 | |||
| Full name | Lyn 1896 Fotballklubb | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 3 March 1896; 129 years ago (1896-03-03) | ||
| Ground | Bislett Stadium Oslo Norway | ||
| Capacity | 15,400 | ||
| Head coach | Magnus Aadland | ||
| League | OBOS-ligaen | ||
| 2025 | 1. divisjon, 7th of 16 | ||
| Website | lyn1896 | ||
Lyn 1896 Fotballklubb (Norwegian pronunciation:[lyːn]) is aNorwegianfootball club and a department of thesports clubSki- og Fotballklubben Lyn based inOslo, whose members also participate inNordic skiing andorienteering. Until 2010, SFK Lyn had two football departments, one professional section and one amateur section. After the professional football department, FK Lyn, was bankrupted in 2010, the fans decided to support the amateur department, Lyn Fotball, instead. With the help of some of the old FK Lyn players, Lyn Fotball won three consecutive promotions, and are now playing in theNorwegian first division. The team plays its home matches atBislett Stadium, and the head coach is currentlyMagnus Aadland.
Lyn was founded in 1896 and is one of the oldest football clubs in Norway. They were founding members of theFootball Association of Norway in 1902. The club won thetop division title in1964 and1968 and have won thecup eight times. Lyn was also the initiator of the construction ofUllevaal Stadion, which has served as Norway'snational stadium since 1927 and was Lyn's home ground from 1926 to 2010. Lyn has traditionally been perceived as representing theupper andmiddle classes, whereas the eastside clubVålerenga was seen as belonging to theworkers.
The club enjoyed some success during the first half of the 20th century, securing many cup titles, and despite failing to win the league title, had a certain stature in Norwegian football. TheNorway national football team that won the bronze medal at the1936 Summer Olympics included six players from Lyn. The captain of this team was Lyn-playerJørgen Juve, who is still the player with the most goals scored for the Norway national team. The club's most recent period of success was during the 1960s, when they won four trophies and reached the quarter-finals of theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup.
Lyn also fields a women's team, which in 2012 won promotion to the1. divisjon, the second tier in women's football. In 2017 the women's team, managed by Glenn Kleven, won promotion to theToppserien, the top tier of women's football in Norway.
Lyn was founded on 3 March 1896 atSt. Hanshaugen. Lyn was one of three clubs who in 1902 founded theFootball Association of Norway, and is the only one still existing. In the first decade ofFootball in Norway, the club was one of the strongest and won four consecutiveNorwegian Cups from1908 until1911. At the1936 Summer Olympics, six Lyn-players,Arne Brustad,Øivind Holmsen,Fredrik Horn,Magnar Isaksen,Jørgen Juve andFrithjof Ulleberg, represented theNorway national football team that won the bronze medal, with Juve as the team's captain. Jørgen Juve is still the player with the most goals scored for the Norway national team.
Lyn also won the cup in1945 and1946 but had to wait until1964 for their firstleague-title. WithHarald Berg andOla Dybwad-Olsen as main contributors the club secured another victory in the cup in1967, and in 1968 the club wonThe Double, clinching both the League title and the Cup, and became the first team from Norway to reach the quarter-final of theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup, where they metBarcelona. Because of the weather conditions during the winter in Norway, both matches were played in Spain. Lyn lost the first game 2-3 and in the second match Lyn was leading 2–0 with 15 minutes left to play. The match ended 2-2 and thus Lyn was eliminated.
The Double was followed by a dismal period in the club's history. The club was relegated in1969, and even though the team was promoted back after one year and reached the cup final in1970, the club was again relegated in1973. During the next 30 years, Lyn was swiftly relegated and promoted between the first and thethird tier and the club was never playing in the top division for more than three consecutive seasons. During this period the fan base eroded and Lyn is said to have lost a generation of supporters.
During the 90s the club went back and forth between the Premier League and the First Division. In1994, Lyn reached the Norwegian Cup final but lost 2–3 toMolde.
Norwegian investorAtle Brynestad bought the club in 1999, in effect saving it from bankruptcy. In 2000, the team was promoted to the top league, after winning the First Division with an unprecedented number of points, and they retained their spot in the top flight the following year. In the2002 season, a strengthened Lyn took the lead early on and led the league by 7 points after 14 matches (just past the halfway mark),[1] but completely collapsed in the second half of the season and ended on 3rd (9 points behind the winner) after a disastrous slump in form and the controversial appointment of new head coach,Hrvoje Braović. The misery, in part due to the constant hiring and firing of coaches, continued into the next year. Lyn struggled at the bottom of the table for most of the season but avoided relegation thanks to the efforts of team captainTommy Berntsen, who took on the role as coach afterTeitur Thordarson, the 5th coach in two years, had resigned. 2004 was a recovery year for Lyn, ending the season in 6th place and reaching the Norwegian Cup final (lost toBrann).
