Fredrikstad FK
Full name | Fredrikstad Fotballklubb | ||
---|---|---|---|
Nickname(s) | Aristokratene (The Aristocrats) Rødbuksene (The red shorts) F.F.K. | ||
Founded | 7 April 1903 | ||
Ground | Fredrikstad Stadion Fredrikstad | ||
Capacity | 12,565[1] | ||
Chairman | Jostein Lunde | ||
Head coach | Mikkjal Thomassen[2] | ||
League | Eliteserien | ||
2023 | 1. divisjon, 1st of 16 (promoted) | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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Fredrikstad Fotballklubb (also known as Fredrikstad or FFK) is a Norwegian professional football club from the town of Fredrikstad. With nine league championships and eleven Norwegian Cup wins, FFK is one of the most successful clubs in Norwegian football. The club was founded in 1903 and currently play in Eliteserien from 2024 after promotion from Norwegian First Division in 2023.
After suffering relegation from the then 1st division in
History
Fredrikstad Fotballklubb was founded on 7 April 1903. While football in many older clubs was an addition to other established forms of sport, such as skiing or athletics, FFK was the first club in Norway to focus uniquely on playing football, and as such may be labeled the first true football club in the country. A lack of opposition meant this was in fact the third attempt at establishing a football club in Fredrikstad (tradition has it that the second attempt died out when the only football landed on a freight train bound for Moss). Finding someone in the vicinity to play against was still a problem when FFK was founded.
It so happened that the Englishman H. W. Kenworthy, who lived in the neighboring town of
FFK didn't have the red and white colors when the club was founded in 1903. In fact, they changed suits seven times from 1903 to 1927, when they finally found the one they are using now.
FFK reached the
In the 1930s, the club also had an active bandy department.[3]
During the
The 1950s and 1960s were highly successful years for FFK. The club secured the league title six times – back to back in 1950–51 and 1951–52 – and finished in second place seven times. The Norwegian Cup was won four times. In 1957, a new milestone was achieved when FFK won their second double. As league champions in 1960, Fredrikstad entered the
The town of Fredrikstad was in many ways an economic powerhouse in Norway in the previous century, first as a major supplier of machinery to the timber industry and then as a center of shipbuilding activities. At one point the shipyard in Fredrikstad was the largest in Scandinavia. It has been said that there was always an air of optimism surrounding the town and its inhabitants, and it was certainly reflected in FFK's playful and relaxed style of football, which many regarded as the most entertaining in the country. The club's first cup triumph in '32 even made Jørgen Juve, a legend in Norwegian football, state: "This is how football is supposed to be played."
Perhaps it was because of this relaxed atmosphere that the club was so successful, and also why it eventually fell into decline. After years of glory, the club was becoming conservative, although they would not admit it themselves. Other clubs were increasingly turning to professionalism, while players from FFK still played football in addition to having normal jobs. Training regimes were becoming more rigorous than before, but in Fredrikstad, they felt that training more than twice a week would ruin the joy of playing football. There is also the sentiment that, in light of the club's formidable history, newer generations of FFK players were given too much responsibility, folding to the pressure again and again whenever things were starting to look brighter.
Fredrikstad was to struggle throughout the 1970s. They reached the cup final in 1971 but lost to Rosenborg, who was by now firmly en route to becoming a giant in Norwegian football. In 1972, they were runners-up in the league to Viking FK only on goal difference, as both teams finished the season on 34 points.[4] In 1973, for the first time in the club's history, FFK was relegated. They immediately gained promotion via the playoffs and by 1975 were back in the highest division, where they stayed for two seasons before facing relegation yet again.
The elevator ride between divisions continued until 1984. The Norwegian Cup went to Fredrikstad that year, but it must have been a bittersweet success. The club was once again relegated, and this time they were unable to make it back to the top flight. In 1992, FFK was relegated to the third highest division, where they would languish until 2002.
