Sarpsborg 08 FF (Norway)

Sarpsborg 08 Fotballforening is a professional football club from the Norwegian city of Sarpsborg, located in Østfold county, around fifty miles south of Oslo. The club was formed on January 15th 2008 following several mergers and a complicated history.

Sarpsborg FK was formed on May 8th1903, reaching their first Norgesmesterskapet i fotball for herrer; Norwegian Cup Final in 1906, going down to Odds BK and then falling at the final hurdle the following year to Mercantile.

SFK would be victorious in 1917 as they defeated SK Brann 4-1 in Stavanger to lift the trophy, as Einar Nordlie netting twice with Alf Simensen and Norwegian international Asbjørn Halvorsen scoring the other goals.

Defeat in the final to SK Brann followed in 1925 before SFK regained the trophy in 1929 following a 2-1 win against Ørn FK. Losing final appearances came in 1934 against Mjøndalen IF and then the following year against Fredrikstad FK.

In 1939 a third Cup win was achieved with a 2-1 victory over Skeid in Tønsberg. Consecutive Cup triumphs arrived in 1948 against local rivals Fredrikstad FK with a 1-0 win before Skeid were defeated 3-1 as the final began its life at Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo.

The achievement was also a personal milestone for Harry Yven, who collected his first winners medal as a seventeen year old in 1929 and his fourth in 1949 as a thirty seven year old.

In 1951 SFK returned to the Ullevaal Stadion for a sixth Cup win as Asker were defeated 3-2 after extra time. A single 1. Divisjon top flight was created in 1963 with the season being played throughout the summer months. SFK played in the inaugural season, before finishing third in 1964 and 1965.

The 1964 season also saw another Cup final appearance. This time SFK went down 2-1 to Rosenborg BK. The club qualified to play in the 1970–71 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, going out in the first round to Leeds United. The team continued to finish mid table until they were relegated at the end of the 1972 campaign.

An immediate return to the top flight twelve months later arrived, but SFK were relegated once more in 1974. By 1997 1. Divisjon had become the second tier of Norwegian football. SFK finished bottom of the table and were relegated.

SFK continued in their original form until 1999 when they joined with other local clubs to form Sarpsborg Fotball, taking SFK’s place in the league in an attempt to create a club to challenge at the top of Norwegian football.

However, after just one season the new club was relegated from 2. Divisjon and SFK withdrew from the arrangement and created a new team to play in the fifth tier regional Østfold football.

IL Sparta, another club in the Sarpsborg Fotball also had an interesting history to bring to the table, having been formed on November 23rd 1928. The club played at the top level of Norwegian football for many seasons in the 1950’s.

In 1952 Sparta lifted the Norwegian Cup with a 3-2 victory over Solberg SK. The team finished bottom of Hovedserien Group A in 1956-57 and were relegated to the second tier. Several decades followed in the lower divisions before promotion to the third tier came in 2003.

Sparta, like SFK had withdrawn from Sarpsborg Fotball in 2000 to continue alone. The other club in the arrangement formed Borg Fotball, winning promotion to the second tier in 2002 but were then relegated a year later.

At that point Sparta re-entered into the previous arrangement. The new club was called FK Sparta Sarpsborg, going on to win promotion to 1. Divisjon in 2005. To confuse things further, Sparta kept on their amateur side, which carried on in fifth tier regional Østfold football.

In 2007 SFK decided to join forces once more, so at last Sarpsborg had a united club to try and regain top flight football for the city in time for the 2008 season. The name of Sarpsborg Sparta FK was originally chosen but changed to Sarpsborg 08 FF in 2009.

Conny Karlsson was the first coach of the newly merged club before he was succeeded by Roar Johansen in September 2009. The goals of Morten Giæver helped the team to a runners-up place in 2010 and promotion to the top tier Tippeligaen.

Sarpsborg were relegated after just one season but bounced back at the first attempt, as Martin Wiig, Nicolay Solberg and Øyvind Hoås all rattled in the goals for the team. Brian Keane was appointed as head coach in January 2013.

The former England international managed to lead his charges to safety in a relegation play-off against Ranheim in his first season at the helm before a mid table finish in 2014. Deane was replaced by Geir Bakke in readiness for the 2015 campaign.

Sarpsborg reached the final of the Norwegian Cup, going down 2-0 to Rosenborg BK. A sixth place finish was topped by third place in 2017 as well as finishing as runners-up once more in the Cup.

The Ullevaal showpiece saw 08 go down 3-2 to Lillestrøm SK with the consolations coming from top scorer Patrick Mortensen and an own goal. The clubs record won entry to the qualifying round of the 2018-19 Europa League.

Patrick Mortensen captained the side in 2018 as well as finishing top scorer as Sarpsborg finished eighth before Joachim Thomassen took over the arm band the following season as the team struggled before Mikael Stahre replaced Bakke as coach.

