaldo Damus 14 MF Paya Pichkah 15 DF Robert Lundström

No. Position Player 16 MF Marcus Burman 17 FW Alexander Larsson 19 DF Teodor Stenshagen 21 FW Pontus Engblom 22 MF Rasmus Lindkvist 23 MF Ludvig Nåvik 25 FW Johan Bengtsson 27 DF Gabriel Castro 30 MF Joe Corona (on loan from Houston Dynamo) 34 GK Gustav Molin 35 GK Oscar Jonsson

Players on Loan

No. Position Player 18 MF Jesper Carström (at Gefle IF)

Retired Numbers

The number 10 jersey has been retired by the club. This means no other player will wear it. It was retired to honor Leif Forsberg, a great forward who played for the team from 1980–1988 and 1990–2001.

Team Managers

Here are some of the people who have managed GIF Sundsvall:

• Stig Sundqvist (1955–58)
• Jimmy Meadows (1976)
• Anders Grönhagen (1986–89)
• Jan Mattsson (1990–92)
• Anders Grönhagen (1999–01)
• Per Joar Hansen (2002–03)
• Patrick Walker (2002–04)
• Rikard Norling (Jan 2004 – Dec 2004)
• Jan Halvor Halvorsen (Jan 2005 – Aug 2005)
• Anders Högman (2005)
• David Wilson (July 2005 – July 2006)
• Mika Sankala (2006–07), (2008–Ass.)
• Per Joar Hansen (Jan 2008 – Oct 2008)
• Sören Åkeby (Oct 2008 – Nov 2012)
• Joel Cedergren (Nov 2012 – Aug 2019) & Roger Franzén (Nov 2012 – Sep 2016)
• Tony Gustavsson (Aug 2019 – Dec 2019)
• Henrik Åhnstrand (Dec 2019–July 2022)
• Brian Clarhaut (July 2022–December 2022)
• Douglas Jakobsen (January 2023–)

See also

In Spanish: GIF Sundsvall para niños