Holbæk B&I
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Holbæk B&I | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Full name | Holbæk Bold- & Idrætsforening | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Short name | HBI | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Founded | 1931 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ground | Holbæk Stadion, Holbæk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capacity | 10,500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chairman | Anders Kloppenborg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manager | Jesper Pedersen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
League | Danish 2nd Division East | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2005-06 | 2nd Division East, 2nd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Holbæk B&I (Holbæk Bold- & Idrætsforening) is a Danish football club currently playing in the Danish 2nd Division East. They play at Holbæk Stadion in Holbæk on Zealand, which has a capacity of 10,500.
The club was founded in 1931 by the merging of Holbæk Idrætsforening and Holbæk Boldklub, after a period where Holbæk Idrætsforening have had some success in regional championships. The quality of the team had declined however since the year 1924 where some members broke out to found Holbæk Boldklub. The reason among others for that move being that cricket was still a part of the club's activities. But on the 4th of August 1931 the two clubs in the rather small town decided to become one - leaving cricket out on the side line.
After a long period of mediocrety the club began to rise in the 1960s, where the best team was promoted several times and ended up the Denmark's premier division in 1972. The 1970s turned out to be the best decade for the club ever which two times became runners up in the national cup and one time in the league. Despite the fact that the club did not win a title, it gained a huge popularity locally and fostered a couple of players for the national team.
The 1980s and 1990s however saw a steady decline for the club and in 1993 it was to be found in what was then the 6th best league in the country. From there things started to improve and the club won some promotions during the next decade. In 2006 it was a serious contender for a place in the 2nd best national league.
During the history of the club Holbæk B&I have had 5 players on the Danish national team. Torben Hansen, Allan Hansen, Jørgen Jørgensen, Niels Tune Hansen and Benno Larsen. All of these players were playing for the club in its 1970s haydays. Later on the club has been the breeding ground for both Kurt Jørgensen and Christian Poulsen who both also gained matches in the national side. The latter has in the 2000s become the most successful former Holbæk player ever with his transfers first to F.C. København and in the summer 2002 to Schalke 04 in Germany.