Fredrikstad's comeback from obscurity is largely attributed to the manager
On 13 December 2011, the offices of the club were raided by Norwegian police in connection with the Raio Piiroja contract investigations[5]
Colours and badge
In the early years of the club, Fredrikstad changed attire quite frequently. The first kit, for example, consisted of blue and white striped shirts and black shorts, but was changed after only two years, to white shirts and blue shorts. In 1910, a green and white kit was adopted ahead of the club's first semifinal in the Norwegian Cup.
The seventh and final iteration of Fredrikstad's kit was introduced after a match between Norway and Poland at Fredrikstad stadion, on 7 October 1926. Fredrikstad would request of the Polish Football Association that they use the Polish national colors for the Polish national team:
In Beantwortung Ihres w. Schreibens von Ende Dezember 1926 freuen wir uns sehr, dass Ihr hochverehrter Klub unsere Nationale Farben weiß-rot als seine Farben annehmen will. Gleichzetlich Ihrem Wünsche folgend, übersenden wir ein weißes Hemd und ein Paar roten Hosen
In response to your letter of December 1926, we are delighted that your esteemed club wants to take on our white-red national colors. Following your request we will send you a white shirt and a pair of red shorts.
The club received from the Polish association the new kit on 17 March 1927, when it became the official colors of Fredrikstad. The kit has since changed little in appearance apart from the socks, which went from being red and white to purely white in 1997.
FFK's badge, a green and white streamer with a football and the initials F.F. (the original abbreviation for Fredrikstad Fotballklubb was F.F.), has remained virtually unchanged since its introduction in 1909. When the Fredrikstad kit changed to white and red, the colors of the streamer changed as well.
Stadium
The old
A new home ground was built for the 2007 season at Fredrikstad Mekaniske Verksted (colloquially known as "Værste"), an old shipyard in the center of Fredrikstad. This was once the largest shipyard in Scandinavia, and the architecture of the stadium is such that two of the now defunct mechanical workshops, dating from as far back as 1870, are converted into stands at the sides. In addition, two separate stands are built at the ends of the pitch. The new stadium (with the same name, Fredrikstad stadion) has an all-seater capacity of 12,550.
Achievements
- Norwegian Second Division:
- Winner (1): 2023
Recent history
Season Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P CupNotes 20031. divisjon↑ 2 30 19 5 6 68 37 62 Third round Promoted to the Tippeligaen2004 Tippeligaen10 26 9 5 12 42 54 32 Third round 2005 Tippeligaen11 26 8 7 11 35 44 31 Fourth round 2006 Tippeligaen8 26 8 8 10 38 46 32 Winner 2007 Tippeligaen8 26 9 9 9 37 40 36 Third round 2008 Tippeligaen2 26 14 6 6 38 28 48 Quarterfinal 2009 Tippeligaen↓ 14 30 10 4 16 39 44 34 Fourth round Relegated to the 1. divisjon20101. divisjon↑ 3 28 14 8 6 53 37 50 Fourth round Promoted to the Tippeligaenthrough playoffs2011 Tippeligaen12 30 10 6 14 38 41 36 Semifinal 2012 Tippeligaen↓ 15 30 9 3 18 42 59 30 Second round Relegated to the 1. divisjon20131. divisjon10 30 11 8 11 44 41 41 Third round 20141. divisjon6 30 14 6 10 35 26 48 Second round 20151. divisjon12 30 8 11 11 41 61 35 Second round Escaped relegation in the 6th minute of added time 20161. divisjon11 30 8 9 13 34 48 33 Third round 20171. divisjon↓ 14 30 5 11 14 33 51 26 First round Relegated to 2. divisjon20182. divisjon2 26 15 7 4 53 25 52 Second round 20192. divisjon3 26 16 5 5 52 28 53 Second round 20202. divisjon↑ 1 19 17 1 1 60 19 52 Cancelled Promoted to 1. divisjon20211. divisjon4 30 15 7 8 60 42 52 Second round 20221. divisjon10 30 9 8 13 46 51 35 Third round 20231. divisjon↑ 1 30 18 10 2 50 23 64 Third round Promoted to Eliteserien 2024 Eliteserien
