Boldklubben Frem

Frem

Full name	Boldklubben Frem af 1886
Nickname(s)	Fremmerne, Ægte København (True Copenhagen)
Short name	Frem
Founded	17 July 1886 (1886-07-17) as Fremskridtsklubbens Cricketklub
Ground	Valby Idrætspark, Copenhagen
Ground Capacity	12,000 (4,400 seats)
Chairman	Claus Mohrhagen
Head coach	Henrik Gundersen
League	Danish 2nd Division, P2
2014–15	Danish 2nd Division East, 2th
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Boldklubben Frem (also known as Frem, BK Frem or BK Frem Copenhagen) is a Danish sports club based in the Valby-Sydhavnen area of Copenhagen. It is best known for its semi-professional football team. Since its foundation in 1886, Frem has won the Danish Championships six times and the Danish Cup twice. Until the disastrous bankruptcy in 1993, Frem had played in the top division all but six seasons. After the bankruptcy the club fought its way back to the top of Danish football, but in 2010 it went bankrupt again and was demoted to the Copenhagen Series – the fifth tier in the Danish league system. After two back to back promotions, the club now participates in the Danish 2. Division, the third tier.

The club also has a youth and amateur football branch, as well as a cricket team. It is also involved in the running of the KIES sports boarding school.

Supporters

Frem's official supportergroup is called "BK Frem Support". It is Denmarks oldest supporters club, formed in 1986. Frem fans are especially known for being very loyal. Even when demoted to the fifth tier, attendances almost didn't drop.

History

Early years

Frem's squad of the 1901–1902 Copenhagen Championship-winning season. The player at the very centre is Axel Byrval.

BK Frem were founded as Fremskridtsklubbens Cricketklub on 17 July 1886 by a group of seditious young men from the then government hostile Venstre Reform Party, as a cloak for political activities.^[1] In 1887 football was introduced and the name was changed to Boldklubben Frem, stiftet af Fremskridtsklubben (lit. Danish: The Ball Club Forward, founded by the Progress Club).

In the first two years of the life of the club, only two sports matches were played, but when the Danish Football Association introduced a football tournament in 1889, the club was invited to participate, and in 1890 Frem became the first Danish club to beat KB in a football match. In 1902 Frem became unofficial Danish champions when they won the league played under the auspices of the Danish FA. This was the first ever senior title won by the club.

In 1905, the club moved to its own field at Enghavevej, Vesterbro, obtaining its distinct working class profile. To this day, both the Social Democrats and the Union of Metalworkers holds Frem sponsorships. In 1912, Frem joined the representative team Stævnet which arranged lucrative exhibition matches and played a decisive role in Danish football politics.

Match against AB around 1940. Frem players (hooped shirts): Pauli Jørgensen (far left), Johannes Pløger (2nd from right) and Erling Sørensen (far right).

Palmy days

In the years 1923–1944, Frem won six Danish Championships.

Division Yo-Yoing

Since 1983 Frem had been battling economically, and in 1993 saw themselves demoted to the Danmarksserien following a bankruptcy, which was due to a debt of DKK 8,500,000 and allegations of fraud.^[2]

Following a short but expensive spell in the Superliga in 2003–2004, Frem were once again on the verge of bankruptcy with a debt of DKK 10,000,000.^[3]

In 2010 after years of uncertain economy the club once again went beankrupt and was demoted to the Copenhagen Series.^[4]

Home ground

The clubhouse at Enghavevej, Vesterbro used 1905–1942.

Frem play their home matches at the modest and somewhat down worn, municipality-owned Valby Idrætspark.

In the early years, Frem were located on Østerbro in Copenhagen, playing its matches at Blegdamsfælleden, alongside its main rivals in the early years; AB and KB. In 1905 Frem moved to its own field at Enghavevej, Vesterbro. Being a field-owning club gave Frem the advantage of entry fees. Its location however lead to some muttering from football fans who found it to be too far out of town.^[5]

In 1942, Frem moved to Valby Idrætspark, where the current main stand was erected in 1965. Throughout the years a lot of matches has been played at Idrætsparken. It is unclear when this tradition was discontinued.

The construction of a new stadium is currently in the planning.

Sponsorships

After the clubs bankruptcy in summer 2010, Frem got a helping hand from Danish brewery giant Carlsberg. Being from the same city they signed on as main sponsor, because they saw it as a chance to help the fellow Valby based brand back on its feet.^[6] In July 2013 an extension for another three years was announced.^[7] On August 1, 2013 it was made public that the club was changing kit sponsor to Diadora .

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Honours

Frem's squad of the 1943–1944 championship-winning season.

Cricket squad, 1898.

