Lillestrøm SK

Lillestrøm Sportsklubb is a Norwegian football club from the city of Lillestrøm. It was founded in 1917, after the merger of two local football clubs. Their home ground is Åråsen Stadion, while the principal training ground is Lillestrøm stadion,^[1] or the indoor arena, LSK-Hallen. Åråsen Stadion seats 11,637 people; the average attendance has decreased to around 6,000, after poor result the last two seasons. The club holds the Norwegian record for the most consecutive years without being relegated. Over the years the club has had around 40 players who have represented the Norwegian national team. There has also been a number of foreigners who have represented the national teams of Sweden, Iceland, Senegal, Finland, Malta, Australia, South Africa, Slovenia, Tunisia, Canada, Somalia, and Nigeria.

History

Lillestrøm S.K. was founded on 2 April 1917. It has been Norwegian Elite League champions five times, most recently in 1989, and also in 1986, 1977, 1976, and 1959. Additionally, they have won the Norwegian Cup in 1985, 1981, 1978, 1977 and 2007.^[2]

When Arne Erlandsen left for Sweden and IFK Göteborg after the 2004-season, former LSK player and German international Uwe Rösler took over as head coach of the team. His first season in charge became a successful one, with Lillestrøm finishing fourth in the league. This position secured LSK a place in the Royal League. The team also made it to the Norwegian Cup final, but surprisingly lost 4–2 to Molde FK in front of a crowd of 25,000 at Ullevaal stadium.

In the 2006-season Lillestrøm were among the top favourites to win the league. Following a disappointing 4th place, it was announced on 13 November 2006 that Uwe Rösler had been fired from his position as head coach of Lillestrøm. Only a few days later Tom Nordlie signed a three-year contract.

A key signing ahead of the 2007 season included Fredrikstad's Simen Brenne, an attacking midfielder with a knack for scoring important goals. LSK under Nordlie played a 4–3–3 system, which invites rapid transitional play between defence and attack. The 2007 outfit won the Norwegian cup, beating FK Haugesund 2–0 in the final at Ullevaal stadion, and finished fourth in the league.

On 29 May 2008, Tom Nordlie resigned from his position as head coach after a disappointing start of the 2008 season. Statements from Nordlie suggested that fundamental disagreements with club director Jan Åge Fjørtoft also contributed to his resignation.^[3] It later emerged that the conflict between the controversial coach and the players was another big contributor behind Nordlie's departure, his punishing training regime in the run-up to the 2008 season being cited as the main complaint. Nordlie, no stranger to controversy during his career, had reportedly "lost the dressing room" as early as autumn 2007.

Erland Johnsen and Frode Grodås stepped in as caretakers until a new head coach was hired. On 19 August 2008, the club announced that Henning Berg would take over as head coach on 1 January 2009, after leaving his post at Lyn Oslo. Berg's first task would be to rescue the team from relegation, a feat he accomplished in his very first match as head coach. LSK beat Rosenborg 4–2 in a classic encounter to secure their place in the Tippeligaen.

The 2009 season was one of great upheaval. In an increasingly tight economic position, LSK sold or released 11 players before and during the season, with Berg also restructuring the squad and bringing in new talent. Enormous injury problems also made the start to the season a difficult one for Berg's charges. After 9 games, LSK had won none and drawn four and seemed destined for relegation. An impressive comeback saw Lillestrøm deliver a strong second half to the season, eventually finishing 11th. Newcomer Emmanuel Nosakhare Igiebor had an especially impressive first season in the Lillestrøm jersey.

The team continued to impress over the course of the winter and start of the 2010 season. LSK were in early June fifth in the Tippeligaen, undefeated in 14 league matches. They saw however a dramatic drop in form over the summer which saw them briefly flirt with relegation, before a late surge of form late in the season salvaged 10th place.

As of 27 April, 2011, LSK have made an exciting start to the new season, scoring an incredible 18 goals from their first five league matches, including an incredible 7-0 drubbing of Stabæk in their first league match of the season - away from home.

Achievements

• Norwegian Premier League:
  • Winners (5): 1959, 1976, 1977, 1986, 1989
  • Runners-up (8): 1959–60, 1978, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1994, 1996, 2001

• Norwegian Football Cup:
  • Winners (5): 1977, 1978, 1981, 1985, 2007
  • Runners-up (7): 1953, 1955, 1958, 1980, 1986, 1992, 2005

• Royal League:
  • Runners-up (1): 2005–06

• UEFA Intertoto Cup:
  • Runners-up (1): 2006

Recent history

Season		Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P	Cup	Notes
1995	TL	4	26	11	8	7	50	36	41	semi-final
1996	TL	2	26	13	7	6	54	33	46	3rd round
1997	TL	10	26	9	6	11	41	49	33	last 16
1998	TL	8	26	9	5	12	34	43	32	3rd round
1999	TL	4	26	15	3	8	60	41	48	quarter-final
2000	TL	6	26	11	7	8	42	29	40	quarter-final
2001	TL	2	26	17	5	4	64	33	56	semi-final
2002	TL	7	26	10	6	10	37	30	36	3rd round
2003	TL	7	26	10	7	9	33	35	37	last 16
2004	TL	7	26	8	11	7	45	33	35	semi-final
2005	TL	4	26	12	6	8	37	31	42	final
2006	TL	4	26	12	8	6	44	33	44	quarter-final
2007	TL	4	26	12	8	6	47	28	44	winner
2008	TL	12	26	7	7	12	30	40	28	2nd round
2009	TL	11	30	9	10	11	43	50	37	last 16
2010	TL	10	30	9	13	8	51	44	40	3rd round
2011	TL	13	30	9	7	14	46	52	34	last 16

European record

Summary

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against. Defunct competitions indicated in italics.

List of matches

Records

• Greatest home victory: 10–0 vs. Geithus, 4 October 1953
• Greatest away victory: 7–0 vs. Stabæk Fotball, 20 March 2011
• Heaviest home loss: 1–7 vs. Fredrikstad FK, 15 August 1954
• Heaviest away loss: 1–7 vs. Odd Grenland, 7 June 1953
• Highest attendance, Åråsen Stadion: 13,652 vs. Vålerenga I.F., 16 May 2002
• Highest average attendance, season: 9,018, 2007
• Most appearances, total: 613, Torgeir Bjarmann 1988–2003
• Most appearances, league: 315, Arild Sundgot 1997– (per Nov 2011)
• Most goals scored, total: 319, Tom Lund 1967–1982
• Most goals scored, league: 109, Arild Sundgot 1997– (per Nov 2011)
• Most goals scored, season: 19, Mons Ivar Mjelde 1993

Current squad

As of 3 January 2012

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

For season transfers, see transfers winter 2011–12.

Coaching staff

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Notable former players

Supporters

Lillestrøm is one the most supported clubs in Norway, and has the second biggest fan-club in Norway, as the official fan-club, Kanarifansen has more than 5000 members. Kanarifansen was founded on 3 December 1992 and publishes its own magazines and has its own collection of clothing.

References

External links

• Official website
• "Kanari-Fansen", the Lillestrøm SK Supporters Club
• Stats, history and facts