BK Häcken
Encyclopedia
BK Häcken is a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 football club
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 based in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...

. The club, formed on 2 August 1940, is currently playing in the Swedish premier division, Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...

 after being promoted in 2008
2008 in Swedish football
The 2008 season in Swedish football, starting January 2008 and ending December 2008:- Official titles :- Competitions :- Promotions :- Relegations :- International qualifications :- 2008 Allsvenskan 2008 :...

.

The beginning

The club was started by a group of youngsters at the age of 14–15, they had a wish to not just play football for fun but to create an organisation and play in the national league system. The boys turned to Göteborgs Fotbollförbund
Göteborgs Fotbollförbund
The Göteborgs Fotbollförbund is one of the 24 district organisations of the Swedish Football Association. It administers lower tier football in Göteborg.- Background :...

, the local FA, the boys had been playing under the name BK Kvick earlier, however the name was already taken by another organisation, the name was then change to Bollklubben Häcken after the huge hedge
Hedge
Hedge may refer to:* Hedge or hedgerow, line of closely spaced shrubs planted to act as a barrier* Hedge , investment made to limit loss* Hedge , intentionally non-committal or ambiguous sentence fragments-See also:...

 (sv: häck) that grow around the field the boys used to practise on. The organisation Bollklubben Häcken came into existence on 2 August 1940.

First decades

Following the first years the club only played sporadic matches, youth championships and a few other matches, but eventually they started to play at the senior level. As of 1943 the club started to take in the league system and success came in an instant. Between 1944 and 1947 the club won their league and climbed from west seniorclass 4 to seniorclass 1.

The start of the 1950s went as well as the 1940s had. The club won Division 4 in 1950 and when they won Division 3 in 1951 they went from a local club to be known as a "comet team" in the national media. The club fought for a place in Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...

 in 1953 but saw themselves defeated by Kalmar FF
Kalmar FF
Kalmar FF is a Swedish football club located in Kalmar. Formed 10 January 1910, the club has won three national cup titles and 1 league title. Kalmar FF currently play in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan....

, and in 1954 the club was relegated from Division 2. In 1955 the club set the record for the most spectators during a Division 3 game against IK Oddevold
IK Oddevold
IK Oddevold is a Swedish football club located in Uddevalla, the name "Oddevold" being an older form of Uddevalla. The club, formed on 3 July 1932, currently plays in Sweden's third-flight league, Division 1...

, when 18,229 people showed up for the game. BK Häcken eventually won the league but returns soon again and played in Division 3 for the rest of the decade.

The 1960s started with the opening of the club's new clubhouse, now known as Häckensborg. Häcken spent most of the decade as a stable Division 3 team, but in 1967 they were relegated to Division 4 and it was struck by some severe economical and internal problems.

The 1970s started just as badly as the previous decade ended. The club fell out of Division 4 and held discussions with IF Warta about a merger. A discussion had been up several times earlier but had not gone as far as now, at the day of the voting the IF Warta members voted for a merging while the BK Häcken members voted against it. In 1971 the club won Division 5, the club then played in Division 4 until 1975 when they won it and in 1977 they won Division 3 with former Swedish international Agne Simonsen as manager, when the club earlier won Division 3 in 1951 they climbed directly up to Division 2, however this time they had to play a qualifier against IK Brage
IK Brage
IK Brage is a Swedish football club located in Borlänge. The club, formed 1925, has played 18 seasons in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. The 2010 season will be played in the second highest Swedish league, Superettan...

, Motala AIF
Motala AIF
Motala AIF is a Swedish football club located in Motala in Östergötland. Other sports that the club promotes include athletics, orienteering, ice hockey, road cycling and skiing.-Background:...

 and Degerfors IF
Degerfors IF
Degerfors IF is a Swedish football club located in Degerfors. The club, formed 13 January 1907, is currently playing in the second highest Swedish league, Superettan.-Background:...

. The club won and took the step up to Division 2. During 1978–1979 the club played successfully in Division 2 with a 3rd place as the best position. In 1978 BK Häcken also started a ladies team.

Reaching Allsvenskan

The new decade started as strong as the last one ended, Agne Simonsen continues to bring success to the club as they win Division 2 and qualify for a position in Allsvenskan, however IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg is a Swedish football club located in Borås. The club has won five national championship titles, the latest in 2006, and two national cup titles. Currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. Elfsborg is based at Borås Arena...

 prove to strong with a 0–1 defeat at home on Gamla Ullevi and then a 1–1 result in Borås
Borås
Borås is a locality and the seat of Borås Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 63,441 inhabitants in 2005.- Geography :Borås is located at the point of two crossing railways, among them the railway between Gothenburg and Kalmar, and is often considered the Swedish city gaining the...

 on Ryavallen
Ryavallen
Ryavallen is a multi-purpose stadium in Borås, Sweden. From its inauguration in 1941 to 2004, it was the home of IF Elfsborg who now play at Borås Arena. During the 1958 FIFA World Cup, it hosted the matches between USSR and Austria, and between England and Austria.The record attendance is 22,654...

