Nordic Nights

[sharpysharps]

Nordic Nights

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Signings, Departures & Retirements

At the end of July we where met with the news that my player / assistant manager was going to hang up his boots to concentrate on his new role on the coaching staff. At the age of 38 he's had a good innings as a player.

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There were minor changes to the playing staff on transfer deadline day. With great reluctance we decided to release Aaron Kabondo, whom I felt had a bright future at Ange about a year ago but he just hasn't progressed and hasn't featured for us all season. At the age of 22 and only on an amateur contract I felt I owed him the chance to ply his trade elsewhere.

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We only made 1 new signing ahead of the transfer deadline, and that was to bring 17 year old striker Gustav Lund in on loan until the end of the season. Once again I was taking advantage of our links with BK Hacken and despite not being overly worried about our quality up front, the kid really looks like he could make an immediate impact.

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Player Profile!

Probably the unsung hero of the side is midfielder Nikola Zivkovic. Going into the final 2 months of the season he was going to be crucial to our success. Thought him worth a mention as he was brought in last season and has been a really steady player for us.

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We head into the last 2 months of the season leading the way in 1st position, but the league is much more wide open compared to last season so we really need to make sure we keep a firm hold on our top spot. Before we move onto those all important matches I got some further good news in the form of a new contract, ensuring I will be at the club for at least another season.

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[sharpysharps]

Nordic Nights

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August & September 2017

August was a tense month for us, and it was only going to get more nerve wracking the closer we got to the finish line. We had 8 games left in total so we really needed to keep the momentum we've had for much of the season.

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What a cracker! We just didn't turn up for this one but thanks to a last gasp goal we managed to steal a point. That point could be huge come the end of the season. Next up was Bodens BK, whom we had enjoyed mixed results against in the past.

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Really poor performance overall. We should be winning these home games comfortably at this stage but we seem to be slipping into a state of nerves. After that defeat we lost our place at the top of the league and slipped down to 4th! A victory was all the more important in our next game against Hundiksvalls.

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More struggling was the order of the day as we battled hard but ultimately had to settle for a point. We fell behind but did ever so well to fight back and go in front thanks to a brace from the young lad Lund. We just couldn't hold onto that lead though and in the end we barely got out of there with a draw. More cause for concern...has our bubble completely burst at the worst possible time?

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Finally a win! It seemed like an eternity since our last one so to pick up 3 points here was huge for us. It wasn't pretty and far from our best as Friska Viljor were the better side but I'll take what I can get at this point. Results are what matters for us now. Hopefully we can take that confidence boosting win into our home game with Bergnasets, another side in a relegation dog fight.

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Unfortunately that didn't happen for us as we could only muster up ab abject 0-0 draw. Looking back we are lucky to still even be in the title race. The 3-3 draw at the start of August would have been a defeat had it not been for a last second equaliser. Nerves had well and truly set in amongst the players and just 1 win from 5 showed that. Even that solitary win was a struggle against Friska Viljor FC, who are down at the wrong end of the table.

This poor run of results had us going into the last 3 games of the season in 2nd place in the table.

To make matters more difficult, 2 of our 3 final games are against fellow promotion rivals in Hassleholm and Valbo. Crunch time...

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[sharpysharps]

Nordic Nights

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2017 Season Finale

After a poor run of results in August we where left with 3 games to try and claim promotion to the Swedish First Division North. It's been a tough season, tougher than it should have been but the positive in all of this going into the final 3 matches is that in 3 years we have gone from relegation battlers to promotion challengers. Whatever happens between now and the end of the season I can still be proud of what has been achieved here at Ange IF.

This is how the table looks heading into the first of our 3 'cup finals'...

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We went back to the top of the table with our 0-0 draw to 2nd from bottom Bergnasets AIK. The teams around us slipped up so despite failing to score against one of the leagues big strugglers we have found ourselves in a fantastic position once again.

IFK Hassleholm (away)

First up is a trip to currently 4th place Hassleholm. We beat them 5-3 earlier on in the season but going away from home to one of our promotion rivals was not going to be easy.

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We rode our luck but escaped with a draw, another clean sheet but the lack of goals is a worry. Despite not losing here we have dropped to 2nd in the table.

IFK Ostersund (home)

Ostersund are already relegated having only won twice all season. Surely we'll win this one?

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Indeed we will! Big, big win for us and it lifts us back to the top of the table as once again the teams around us seem intent on letting us win promotion despite our dodgy run of form. It wasn't a spectacular win by any stretch of the imagination but we didn't look like conceding either. A 3rd clean sheet in a row is also very welcome.

