| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1967-04-18)18 April 1967 (age 58) | ||
| Place of birth | Falun, Sweden | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| – | Nynäshamns IF | ||
| 199?–1995 | Västerhaninge IF | ||
| 1995–1996 | Hammarby IF | 24 | (12) |
| 1995 | →Birmingham City (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 1996–1998 | Örebro SK | 55 | (35) |
| 1998–2000 | AaB | 6 | (2) |
| International career | |||
| 1995–1997 | Sweden B | 3 | (0) |
| 1995–1997 | Sweden | 3 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Dan Sahlin (born 18 April 1967) is a Swedish former professionalfootballer who played as aforward. Alate bloomer, Sahlin did not turn professional until the age of 28 when he signed for theAllsvenskan clubHammarby IF in 1995. While atÖrebro SK, he became the1997 Allsvenskantop scorer alongsideMats Lilienberg andChrister Mattiasson. He also briefly representedBirmingham City andAaB. He won threecaps for theSweden national team between 1995 and 1997.
Sahlin was born inFalun.[1] He began his football career withNynäshamns IF,[2] and later played forDivision 3 clubVästerhaninge IF while also playingbandy at elite level. Sahlin came late into top-class football: he was nearly 28 years of age when, after lengthy negotiations, he joinedAllsvenskan clubHammarby IF in February 1995.[3] His debut was eventful: after 11 minutes 3 seconds, he scored the first goal of the1995 Allsvenskan season,[4] and in the 44th minute he received his secondyellow card. He finished the season with 12 league goals and another 3 in theSwedish Cup, but his club wererelegated.[3]
In November 1995, Sahlin made his international debut forSweden, after which he went to England to joinDivision One (second-tier) clubBirmingham City on loan.[5] He made his debut inthe Football League on 26 November 1995 in a 2–2 draw at home toLeicester City, coming on as a 74th-minutesubstitute for fellow debutantDanny Hill.[6] This was the only first-team game that Sahlin played for Birmingham,[1] and he returned to Sweden in December.[7]
Sahlin returned to the Allsvenskan withÖrebro SK. In 1997 his 14 goals earned him a share in theleague top scorer's crown, together withChrister Mattiasson ofElfsborg andMats Lilienberg ofHalmstad,[8] and the following season his 10 goals made him Örebro's leading scorer.[9] In his last game for ÖSK, Sahlin scored in the 89th minute to confirm a 4–2 win and take his club second in the table.[10] In his three seasons with the club he scored 40 goals from 64 appearances in all competitions.[11]
Sahlin signed a three-year contract withDanish Superliga clubAaB.[12] In July 1998, he made his debut, opening the scoring in the 39th minute in a 4–0 defeat ofAGF Aarhus.[13] He picked up a few injuries, including a minor ankle injury which required surgery. While in hospital, Sahlin suffered astaphylococcal infection in the operated area, which despite lengthy recuperative treatment forced his retirement. He played only six games for AaB, and scored twice.[14][15]
Sahlin played in threeB-internationals for Sweden and three matches for thesenior national team.[16] On 15 November 1995, he made his senior international debut, as an 83rd-minutesubstitute to replaceJörgen Pettersson in aUEFA Euro 1996 qualifying match againstTurkey which finished as a 2–2 draw. His first start for his country came on 22 February 1996, when he played the first half of theCarlsberg Cup final againstJapan in Hong Kong.[17] His third and last international appearance came in afriendly away againstLithuania in August 1997.[18][16]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | 1995 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 | |
Individual