, during the game on Gamla Ullevi BK Häcken sets it record for biggest home audience with 19 205.
However the club is not let down by this and comes in 2nd place in 1982 and this time they qualify IFK Norrköping
IFK Norrköping
IFK Norrköping is a Swedish football club based in Norrköping. The club, formed on 29 May 1897, is currently playing in the first division of Swedish football, Allsvenskan...

, BK Häcken is able to 2–0 result home at Rambergsvallen
Rambergsvallen
Ramsbergvallen is a multi-use stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of BK Häcken. The stadium holds 10,000 people and was opened August 18, 1935.-External links:*-References:...

 and then get 1–1 away on Idrottsparken
Idrottsparken
Idrottsparken is a multi-purpose stadium in Norrköping, Sweden constructed in 1903. It is currently used mostly for football matches. It is the home arena for IFK Norrköping, IK Sleipner and for IF Sylvia. The stadium had a capacity of 19,414 people until 2008/2009 when the arena was re-built....

 in Norrköping
Norrköping
Norrköping is a city in the province of Östergötland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County. The city has a population of 87,247 inhabitants in 2010, out of a municipal total of 130,050, making it Sweden's tenth largest city and eighth largest...

 and the club reached Allsvenskan for the first time in the clubs history.
The time that BK Häcken spends in Allsvenskan is however short, the club successful manager Agne Simonsen for a local competitor and Reine Almqvist takes over, the club ends up last in the league and is relegated back to Division 2 where they play for the rest of the 1980s.

BK Häcken starts the 1990s with winning Division 1 söder and faces GIF Sundsvall
GIF Sundsvall
GIF Sundsvall is a Swedish football club located in the city of Sundsvall. The club, formed on 25 August 1903, is currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. The club is affiliated to Medelpads Fotbollförbund.- History :...

 in the qualify, even with an impressiv 5–2 victory at home Sundsvall is able to comeback and win the return match in Sundsvall
Sundsvall
-External links:* - Official site from Nordisk Familjebok - Sundsvalls tourist information bureau. - The alternative guide to Sundsvall. - Blog with photos from Sundsvall....

 and gets promoted to Allsvenskan. The club was also successful plying in Svenska Cupen
Svenska Cupen
Svenska Cupen , is a knockout cup competition in Swedish football and the main Swedish football cup. Svenska Cupen usually refers to the men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held. Each year 98 teams compete, comprising the 16 teams from Allsvenskan and the 16 teams of Superettan...

 and reaches the final, but are defeated again, this time 3–0 by Djurgårdens IF.
The club is close in reaching Allsvenskan again in 1991, but a 2–2 home and 1–1 away sees them losing the position to Helsingborgs IF
Helsingborgs IF
Helsingborgs IF , commonly referred to as Helsingborg and locally HIF, is a Swedish football club located in Helsingborg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan...

.
1992 is more successful as they reach Allsvenskan through a 4th place in Kvalsvenskan and this time the spell in the top league is not as short as earlier, BK Häcken ends up on in 6th place in 1993 and gets to play a second year in Allsvenskan, however the club ends up last in the league in 1994 and following some turbulens on the leadership side of the club it stays in Division 1 until 1997 as the club ended up in 2nd place and qualifies against Västerås SK
Västerås SK Fotboll
Västerås SK is a Swedish football club based in Västerås. The club, formed on 29 January 1904, is currently playing in the third highest Swedish league, Division 1 Norra.-Players:...

, with a 1–1 home and with a 4–2 away BK Häcken climbs up to Allsvenskan again.
The club is however relegated again in 1998 after ending up second last, but returns in 1999 after winning Division 1 Södra, this year Kim Källström
Kim Källström
Kim Källström is a left-footed Swedish midfielder playing for the Swedish national team and Olympique Lyonnais.-Early career:Källström's first professional club in Sweden was BK Häcken from Gothenburg but his big breakthrough in Sweden came when he moved to Djurgårdens IF in 2002, where he won the...

 also makes his debut for the club.