2005 was an eventful year for the club, both on and off the pitch. The club's youth program was beginning to bear fruits and with former internationalHenning Berg as the new head coach the club claimed 3rd spot in the league. Lyn defeatedRosenborg at Ullevaal for the first time since 1968 and repeated the feat in the away game.
In April, the club's talented Nigerian midfielderMikel John Obi signed a contract withManchester United, and according to a statement by Lyn's managing directorMorgan Andersen, it was the most expensive transfer in Norwegian football to date. The transfer has since been the source of a heated dispute, and Mikel instead joinedChelsea after a long period of time. FIFA released an announcement stating that Lyn had done everything correct in the process. The transfer is said to have cost Chelsea £16 million. £12 million of this to Manchester United and £4 million to Lyn.
On 10 October 2008, Chelsea announced on their website that they were initiating legal proceedings against Lyn Oslo and their former director Morgan Andersen in an attempt to recover the entire £16 million fee paid. Chelsea maintain that this was due to the contract of the original transfer being based on a fraudulent misrepresentation.[2]
In 2007, the club sold Nigerian internationalChinedu Obasi to TSG Hoffenheim for an expected €5 million.
The 2009 season was again very disappointing with the club relegated fromTippeligaen and saved from liquidation at the last moment.
The 2010 season saw Lyn atBislett Stadium (sharing withSkeid) in the second level of Norway football. In April 2010 Idar Vollvik's company, Ludo, was presented as the club's latest sponsor in an attempt to rescue the club from its financial crisis, but to no avail, and on 30 June 2010, the club declared bankruptcy.[3]
Following the bankruptcy, Lyn's fans gathered around the club's surviving team in the 6. divisjon (seventh tier) for the remainder of the 2010 season moving their home games toFrogner Stadion, drawing large crowds to their home games.[4] In late 2010, Lyn club paid all debt associated with the reserves team of the bankrupt top-flight club. The football association then awarded Lyn the licence formerly held by the reserves, allowing the club to play the 2011 season in the4. divisjon. Led by Finn Bredo Olsen, Lyn secured promotion to the3. divisjon, after a perfect season with no losses or draws.[5] On 30 September 2012, Lyn secured promotion to the2. divisjon, after beating Lommedalen 9–0 in front of 2,113 spectators at Frogner Stadion.[6] But, in 2015, Lyn was relegated to the 3. divisjon after three seasons and the unsuccessful attempts to promote to the1. divisjon.After 6 seasons in the 3. divisjon, Lyn got promoted to the 2. divisjon in 2022. The next season they got promoted to the 1. divisjon for the first time since 2010 under coachJan Halvor Halvorsen.
| Season | Pos. | Pl. | W | D | L | GS | GA | P | Cup | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Tippeligaen | 10 | 26 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 34 | 45 | 30 | Fourth round | |
| 2004 | Tippeligaen | 6 | 26 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 30 | 31 | 37 | Final | |
| 2005 | Tippeligaen | 3 | 26 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 37 | 21 | 44 | Third round | |
| 2006 | Tippeligaen | 7 | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 33 | 36 | 35 | Fourth round | |
| 2007 | Tippeligaen | 9 | 26 | 10 | 4 | 12 | 43 | 46 | 34 | Quarterfinal | |
| 2008 | Tippeligaen | 7 | 26 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 38 | 34 | 38 | Quarterfinal | |
| 2009 | Tippeligaen | ↓16 | 30 | 2 | 10 | 18 | 29 | 59 | 16 | Quarterfinal | Relegated to the1. divisjon |
| 2010 | 1. divisjon | ↓16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Third round | Bankrupt mid-season, all 11 previous results that season nullified |
| 2010 | 6. divisjon | ↑1 | 18 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 87 | 28 | 43 | Ineligible | The grassroots football organisation "Lyn Fotball" that played a full season. Promoted to the 4. divisjon |
| 2011 | 4. divisjon | ↑1 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 106 | 10 | 60 | DNQ | Promoted to the3. divisjon |
| 2012 | 3. divisjon | ↑1 | 24 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 100 | 13 | 64 | First round | Promoted to the2. divisjon |
| 2013 | 2. divisjon | 4 | 26 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 47 | 32 | 41 | Second round | |
| 2014 | 2. divisjon | 10 | 26 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 42 | 42 | 32 | Third round | |
| 2015 | 2. divisjon | ↓12 | 26 | 7 | 4 | 15 | 41 | 64 | 25 | First round | Relegated to the3. divisjon |
| 2016 | 3. divisjon | 1 | 26 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 69 | 20 | 65 | First round | |
| 2017 | 3. divisjon | 2 | 26 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 71 | 35 | 63 | First round | |
| 2018 | 3. divisjon | 3 | 26 | 17 | 2 | 7 | 73 | 40 | 53 | First round | |
| 2019 | 3. divisjon | 6 | 26 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 57 | 45 | 39 | First round | |
| 2020 | Season cancelled | ||||||||||
| 2021 | 3. divisjon | 4 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 32 | 20 | 23 | First round | |
| 2022 | 3. divisjon | ↑1 | 26 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 88 | 24 | 70 | First round | Promoted to the2. divisjon |
| 2023 | 2. divisjon | ↑2 | 26 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 74 | 23 | 62 | Second round | Promoted to the1. divisjon |
| 2024 | 1. divisjon | 5 | 30 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 56 | 40 | 46 | Second round | |
| 2025 | 1. divisjon | 7 | 30 | 14 | 5 | 11 | 48 | 37 | 47 | Third round | |
Source:[7]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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For season transfers, seeList of Norwegian football transfers winter 2024–25, andList of Norwegian football transfers summer 2025.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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| Competition | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Last season played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Cup | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 14 | 41 | 1969–70 |
| UEFA Cup | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 2006–07 |
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 1971–72 |
| Inter-Cities Fairs Cup | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1967–68 |
| Total | 28 | 7 | 4 | 17 | 41 | 79 |
Pld = Matches played;W = Matches won;D = Matches drawn;L = Matches lost;GF = Goals for;GA = Goals against. Defunct competitions indicated in italics.