Football

• Danish Champions
  • Winners (6): 1923, 1931, 1933, 1936, 1941, 1944
  • Runner-up (9): 1930, 1935, 1937, 1938, 1948, 1958, 1966, 1967, 1976
  • 3rd placed (6): 1934, 1955, 1957, 1968, 1971, 1992
• Danish Cup
  • Winners (2): 1956, 1978
  • Runner-up (3): 1969, 1971, 1981
• Unofficial Danish Champions
  • Winners (1): 1902
  • Runner-up (3): 1899, 1901, 1903
• Copenhagen Champions
  • Winners (3): 1904, 1923, 1933
  • Runner-up (8): 1906, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1918, 1922, 1929, 1937
• Copenhagen Cup
  • Winners (6): 1927, 1927, 1938, 1940, 1943, 1946
  • Runner-up (9): 1913, 1918, 1919, 1922, 1924, 1930, 1934, 1939, 1944
• Baneklubberne Cup
  • Winners (1): 1911
• UEFA Intertoto Cup
  • Winners (2): 1969, 1977

Cricket

• Copenhagen Champions
  • Winners (2): 1894, 1898

Players

Current squad

As of 26 November 2015^[8]

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

No. Position Player 1 GK Simon Bloch Jørgensen 2 MF Mikkel Andersson 3 MF Andreas Theil Lundberg 4 DF Henrik Volquardsen 5 DF Christian Stokholm 6 DF Frederik Reippuert 7 MF Mikael Simonsen 8 FW Torbjørn Billeskov 9 FW Mohammed Azaquoun 10 FW Beran Camili 11 DF Danni Jensen 12 MF Mark Kurzweg

No. Position Player 13 MF Basti Sørensen Abildå 15 FW Danny Andersen 16 GK Marco Brylov 17 MF Emil Dyre Nielsen 18 DF Matthias Andersen 19 DF Mathias Bukhave 20 MF Simon Stage 21 DF Rasmus Louie Larsen 22 MF Jeppe Østenkær 23 MF Victor Andersen 24 MF Jeppe Brædder 30 FW Thomas Christiansen

Club officials

Chairman: Claus Mohrhagen
Head Coach: Henrik Gundersen
Assistant Coach: Mikael Simonsen
Goalkeeping Coach: Morten Cramer
Reserve Team Coach: Anders Sundstrup
U21 Team Coach: Metin Celik
U19 Team Coach: Metin Celik
U17 Team Coach: Alan Garflet
Head of youth development: Ole Mørk

Head Coach history

Name	Nationality	From	To	Honours	Comments	Refs
Gundersen, HenrikHenrik Gundersen	Denmark	29 April 2014	Present			[9]
Jensen, HenrikHenrik Jensen	Denmark	1 July 2012	29 April 2014		Originally had contract until summer 2014	[10]
Kristiansen, John 'Tune'John 'Tune' Kristiansen	Denmark	18 June 2012	23 June 2012		Caretaker for one league match
Hansen, Peer F.Peer F. Hansen	Denmark	1 January 2012	18 June 2012	won promotion to the third tier		[11]
Kristiansen, John 'Tune'John 'Tune' Kristiansen	Denmark	27 July 2010	30 December 2011	won promotion to the fourth tier	Originally had contract until summer 2012	[12]
Heitmann, RenéRené Heitmann	Denmark	17 July 2010	27 July 2010		Never coached the team in a match
Andersen, ChristianChristian Andersen	Denmark	11 July 2009	19 June 2010	Team was relegated to third tier	Club went bankrupt after the season	[13]
Theil, AndersAnders Theil	Denmark	7 November 2005	7 July 2009		Originally had contract until summer 2011	[14]
Skovdahl, EbbeEbbe Skovdahl	Denmark	11 October 2003	6 November 2005	Team was relegated to second tier	Originally had contract until summer 2007	[15]
Mørk, OleOle Mørk	Denmark	15 October 2001	10 October 2003	Won promotion to first tier	Originally had contract until end of 2004	[16][17]
Petersen, JohnnyJohnny Petersen	Denmark	5 May 1998	14 October 2001		Originally had contract until end of 2001
Kristiansen, John 'Tune'John 'Tune' Kristiansen	Denmark	1996	4 May 1998	Won promotion to second tier

Season-by-season results

Recent years

League status

Post 1993 bankruptcy and demotion

Green denotes the highest level of football in Denmark; yellow the second highest; red the third highest; black the fourth highest; grey the fifth highest.

All time

Green denotes the highest level of football in Denmark; yellow the second highest; red the third highest; black the fourth highest; grey the fifth highest.

European competitions record

Season	Competition	Round		Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1967–68	Inter-Cities Fairs Cup	1R		Athletic Bilbao	0–1	2–3	2–4
1969–70	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1R		FC St. Gallen	2–1	0–1	2–2
1972–73	UEFA Cup	1R		FC Sochaux	2–1	3–1	5–2
		2R		FC Twente	0–5	0–4	0–9
1977–78	UEFA Cup	1R		Grasshoppers	0–2	1–6	1–8
1978–79	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1R		AS Nancy-Lorraine	2–0	0–4	2–4
1992–93	UEFA Cup	1R		Neuchâtel Xamax	4–1	2–2	6–3
		2R		Real Zaragoza	0–1	1–5	1–6

Footnotes and references

External links

• (Danish) Official website
• (Danish) Historical archive

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