New millennium

The new millennium continues as the last decade did, the club is able to defend its Allsvenska position in a relegation/promotion play-off against Mjällby AIF
Mjällby AIF
Mjällby AIF is a Swedish football club located in Mjällby. The club, formed in 1939, won the title of Sweden's second-level of football Superettan in the 2009 season and thus gained promotion to the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan...

 in the end of the 2000 season
2000 in Swedish football
The 2000 season in Swedish football, starting January 2000 and ending December 2000:- Official titles :- Competitions :- Promotions :- Relegations :- International qualifications :- Allsvenskan 2000 :...

 after penalties, Kjell Pettersson leaves the club and Torbjörn Nilsson
Torbjörn Nilsson
Torbjörn Anders Nilsson is a Swedish former football striker and coach. He is considered to be one of the best Swedish footballers of all time, having won the Swedish championship twice and the UEFA Cup once with IFK Göteborg, where he spent most of his career...

 takes over as manager.
2001 BK Häcken plays it 6 season overall in Allsvenskan but ends second last and is relegated to Superettan
Superettan
Superettan is the second highest league in the league system of Swedish football and comprises 16 Swedish football teams. It was created in 2000. Before that, the second level league in Sweden had been Division 1....

, through a cooperation with Floda BoIF
Floda BoIF
Floda BoIF is a Swedish football club located in Floda, Lerum, near Gothenburg.-Background:Since their foundation on 11 February 1935 Floda Boll-och Idrottsförening has participated mainly in the middle and lower divisions of the Swedish football league system...

 future Liberian national Dulee Johnson
Dulee Johnson
-Career:Johnson played in the youth tournament Gothia Cup in 1998 and was spotted by local Swedish club Floda BoIF. In 2001 he switched to the Gothia Cup organizing club, BK Häcken which at that time played in the first division. Häcken were relegated after the 2001 season, but Johnson remained...

 arrives at the club and in 2002 and he gets company from Jimmy Dixon
Jimmy Dixon
Jimmy Dixon is a Liberian international footballer who plays professionally in Turkey for Manisaspor, as a central defender.-Club career:...

 and Dioh Williams
Dioh Williams
Dioh Williams is a Liberian football striker, who is currently playing in the Swedish premier division Allsvenskan for BK Häcken. He is also a member of the Liberia national football team.-External links:* ******...

.
BK Häcken spends stays in Superettan until 2004, being close to take the step up both in 2002, failing on goal difference, and in 2003, defeated by GIF Sundsvall in play-off, in 2004 the clubs reaches Allsvenskan by winning Superettan.
The club brings in former Swedish international Teddy Lučić
Teddy Lucic
Teddy Mark Šime Lučić is a Swedish former football defender. His last club was IF Elfsborg.-Early years:Lučić was born on 15 April 1973 in Biskopsgården, Gothenburg to Croatian father, Krešimir, and Finnish mother, Annis. His father Krešimir was also a football player. In 1966, Krešimir moved to...

 and Danish international Stig Tøfting
Stig Tøfting
Stig Tøfting , nicknamed Tøffe, and The Lawn Mower, is a former Danish professional footballer and assistant coach, who most recently was the assistant of Erik Rasmussen at AGF....

 in 2005 in an attempt to reach a higher position the earlier, the club reaches 8th places.
The 2006 season gets harder as Stig Tøfting and Dulee Johnson leaves the club and the club is forced to play against a qualify against IF Brommapojkarna
IF Brommapojkarna
IF Brommapojkarna, also called BP, is a Swedish football club located in the borough of Bromma, in the western parts of Stockholm municipality. Brommapojkarna is the largest football club in Europe in terms of the number of active teams of all ages - in 2007 there were 247 teams and 3,000 players....

, BK Häcken is defeated by a total of 4–1 and is relegated to Superettan.

In 2010, Häcken earned the Fair Play award for the Allsvenskan. This resulted in the team earning a spot in the 1st Qualifying Round of the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League
2011–12 UEFA Europa League
The 2011–12 UEFA Europa League is the third season of the competition since it was renamed from the UEFA Cup. It began on 30 June 2011 with the first legs of the first qualifying round, and will end on 9 May 2012 with the final to be held at Stadionul Național in Bucharest, Romania...

 when Sweden won third place in the UEFA Fair Play ranking
UEFA Fair Play ranking
The UEFA Fair Play ranking has been used by UEFA since 1995 to grant three berths for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.-Current club qualification system:...

.

Current squad

Out on loan

For season transfers, see transfers winter 2011–2012.

Notable players

Denmark Stig Tøfting
Stig Tøfting
Stig Tøfting , nicknamed Tøffe, and The Lawn Mower, is a former Danish professional footballer and assistant coach, who most recently was the assistant of Erik Rasmussen at AGF....



Finland Keijo Huusko
Keijo Huusko
Keijo Huusko is a Finnish footballer currently playing RoPS.-Career:He has previously played for Vaasan Palloseura, BK Häcken, Lyn, Strømsgodset and Tromsø. He joined Tromsø on 1 January 2008. After sereval injuries Huusko decited to move back to Finland and TP-47. He signed four year long...