Notes: This summary includes matches played in theInter-Cities Fairs Cup, which was not endorsed byUEFA and is not counted in UEFA's official European statistics.
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Agg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963–64 | European Cup | PR |  Borussia Dortmund | 2–4 | 1–3 | 3–7 |
| 1964–65 | European Cup | PR |  Reipas Lahti | 3–0 | 1–2 | 4–2 |
| R1 |  DWS | 1–3 | 0–5 | 1–8 | ||
| 1965–66 | European Cup | PR |  Derry City | 5–3 | 1–5 | 6–8 |
| 1967–68 | Inter-Cities Fairs Cup | R1 |  Bologna | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 |
| 1968–69 | Cup Winners' Cup | R1 |  Altay | 4–1 | 1–3 | 5–4 |
| R2 |  Norrköping | 2–0 | 2–3 | 4–3 | ||
| QF |  Barcelona | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–5 | ||
| 1969–70 | European Cup | R1 |  Leeds United | 0–6 | 0–10 | 0–16 |
| 1971–72 | Cup Winners' Cup | R1 |  Sporting CP | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–7 |
| 1972–73 | UEFA Cup | R1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3–6 | 0–6 | 3–12 |
| 2003–04 | UEFA Cup | QR |  NSÍ Runavík | 6–0 | 3–1 | 9–1 |
| R1 |  PAOK | 0–3 | 1–0 | 1–3 | ||
| 2006–07 | UEFA Cup | QR1 |  Flora Tallinn | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 (a) |
Lyn's home colours are red and white shirts and blue shorts. The shirts have red sleeves and a red front with a broad, vertical white bar in the middle, which is traditionally twice as wide as the sides (a 25-50-25 red-white-red pattern). The back has the same pattern, with inverted colours.
During the first years the club had two kits, one with blue and white horizontally striped jerseys and white shorts, and a red kit in the same fashion. These were used interchangeably up until at least 1906. It is unclear exactly when the current kit was adopted, but it was in use by the time Lyn had claimed their first Norwegian Cup in 1908. The socks have traditionally been red. White socks have also been used, most recently from the beginning of the 1990s until 2004, when the red socks were brought back.
The club uses an all-blue away kit, though several different colours have been used in the past.
The current club badge is a modified version of a design originally introduced in 1900. It was made by one of the first members of the club, Leif Eriksen, and replaced a silver badge from 1898. The crest features a football in the upper left corner and a pair of skis in the lower right corner, representing the two major sports of the club. While the badge is based on the heraldic shield form of the oldcoat of arms of Norway, Eriksen was probably not himself familiar with the rules ofheraldic design. The name of the club and the date and year of its founding were written in gold on a white background, violating the so-calledrule of tincture. Also, the date and year were written in different styles. The badge has therefore been altered twice, in 1996 and finally in 2001. On the current badge the date has been removed and replaced by "18 LYN 96" in red writing on a white background.
After the 2009 season FC Lyn made the decision to move fromUllevaal Stadion toBislett Stadium.[10] Bislett, which is also an international track and field stadium, has a capacity of 15,400.Following the bankruptcy in 2010, Lyn's fans gathered around the club's surviving team moving their home games toFrogner Stadion, which has a capacity of 4,000. In 2014 Lyn moved back to Bislett Stadium.
The women's team began to play in 2009.[11] In 2012, the team was promoted to theFirst Division. Following a 15-3-4 season in 2017, the team was promoted to theToppserien, the top tier of Norwegian women's football.
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