Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna Eskilstuna, commonly known asIFK Eskilstuna, or, especially earlier,Eskilstuna-Kamraterna, is a Swedishfootball club located inEskilstuna,Södermanland County.[1] In their early seasons, IFK played inAllsvenskan, the top division of the Swedish football league, but now plays in Division 3, the fifth tier of Swedish football. IFK Eskilstuna are affiliated with theSödermanlands Fotbollförbund.[2]
A chart showing the progress of IFK Eskilstuna through theswedish football league system. The different shades of gray represent league divisions.1921 Swedish Championship winning team
IFK Eskilstuna was founded on 9 September 1897 as the 7thIdrottsföreningen Kamraterna.[1] In the beginning, IFK Eskilstuna practicedathletics, especially running events, and had a ground in Djurgården in Eskilstuna.[1] Speed skaterHerman Söderbäck won the national championship titles in 500 metres in 1900 and 1906.[1] IFK Eskilstuna severals sports in the first half of the 20th century, among them handball, ice hockey and cross-country skiing and orienteering.[1]
The football team was started in 1901 and played in the1910 Svenska Serien.[1] The club maintains a long rivalry withEskilstuna City FK. In 1910, IFK participated in the first Svenska Serien along withIFK Göteborg,Örgryte IS,AIK andIFK Norrköping.[3] Their first championship final match took place in 1921, when IFK defeatedIK Sleipner 2–1 at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium before 11,695 spectators. They competed in another championship final match in 1923, which resulted in a 5–1 loss toAIK.[1]
IFK competed in the very first Allsvenskan season in 1924–25, and played a further 13 seasons in the Allsvenskan from 1924–25 to 1928–29, from 1930–31 to 1935–36, in 1942–43, in 1957–58, and in 1964. Their best season was in the1931–32 Allsvenskan when they finished in fifth place. The marathon table of Allsvenskan teams shows IFK in 23rd position, their last season at the highest level being in 1964.
The club also playedbandy and was playing in the then Swedish top-tier league Division 1 for two years in the 1930s.
IFK reached the Allsvenskan qualifying stage in 1981 after winning Division 2 Norra by pippingÖrebro SK to the top position. However, IFK failed to win the play-offs againstKalmar FF to progress to the higher level. The 1987 season proved another near miss when IFK finished in second place, to second place in Division I Norra;Djurgarden. In 1988 history was repeated, this time IFK finished second toÖrebro SK.
In 1992, IFK were relegated from Division 1 and subsequently have competed in the middle divisions of theSwedish football league system. The club currently plays in Division 3 Västra Svealand which is the fifth tier of Swedish football.[4] They play their home matches at theTunavallen in Eskilstuna.[5]
The club has an active youth section. In 1970 and 1985, the junior team won the Swedish Junior Championship. Famous footballers who have played for IFK Eskilstuna includeKenneth Andersson andSebastian Larsson.[7]
A. ^ The title of "Swedish Champions" has been awarded to the winner of four different competitions over the years. Between 1896 and 1925 the title was awarded to the winner ofSvenska Mästerskapet, a stand-alone cup tournament. No club were given the title between 1926 and 1930 even though the first-tier leagueAllsvenskan was played. In 1931 the title was reinstated and awarded to the winner of Allsvenskan. Between 1982 and 1990 aplay-off in cup format was held at the end of the league season to decide the champions. After the play-off format in 1991 and 1992 the title was decided by the winner ofMästerskapsserien, an additional league after the end of Allsvenskan. Since the 1993 season the title has once again been awarded to the winner of Allsvenskan.[13]
^abcdefgEdwards, Sven (1939)."Eskilstuna-Kamraterna".Nordisk familjeboks sportlexikon: uppslagsverk för sport, gymnastik och friluftsliv. Band 2 Bröstsim–Flugfiske (in Swedish). Stockholm: Nordisk familjeboks förlag. pp. 947–948.