Iceland Arnór Guðjohnsen
Arnór Guðjohnsen
Arnór Guðjohnsen is a former Icelandic footballer who played as a striker. He is most famous for his seven-year stint with Belgian club Anderlecht and was the club's top scorer in the 1986–87 season. He is the father of striker Eiður Guðjohnsen.-Club career:Guðjohnsen played for the following...



Liberia Jimmy Dixon
Jimmy Dixon
Jimmy Dixon is a Liberian international footballer who plays professionally in Turkey for Manisaspor, as a central defender.-Club career:...

 Dulee Johnson
Dulee Johnson
-Career:Johnson played in the youth tournament Gothia Cup in 1998 and was spotted by local Swedish club Floda BoIF. In 2001 he switched to the Gothia Cup organizing club, BK Häcken which at that time played in the first division. Häcken were relegated after the 2001 season, but Johnson remained...

 Dioh Williams
Dioh Williams
Dioh Williams is a Liberian football striker, who is currently playing in the Swedish premier division Allsvenskan for BK Häcken. He is also a member of the Liberia national football team.-External links:* ******...



Sweden Anton Hysén
Anton Hysén
Anton Hysén is a Swedish football player who plays in the Swedish fourth division for Utsiktens BK, which is coached by his father Glenn Hysén...

 Tobias Hysén
Tobias Hysén
Glenn Tobias Hysén is a Swedish footballer who plays as a striker for Allsvenskan side IFK Göteborg and the Swedish national team. He is the son of Glenn Hysén.-Early life:...

 Kim Källström
Kim Källström
Kim Källström is a left-footed Swedish midfielder playing for the Swedish national team and Olympique Lyonnais.-Early career:Källström's first professional club in Sweden was BK Häcken from Gothenburg but his big breakthrough in Sweden came when he moved to Djurgårdens IF in 2002, where he won the...

 Teddy Lučić
Teddy Lucic
Teddy Mark Šime Lučić is a Swedish former football defender. His last club was IF Elfsborg.-Early years:Lučić was born on 15 April 1973 in Biskopsgården, Gothenburg to Croatian father, Krešimir, and Finnish mother, Annis. His father Krešimir was also a football player. In 1966, Krešimir moved to...


|}

League

  • Superettan
    Superettan
    Superettan is the second highest league in the league system of Swedish football and comprises 16 Swedish football teams. It was created in 2000. Before that, the second level league in Sweden had been Division 1....

    :
    • Winners (1): 2004
    • Runners-up (1): 2008
  • Division 1 Södra
    Division 1 Södra
    Division 1 Södra is one of two leagues in the third level, Division 1, in the league system of Swedish football and comprises 14 Swedish football teams. Division 1 Södra had status as one of the official second level leagues from 1987 to 1999, but was replaced by Superettan in 2000...

    :
    • Winners (2): 1990, 1999
    • Runners-up (1): 1997
  • Division 1 Västra
    Division 1 Västra
    Division 1 Västra was a short-lived league of the third level, Division 1, in the league system of Swedish football...

    :
    • Winners (1): 1992

European record

  • Q= Qualifying

UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

 / UEFA Europa League:
Season Round Country Club Home Away Aggregate
2007–08 Q1  Iceland KR Reykjavik 1–1 1–0 2–1
Q2  Scotland Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....

1–0 1-1 2-1
1  Russia Spartak Moscow
Spartak Moscow
Spartak Moscow may refer to the following teams based in Moscow, Russia:* FC Spartak Moscow, an association football club* HC Spartak Moscow, a professional ice hockey team* WBC Spartak Moscow, a women's basketball team...

1-3 0-5 1-8
2011–12
2011–12 UEFA Europa League
The 2011–12 UEFA Europa League is the third season of the competition since it was renamed from the UEFA Cup. It began on 30 June 2011 with the first legs of the first qualifying round, and will end on 9 May 2012 with the final to be held at Stadionul Național in Bucharest, Romania...

Q1  Luxembourg Käerjéng 97
UN Käerjeng 97
UN Käerjéng 97 is a football club, based in Bascharage, in south-western Luxembourg.-History:A young club, it was only formed in 1997 as an amalgam of Union Sportive Bascharage and Jeunesse Hautcharage....

5–1 1–1 6–2
Q2  Finland FC Honka
FC Honka
FC Honka is a Finnish football club, based in Tapiola, Espoo. It was promoted into the Finnish premier division , for the first time in its history, at the end of the 2005 season. The club's manager is Mika Lehkosuo, and it plays its home matches at Tapiolan urheilupuisto...

1–0 2–0 3–0
Q3  Portugal Nacional 2-1 0-3 2-4

External links

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