Djurgarden

Foundation

Djurgårdens IF was founded primarily by John G. Jansson, on 12 March 1891, at a café in Alberget 4A on the island of Djurgården in central Stockholm. Most of the founding members were from the dockyard-industry working class, an identity that remained true until the 1950s and 1960s.

The club originally focused on winter sports and athletics. The first true football field in Stockholm was created in 1896. Djurgårdens IF's football department was formed in 1899 with the help of former GAIS player Teodor Andersson. The team played its first match in July 1899, a 1–2 loss against AIK.

Swedish Championship titles – 1912 to 1920

The team's first real achievement was in 1902 when they finished second in the Rosenska Pokalen tournament. Just two years later, in 1904, they participated in their first Svenska Mästerskapet final, but were defeated 2–1 by Örgryte IS.

The team lost three more Swedish Championship finals, all against teams from Gothenburg (1906 against Örgryte, 1909 against Örgryte and 1910 against IFK Göteborg), before their first victory came in the 1912 final with a 3–1 win against Örgryte. In 1910, the first Djurgården players were selected for the Swedish national team – Ivar Friberg, Erik Lavass, Samuel Lindqvist, and Bertil Nordenskjöld played in a friendly against Norway on 11 September 1910.

The club won three more Swedish Championships in the 1910s and 1920s, the 1915 final against Örgryte, the 1917 final against AIK, and the 1920 final against IK Sleipner. They reached twelve of the thirty championship finals played to 1925. Bertil Nordenskjöld and Ragnar Wicksell took part in all four finals from 1912 to 1920; Gottfrid Johansson, Einar Olsson and Sten Söderberg in three. Nordenskjöld played in all Djurgården's Svenska Mästerskapet finals. Although the team became Swedish champions four times during the period when the title was decided by a championship final, Djurgården never managed to win the national league of the period, the Svenska Serien.

Djurgården did not qualify for the first season of Allsvenskan, and only reached the league twice between 1924 and 1944, in 1927–28 and 1936–37, both times being directly relegated back to the second tier Division 2. On 31 July 1927, the club played its first Allsvenskan game and won against Stattena IF and Georg Ehmke scored the first goal for the club. The club also played three seasons in the then third tier, Division 3, between 1929 and 1932. From 1944 on, Djurgården became a stable Allsvenskan team. Stockholm Olympic Stadium, built for the 1912 Summer Olympics, became Djurgården's permanent home ground in 1936, replacing Tranebergs IP.

Swedish Championship titles – 1955 to 1966

In 1951, Djurgården were runners-up in Svenska Cupen after a 1–2 final loss against Malmö FF; this was the team's first Svenska Cupen final. Four years later, under manager Frank Soo, they won Allsvenskan for the first time in the 1954–55 season, their fifth national title. In 1955–56, Djurgården became the first Swedish team to enter the European Cup. After beating Gwardia Warszawa in the first round, they advanced to the quarter-finals where they were drawn against Hibernian, but they lost 1–4 over the two legs.

In 1959, both the football team and Djurgårdens IF's hockey team won their respective championships in Sweden's two most popular sports, a remarkable happening. The 1959 Allsvenskan title was secured in a match against AIK at the Råsunda Stadium. The attendance of 48,894 people was a record for a match involving Djurgården, whose title-winning team were Sven Tumba, Birger Eklund, Lars Broström, John Eriksson, Hans Karlsson, Gösta Sandberg, Olle Hellström, Stig Gustafsson, Arne Arvidsson, Hans Mild and Sigge Parling.

Only a year later, however, Djurgården finished 11th and were relegated to the second division, but the team only needed one season to return to Allsvenskan. In 1964 and 1966, Djurgården won their seventh and eight championships, with 1966 marking the end of Gösta Sandberg's career. Sandberg played 322 league matches for the team from 1951 to 1966, and scored 77 goals. His nickname was "Mr Djurgården" and, in 1991, he was named "Djurgårdare of the century". Sandberg also played for the club's bandy and ice hockey sections. He died on his way home after attending the Tvillingderbyt in 2006.

It was during the 1950s to 1960s period that the club nickname "Järnkaminerna" (lit. 'The Iron Stoves') was established, due to the team's physical playing style. The ideal of a strong and uncompromising Djurgården player might also be traced back to the club's working-class roots.

1970s to 1990s

Djurgården were members of Allsvenskan through the 1970s and had three third-places and a final loss in the 1975 Svenska Cupen final as their best seasons. Gary Williams became the first foreign player join the team in the 1977 season. The 1980s was not a good decade for the club, as they were relegated from Allsvenskan in 1981 and, after losing two promotion play-offs, made a temporary return to the highest league in 1986. Future England striker Teddy Sheringham had a brief spell at Djurgården as a 19-year-old loanee in 1985–86, and was part of the squad that won the promotion to Allsvenskan after beating GAIS in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in the playoffs. In 1987, besides being relegated again, Djurgårdens IF Fotboll presented a 12 million Swedish krona deficit and was later transformed into an aktiebolag.