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Odd Grenland
Full name	Odd Grenland Ballklubb
Nickname(s)	Oddrane
Founded	31 March 1894
Ground	Skagerak Arena; Skien; (Capacity: 13,500)
Chairman	Tom Helge Rønning
Manager	Dag Eiliv Fagermo
League	Tippeligaen
2009	Tippeligaen, 4th
Home colours	Away colours

Odd Grenland is a Norwegian football club from Skien representing the district of Grenland. It was founded in 1894 and is the club which has won the Norwegian Cup the most times, last in 2000. After struggling in the lower divisions for many years, the club finally made it back to the Norwegian Premier League (Tippeligaen) in 1999 and stayed there until they were relegated in 2007. After a dreadful start to the 2005 campaign, Odd managed to crawl up from the relegation zone. However, the team conceded more goals than any other in the league. In 2006 the team only survived relegation by beating Bryne F.K. in the relegation playoffs. In 2007 however, their luck ran out, and they were relegated to the Adeccoligaen after being beaten by Bodø/Glimt in the relegation playoffs. In 2008, with three games still to play, Odd secured the promotion back to the Norwegian Premier League after winning 4-0 against Hødd at Skagerak Arena.

[edit] Home ground

Skagerak Arena viewed from Sparebank 1 tribune

Odd (Falkum) Stadium (13,500). Largest crowd: Approx 12,500 people in 1984 cup semi final against Viking. The stadium was rebuilt to hold a capacity of between 13,000 and 14,000, and was finished in 2008. It is named Skagerak Arena after local sponsor Skagerak Energi.

[edit] History

Idrætsforeningen Odd was founded in 1885 and is thus one of the oldest athletic associations in Norway still in existence. The name derives from Viktor Rydberg's novel Seierssverdet (Victory Sword), where one of the main characters was a Norwegian athlete called Orvar Odd. In the beginning, Idrætsforeningen Odd was mainly focused on gymnastics, but when English workers at Skotfoss brought the game of football to Skien, the city decided to buy a football, which is how a football team under Odd management arose. However, the team was not an immediate success, and on the club's second effort, in 31 March, 1894, Odds Ballklubb was founded. Odd Grenland is a direct descendant of Odds Ballklubb, and therefore is Norway's oldest football team still in existence.

[edit] Current squad

(as of 25 August 2009).

No.	Position	Player
1	GK	Árni Gautur Arason
2	MF	Håvard Storbæk
3	DF	Anders Rambekk
4	DF	Morten Fevang
5	DF	Torjus Hansèn
6	MF	Simen Brenne
7	MF	Tommy Svindal Larsen
9	FW	Peter Kovacs
10	MF	Magnus Lekven
11	MF	Morten Sundli
13	MF	Magnus Myklebust

No.	Position	Player
14	DF	Fredrik Semb Berge
15	DF	Stian Parkstad Johansen
17	DF	Emil Jonassen
20	MF	John Anders Bjørkøy
21	DF	Steffen Hagen
22	FW	Torgeir Børven
23	FW	Fredrik Gulsvik
24	GK	Simen Walmaan
26	FW	Chukwuma Akabueze
28	GK	Dag Ole Thomassen
36	DF	Søren Jensen

[edit] Achievements

Norwegian Premier League:
- Runners-up (2): 1950-51, 1956-57

Norwegian Football Cup:
- Winners (12): 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1913, 1915, 1919, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1931, 2000
- Runners-up (8): 1902, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1921, 1937, 1960, 2002

[edit] Recent history

Season		Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P	Cup	Notes
1999	ES	7	26	12	3	11	42	48	39	quarter-final
2000	ES	8	26	11	5	10	40	31	38	winner
2001	ES	6	26	12	6	8	50	40	42	semi-final
2002	ES	6	26	12	5	9	36	30	41	final
2003	ES	4	26	11	5	10	46	43	38	3rd round
2004	ES	8	26	9	8	9	47	44	35	3rd round
2005	ES	9	26	9	6	11	28	51	33	quarter-final
2006	ES	12	26	7	8	11	30	38	29	3rd round
2007	ES	12	26	8	3	15	33	43	27	Semi-Final	Relegated
2008	AL	1	30	20	5	5	76	44	65	Semi-Final	Promoted
2009	ES	4	30	12	10	8	53	44	46	Semi-Final

[edit] External links