HISTORIC
The year 2017 would be the biggest that the small club achieved in its ten-year history. In addition to the club turning 10 years old, big changes awaited. After advancing to the Allsvenskan with Özcan Melkemichel, it became clear that the club would have to change locations in order to survive. Namely, the club did not have the conditions to function as an all-Swedish club in Solna.
The idea of a football club for young people
In 2007, a group of parents from Stockholm gathered to discuss what conditions they could give their children to develop as soccer players. Several of them stepped down from another Stockholm club. Alex Ryssholm was one of the profiles that could help and already had a dream of developing a football club. Shortly thereafter, the club AFC Elite was founded, which later changed its name to AFC Academy. The focus was on children aged 10 and up. The jerseys were blue-white and the club badge was the same as we see today. (AFC Elit had an E in the logo instead of an A). One of the parents was also José Franco, who today figures as club director.
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Jose Franco tv in Viby, Sollentuna - Facility.
The young people in AFC developed very quickly and several cohorts were added in a short time. Alex Ryssholm then hired professional coaches and arranged trips for the children and young people around Europe so that they would have international opposition and experience that few other children would have. Ryssholm personally went to FC Barcelona and got to see with his own eyes how one of the absolute biggest clubs in the world worked, everything from the academy to the A team. There he got to meet Messi and Xavi, among other things. When he returned home to Sweden, inspired by one of the world's biggest clubs, he decided to buy up a large piece of land in Viby, Sollentuna (Stockholm) and rebuild it into a sports facility and accommodation for foreign players. As much as 30,000 square meters. The plan was that youth players would share a facility with the A team and receive lessons to develop themselves. This would be the first step to building a large academy.
In addition to the academy, they founded an A team called Prima Vera FC. The orange shirts were a donation and became a symbol of the club. Division 7 was the start of a new story. At the same time as an A team and academy were formed - AFC Futsal was also founded. It was Futsal that had the biggest merits at the beginning with lots of gold medals. A WC for juniors was also taken shortly afterwards-
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The shirt in 2007. However, the A team changed its name to AFC after barely a year.
Athletic FC - "AFC"
AFC United's representative team (A team) debuted in the 2007/08 season in Division 7 and then consisted of a mixture of older, experienced players and talented players who got the chance from the youth section. A year later, another well-known suburban club in Stockholm comes into contact with AFC. They are interested in a collaboration to save their business in some way. Economic problems had put an end to their development. AFC had another problem at the time - the club did not have enough training sessions in Solna. The players had to train outside on the fields or squeeze into various sports grounds around the area to carry out their training. At the time, Atletico Husby, as the suburban club was called, was in Division 5. A large part of the organization helped in Husby while AFC plowed in Division 7. But just a few months later, everyone in the organizations decided to merge the clubs. This rendered AFC relegated to Division 5. In the same year, the club moved up to Division 4.
A
FC also won division 4 the following year and ended up in division 3.
AFC United
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Division 1 - after an important victory at Skytteholms IP.
In 2010, a rather tragic event occurred for Swedish football. The meritorious super-one club Väsby United (Stockholm, Väsby) had very big financial problems and was now facing bankruptcy. Their partner AIK also left. Alex Ryssholm offered to clean up the debts and help the club with a fresh start. Exactly the same model that Väsby United and the club Café Opera did a few years before. The organization then ran two clubs in parallel for two years. Väsby United in division 1 and AFC in division 3. Of course, part of Väsby United's organization remained and ran the association. The plan was for Väsby United to continue their journey in Väsby.
The problem arose when Väsby municipality could not (or did not want?) to renovate Vilundavallen and give a permit to build a soccer hall nearby. The club's management then decided to merge AFC and Väsby United based in Solna and release the place in division 3. This was a difficult decision for both associations, first and foremost for all old football fans in Väsby. But the fact was that Väsby United had no choice. AFC then changed its name to AFC United!
In the same year, a cooperation agreement was initiated with Coribita Football Club in the highest Brazilian division.
Superettan 2015!
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From left: Sports manager Azad Budak, Coach Özcan Melkemichel and Chairman Alex Ryssholm in 2014.
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AFC United advances from Division 1 to Superettan!