Our final match of the season sees us take on Valbo FF, who currently sit in 3rd. Hassleholm are 2nd while Anundsjo are the 4th team that are in with a chance of going up on the last day.

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Look at that goal difference though. If at any point we are losing by 1 goal then Valbo will be on the same GD as us. We know that a draw for us will win us the league regardless of what happens elsewhere.

Here's a look at the final round of fixtures:

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Hassleholm are more than likely to beat Moron BK at home, while Anundsjo are away to 8th place Friska Viljor FC. Both of those sides I expect to pick up wins.

Here we go then, it's promotion or bust....

Valbo FF (home)

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Heartbreak

Valbo convincingly turned us over in our own back yard, but they missed out on the title themselves despite incredible scenes in the away end when they scored the third and decisive goal. We never looked like winning, even though we managed to get what seemed like a vital equaliser against the run of play. Even at 2-1 we were still top of the table as Hassleholm were losing at home to Moron BK. Ultimately they came good and popped up with a late goal to disappoint the travelling Valbo fans.

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An incredible final day as Hassleholm win the league after a late winner in their match. It left both Ange and Valbo fans dejected at the final whistle. Anundsjo could only manage a draw leaving them with a 4th place finish.

To only lose 4 times all season is fantastic for us, it's just a shame that the 4th defeat was such a crushing blow for us. We end the season completely devastated, and I'm not even sure I want to carry on here as that could well be as far as I can take this team. That run through August proved to be fatal, and looking back it was the 0-0 home draw against relegated Bergnasets that was the game that cost us the title.

I need to pick myself and the players up for a 4th season in the 2nd Division. If I'm to stay on here then next season will be my last at Ange IF if we fail to win promotion.
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[sharpysharps]

Nordic Nights

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2017 Season Review

2017 was by far my most successful season at Ange IF, but it was met with disappointed at the end of the campaign as we lost our grip on the league title and promotion on the final day.

Although the senior side ended the season in heart-breaking fashion, our U21's did manage to bring home some silverware themselves...

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Great for my assistant manager to lead out U21's to success on that front, hopefully the future stars of Ange have a bright future.

Focussing back on the first team though and Archie Harvey was voted the 2nd Division North best midfielder, and also picked up the award for the best midfielder across all of the 2nd Division leagues. Great achievement for him and its certainly deserved.

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Club Awards

Our star signing Amor Layouni was voted fans player of the year, with Harvey coming 2nd and young loanee Caglayan in third place. Caglayan also picked up goal of the season while Harvey was voted as young player of the season.

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Harvey and Layouni, so often the players behind all of the good stuff we have done on the pitch this season have also been inducted into the overall best Ange IF squad.

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Onto the season review, and we really have to look back on 2017 as a successful year at the club despite that awful final day ending. One thing is for sure we are going to mount a big promotion push next year.

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The plans for next season have already begun, with several players leaving the club now that there contracts are at an end.

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Sad to see some of these guys leave the club but there is a need for some fresh faces amongst this squad if we are to mount another promotion push.

Elsewhere and our chairman was voted in for a 3rd term at the club having won another annual election. We've got a really good relationship so I'm chuffed he is staying on.

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Finally, to touch on what is happening way up in the premier league...

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Next time round it'll be all about planning for the 2018 season, and my 4th year at Ange IF. Hopefully next year we will be able to go that one step further and reach the dizzy heights of the Swedish First Division North!

I'd just like to take this moment now to thank everyone who has read so far, and hopefully you have enjoyed the latest few instalments. Thanks!
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[sharpysharps]

Nordic Nights

2018 Season Preview

I'm back at Ange IF for a 4th season with 1 simple objective: win the league and get us promoted to the first division north. Last season was gut wrenching to miss out on promotion on the final day of the season but there is absolutely no reason why we can't go one step further this season. With a bit of strengthening in the right areas we should be in and around the top 3 come the end of the season.

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We start the season with a home game against Friska Viljor. They finished mid table last time out so we should be looking to win that one in relatively comfortable fashion. We need to hit the ground running and forget the painful end to last year.

Transfers (Ins and Outs)

First on the agenda was the continuation of reshaping the squad into one that won't choke at the business end of the season. As such there were further departures on the back of the close season...

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The ageing players of the squad were moved on. Oskar Olsson is perhaps unfortunate to be released and the fans were sad to see him go, as were the board. However to move on in football you have to be brutal.