Sarpsborg 08 FF will play in the Eliteserien in the 2020 season.

My visit

Sarpsborg 08 FF 4 Stabæk 2 (Monday 26^th May 2018) Eliteserien (att: 4,658)

My long weekend in Norway was in its final full day. I’d had a wonderful time visiting my brother Paul with Ragnhild and Andrea in Halden and catching up with my youngest brother Nick, along with Rach and Stan for the day.

The match dropped perfectly into my plans as I could head straight up to Oslo afterwards in readiness for my flight home the following afternoon. I was keen to see the standard of football, despite not knowing of Sarpsborg before my pre planning.

I’d enjoyed a few pints with Nick and Paul in the excellent Siste Reis pub before taking the 6.04 train for the twenty minute ride to my destination. Fire engines and police cars were immediately outside Sarpsborg station. It looked like a bowling alley and bar had been totally destroyed.

I was aware that the city wasn’t really a tourist destination, but I was keen to take a quick look and hopefully find some life. I waked along the main Olav Haraldssons Gate, but decided to cut in to where there looked more buildings.

The move paid off as I ended in a large pedestrianised square. Fans clad in blue and white were drinking under cover to shelter from the rain that had spoiled otherwise perfect weather throughout my trip.

There was time for another quick beer before following the crowds downhill along St. Marie Gate towards the stadium. It was good to see club flags hanging from every lampstand in a real show of local pride.

A fans park had been set up for junior supporters behind the ground, while free sausages were been given out. I was certainly happy with that experiment! I explained I wanted a standing ticket at the booth and was given one for 100 KON; around £10.

This was for behind the far goal. I walked past the main stand and found my entrance. The steward was easy going when searching my backpack and I was in. I quickly became aware that much of the stadium was newly built and was still being finished in places.

The Main Stand was raised and set back from the artificial pitch. The far end was a low seated affair, as was the stand down the far side; which had a small section of standing at the far third for visiting supporters.

My stand was large and all seated; even though the more vocal fans all stood towards the entrance side. Areas were still being paved and the facilities underneath were still in progress. It looked very much like the new stands covered where there was once a running or speedway track.

It was good to see plenty of families and youngsters supporting their local club. There was certainly plenty of enthusiasm around the place. Even when Franck Boli smashed in a fine goal in the first minute to give Stabæk the lead.

The main railway line to Oslo ran on my left from my lofty position behind the goal. The weather was getting cool but the action on the pitch was doing its very best to keep the spectators warm, who joined in. It reminded me a bit of being at Fulham in terms of atmosphere.

The hosts scored a fine equaliser when a cross was converted by the impressive Amin Askar on twenty seven minutes. The visitors still looked dangerous. Boli set up Ohikhuaeme Omoijuanfo, who saw his shot go wide off the outside of the post.

Sarpsborg had more of the play in a fine encounter, aided by the weather making passing slick on the immaculate surface. Hugo Vetlesen went on a brilliant mazy run for Stabæk that was ended in a clear trip. Referee Sigurd Kringstad waved away the appeals.

It was a long time since I’d seen a more blatant penalty and the visiting players were rightly furious. I wasn’t on my own laughing in the stand. The Sarpsborg fans couldn’t believe their luck. Five minutes later it was half time and a good chance of a walk to warm up.

At the interval I found a pile of free basic A4 sized programmes in the stand. Four minutes into the second half the home side went 2-1 up. An initial shot from a set piece was blocked before Ronnie Schwartz fired home.

On fifty two minutes Jeppe Moe saw his free kick hit the bar for the visitors. They continued to press, and it came as no surprise when they levelled around the hour mark. A decent ball came low across the box for Omoijuanfo to finish.

The same player saw an effort blocked as Stabæk looked the more likely to take the three points. However, Sarpsborg weren’t towards the top of the table for no reason. They gathered themselves and showed some real resolve.

A long throw was delivered into the Stabæk box with twelve minutes remaining. Joonas Tamm flicked the ball on for Kristoffer Zachariassen to make it 3-2. Three minutes later it was 4-2. Joachim Thomassen delivered an excellent corner which eventually fell to Patrick Mortensen who scored.

There was still time for Boli to miss a good chance to reduce the arrears but he side footed wide when well placed. Then Zachariassen sprung the offside trap for the hosts to set up Tobias Heintz with a simple finish, but the substitute blazed over.

It had been an entertaining game, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The Stabæk players and fans must have been wondering how they were leaving with nothing. They played their full part and weren’t helped by the earlier refereeing howler.

At full time I walked a slightly longer way back through the bus station but still had time to kill before the ninety minute train ride up to the capital. I had an early night in my Apartment Service AS room listening to the radio and devouring an enormous pizza.

It’d been another great day of discovery and adventure.