Source:[6]
Players
First team squad
- As of 21 February 2024[7]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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|
Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
Retired numbers
8 –
Coaching staff
- As of 14 August 2023[7]
Head coach | Mikkjal Thomassen |
Assistant coach | Andreas Hagen |
Goalkeeping coach | Samuel Dirscher |
Fitness coach | Torvald Berthelsen |
Player developer | Stian Johnsen |
Physio | Håkon Wæhler |
Medical apparatus | Jørn Pedersen |
Coaches
- Knut Torbjørn Eggen (2002–04)
- Egil Olsen (2005)
- Knut Torbjørn Eggen (2006)
- Anders Grönhagen (2007–09)
- Tom Nordlie (2009–10)
- Tom Freddy Aune (2010–12)
- Trond Amundsen (2012)
- Lars Bakkerud (2013)
- Håkon Wibe-Lund (2013–2015)
- Jan Tore Ophaug & Aleksander Olsen (interim) (2015)
- Arne Erlandsen (2015)
- Jan Halvor Halvorsen (2015–2016)
- Mons Ivar Mjelde (2016)
- Andrea Loberto (2016–2017)
- Per-Mathias Høgmo (2017–2018)
- Bjørn Johansen (2019–2022)
- Mikkjal Thomassen (2022–)
European record
Season | Competition | Round | Country | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1960–61 | European Cup | Preliminary round | Ajax | 4–3 | 0–0 | 4–3 | |
1. round | AGF | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–4 | |||
1961–62 | European Cup | Preliminary round | Standard Liège | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–4 | |
1962–63 | European Cup | Preliminary round | Vasas | 1–4 | 0–7 | 1–11 | |
1967–68 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 1. round | Vitória | 1–5 | 1–2 | 2–7 | |
1972–73 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 1. round | Hajduk Split
|
0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | |
1973–74 | UEFA Cup | 1. round | Dynamo Kiev | 0–1 | 0–4 | 0–5 | |
1985–86 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 1. round | Bangor City | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | |
2007–08
|
UEFA Cup | 2. Qualifying round | Hammarby | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | |
2009–10 | UEFA Europa League | 3. Qualifying round | Lech Poznań | 1–6 | 2–1 | 3–7 |
References
- Madsen, Birger (1978). FFK i 75 år: Fredrikstad Fotballklubb 1903–1978. FFK.
- Ellingsen, Odd; Sankey Hansen, Egil; Karlsen, Fritz; Karlsen, Sten; Poppe, Svenn; Svanberg, Sveinung (2003). Fredrikstadgutter våre veier: FFK gjennom 100 år. FFK.
- "Fredrikstadfk.no – Club History". Archived from the original on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 27 December 2008.
- "NIFS.no – Statistics". Retrieved 1 April 2006.
- "100% football – Statistics". Retrieved 1 April 2006.
Bibliography
- Simensen, Jens Olav (2005). Godfotarven: Knut Torbjørn Eggen i samhandling med Nils A. Aschehoug. ISBN 82-03-23225-6.
External links
- ^ "Fredrikstad fotballklubb - Arenaer". Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ^ "Thomassen ny hovedtrener i FFK". Fredrikstad FK (in Norwegian). 1 November 2022. Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ Bakken, Erling (2000). Sarpsborg-idretten gjennom 100 år (in Norwegian). Sarpsborg.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ News of Norway. Vol. 29. Norwegian Information Service. 1972. p. 74.
- ^ kl.12:37 (14 December 2011). "Tok med seg mapper på ni FFK-spillere – sport". Dagbladet.no. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Fredrikstad FK". NIFS (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 30 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ a b "A-laget". Fredrikstad FK. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
- ^ "Lima lånes ut" (in Norwegian). Fredrikstad FK. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.