So that's the departures dealt with. Joining the team were the following players:

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We have a transfer budget for the first time ever so we were able to flex a bit of financial muscle by signing one of the stars of last season, Joel Ahman from promotion rivals Anundsjo IF. He has had two great years with them so I'm hoping he can repeat that for us and help fire us to the title. Unfortunately he misses the start of the season through injury but I'm sure he will make a big contribution when fit.

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Here are his stats for the last 3 years at Anundsjo...

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Ahman is joined by these guys. We definitely look stronger this time round.

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Pre Season Friendlies

We had 5 friendlies to deal with in preparation of the new league campaign. We started out with a match against recently crowned premier league champions IFK Goteborg.

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A 3-1 defeat to the premier league champions followed by 4 wins made for a pretty decent pre-season. There's no shame in losing to the champions at all, and the fact that we managed to get a goal had me pleased with the effort from the players. The other 4 friendlies where against lesser opposition so to win them all had me confident that the team was ready for the new season.

I was delighted to see that we have also been made Evens favourites to win the league this year. You have to be confident with odds like that but recently relegated Team TG FF were going to be no pushovers in the promotion race.

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[sharpysharps]

Nordic Nights

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April & May 2018

We start the new season with a home game to Friska Viljor. Can we put the heartbreak of the 2017 season behind us and start the new season in style?

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We sure can! A 5-1 thumping gives us a dream start to the season, with last years young player of the year and 2nd Division midfielder of the year Archie Harvey bagging the first goal of the game on just 18 seconds. It set the standard for the rest of the game and we rolled Viljor over without ever really having to get out of third gear.

Gustav Lund was given the nod as the loan striker after I had managed to extend his loan spell with us for another year and he didn't let me down by getting his first goal of the campaign. He might only be turning 18 this year but he has a really bright future ahead of him...a definite future premier league star.

Next up we were on the road for our first away game of the season as we travelled to Hudiksvalls FF.

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A wonderful 3-0 win! We didn't give them a sniff at goal which was the most pleasing aspect in truth.
The game was over after 34 minutes thanks to a goal from Lund and a brace from Layouni. We look super strong early on here.

Can we make it 3 wins in a row for our best ever start to a season since I arrived at the club...Bodenks BK were waiting in our path.

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Well that's annoying! 3-1 defeat at home against Bodens who have often been a thorn in our side in the past. We had the chances to get something here but just couldn't take them. Nothing is ever easy with this lot it seems.

An away trip to Bollnas GIF FF however saw us bounce back immediately in emphatic style...

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A hat trick from Lund sent us on our way to a really good 3 points. Next up another away game to Selangers FK, who survived last seasons relegation playoffs to keep their place in the league.

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4-0 again! We are flying right now after that blip against Bodens BK. Thankfully that's all it appears to be as we ran out convincing winners again. Another goal from Lund has seen him with an amazing start to the season, with the usual suspects of Layouni and Harvey also pitching in with the rest of the goals.

Next up we are back at home to Timra, a side that we have enjoyed reasonable success against in the past. Can we make it 3 wins in a row this time?

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Absolutely we can! 3 wins on the bounce and that's three 4-0 wins in a row too! We are setting the pace right now at the top of the table with Lund scoring once again and Layouni helping himself to another brace. We look like quite a formidable side right now.

Our final 2 games of May see us up against Harnosands FF and Kiruna FF. First up its Harnosands away...

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Another win, although less convincing than the last 3. We went behind early on here but battled back to take a 3-1 lead. Harnosands got a goal back to make it a nervy ending but we managed to hold on for the win. A much more even game than in recent weeks.

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Capping off the first 2 months of the season we hosted Kiruna, and it was probably the match of the season for the neutral fan. A 3-3 draw had me pulling my hair out when we let a 3 goal lead slip. Old boy Tor Isaksson who I decided to let go at the end of his contract last year came back to haunt us, scoring the first of their 3 goal comeback. He was pivotal behind everything they did and we nearly ended up losing 4-3 had it not been for a couple of great saves.

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So with 2 months out of 6 gone already in the 2018 season this is how the table is shaping up.

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We lead the way with a 2 point gap between us and Selangers. Team TG were predicted to be our closest promotion rivals but they have not quite got going just yet as they sit in 5th place.
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[Harries]

Interesting idea you've got going. There are so many interesting teams in the 'smaller' European leagues and a lot of unrealised potential. Hopefully you can be a success - good luck!

 

[T1LL13]

Is this story finished now?

I love Swedish football and just read this.

Hope you continue with it!