First division had its own intrigue – second season of professional football. Perhaps it was not that much a period of adaptation, but a period of sifting out – which clubs were able to find enough money for the new reality. Especially money for long-term stability in a country with no big clubs and small pool of supporters. Copenhagen had too many clubs for professional era, smaller towns with more than one club had perhaps bigger problem. May be that was the reason for rather divided league this season – the outsiders were clear, so were two separate groups of mid-table teams. Looked like a 16-team league was too big for professional football.
Slagelse BI finished last with 16 points.
IK Skovbakken ended 15th with 19 points. The curious ‘personal’ adds on the team’s shirts continued – 9 different firms placed adds, but 4 players apparently nobody wanted… and they were with plain shirts. An illustration of the difficulties Danish clubs were facing – how to run professional club without cash. The previous year all players had adds at least… seemingly, things were not going better and so the fate of the club.
B 1901 was the third club in dire straits – 20 points and out of the league. One of the clubs not able to survive in the new reality, as it turned out. For the moment, only relegated…
Seven so-so clubs were much stronger than the relegated, but nothing more otherwise. Among them was Vejle – one of the strongest Danish clubs a few years back, when football was still amateur. BK Frem topped this group with 30 points, ending at 7th place with 10 wins, 10 ties, and 10 losses. Five other clubs soared high above the bulk of the league – Naestved, the lowest of them, was 6th with 6 points more than BK Frem. None of them contested the title, though. The championship was comfortably won by Esbjerg fB.
A great year for the champions – they finished 6 points ahead of the closest pursuer, naturally with the best scoring and defensive records in the league. They lost only 2 matches and won 18. And it was their 5th title, a nice round number. They had to wait almost 15 years for this one, though – their last title was won in 1965. The long wait perhaps made victory even sweeter.
The new champions of Denmark – perhaps a positive sign that professionalism worked for those quick to adapt: suddenly, new heroes. May be so, may be not – after all, the champions still had the typical Danish squad: mostly anonymous, one or two rising stars. Esbjerg depended on their goalkeeper Ole Kjaer, 25 years old and Danish player of the year in 1978. He also became national team regular after Piontek dismissed Birger Jensen. The other star was the 26-year old Jens Jørn Haahr Bertelsen, voted the player of the year in 1979. The defensive midfielder eventually became much better knwon than Kjaer – but only after 1980, when Piontek’s ‘Danish dynamite’ exploded and the player moved to Italy. Two stars… well, may be three, if Ole Madsen is added – more than enough for winning the Danish championship. And not surprising at all – good players were still dispersed in many clubs of first and second division, there was no consolidation. No trully dominant clubs and hardly a chance for ‘doubles’ – Esbjerg were supreme in the league, but the Cup was entirely out of their reach. And, as a passing note, they should have celebrated harder perhaps: this was the last championship the club won. Of only they knew it…
The Cup final opposed Koge BK to B 1903.
To a point, and excellent season for Koge – winning promotion to first division and also reaching the Cup final: not bad for a second division club? Koge rising again? Evidently.
Of course, they came out on the filed determined to win. And came close… in front of 9800 fans, they scored the only goal of the final. Unfortunately, Peter Poulsen put the ball in the wrong net… Koge lost 0-1.
May be lucky winners, but still winners – the Cup stayed in Copenhagen, firmly in he hands of B 1903. Looked like the club was adapting well to professionalism – they had good league season, finishing with bronze medals. They won the Cup. It was important for survival, especially in the capital city with its many clubs, all competing for money. Winners have best chances?
Helped by Koge’s player, happy Cup winners. Sponsored by Codan, perhaps the most important sponsor in Denmark – trophies ensured future sponsorship as well. Yet, the squad was not all that great… trophies, attracting sponsors, were the key… get the cash, get the money, win again, get more cash, get more players… simple, right? There is no B 1903 today…