As many of the teams go to training camps in the month of March and consolidate the squad, AFC United stood with 6 contracted players and no A-team coaches. Azad Budak then offered to help AFC United - and for free for a time. Azad had a large network of contacts and started by contacting Özcan Melkemichel and Ivan Ristic. Two, to say the least, legends from Södertälje and Syrianska. Azad Budak served as sports director and had a huge job ahead of him. A team is added very late before the season, but AFC got a starting eleven and a bench in the end. At the time, AFC did not have their own dressing rooms or coaches' rooms at the arena (Skytteholms IP). The coaches Özcan and Ivan planned the matches and training at Max's hamburger restaurant, which was right next to Skytteholm's IP. The club's offices were in Huddinge (Busmarket, Ryssholm's bus company) and in Viby (Plant). Other normal conditions didn't exist either, instead the team had to go on long bus trips around the country, didn't book any hotels and improvised a lot of things.
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Özcan & Ivan signed in 2014
On Skytteholm's IP, it varied between around 50-200 people who watched the matches. Mostly family and friends of the players. Let's not forget that there were a couple of retirees, zealots who followed AFC every home game. Some unfortunately passed away later.
AFC United finished in 8th place in the first season in the Superettan. During the same year, some new people joined AFC United which strengthened the match organisation.
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Two key players Filip Rogic and Joshua Wicks in the small dressing room at Skytteholm.
AFC United advances to the Allsvenskan
Unbelievable things would happen in 2016. A club without a dressing room, coaches working in hamburger restaurant premises, long bus journeys, least crowd in the Superettan - would soon take a step that few others would take and that many wait to do for many, many years . What AFC United had was a will of steel and a small lean organization that worked around the clock to make things happen. Those who experienced this time can only try to explain in words the cohesion and will that existed in the club.
AFC United and IK Sirius were the strongest teams this year, it would appear, and IK Sirius grabbed first place with only one goal on goal difference ahead of AFC United. AFC had beaten Sirius at home and drawn away but still finished second.
AFC had then taken in 61 points during the season.
Over the years, AFC had acquired one of Sweden's leading academies and had the most of its own products in the team in the entire country.
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Euphoria at Skytteholm's IP in front of 365 spectators! AFC to Allsvenskan!
Moved to Eskilstuna the same year
Already a few rounds before the Superettan's end of the season, AFC United found out that, if they were now to advance upwards, the Skytteholm stadium cannot be approved by the Swedish Football Association for games in the Allsvenskan. Instead, AFC United are contacted by a historic Eskilstuna club called Eskilstuna City. The club offers AFC United a collaboration at all levels and a move to Eskilstuna. Eskilstuna's population has not seen Allsvenskan football in 53 years. AFC's management was once again faced with vital questions for the club's future. In Solna, the future looked bleak. No established or passionate audience, games on "AIK land", no good facilities, etc. When the board decided to move to the next season, they also did a test. An important series match against Degerfors IF was moved to Tunavallen to "examine the terrain". Over 4,000 spectators made their way to Tunavallen in Eskilstuna and the team started like never before - a full 5 - 1 was the final score. It was this match that convinced the entire organization that we have found home and that the club will do everything for this city in the future. To be accepted, to give something to new generations and to put Eskilstuna on the map. The people of Eskilstuna had a divided opinion - there were some who were firmly loyal to Eskilstuna City and IFK Eskilstuna - which is understandable, but there was also a large group of people who wanted to see a new way of thinking and be involved and contribute to building something new in Eskilstuna . For 53 years, people have waited and now many have had enough.
Most people from the organization moved with AFC to Eskilstuna. These were: Alex Ryssholm, chairman (2007- ), Olga Åstedt, board (2007 - ) Jose Franco, club director (2007-), Azad Budak, sports director (2014-2018), Jawad Al-Jebouri, coach (2012- ), Dmitrij Petrenko, M coach (2009-2020) Gino Torlo, security manager (2015- ), Velimir Jurkovic, match organization (2007- ), Roy Rosenback, announcer (2010-2017) Oscar Hammar, academy (2009 - ), Ben Latif, Academy (2010-2019), Jakob Asker, Academy (2010-2019)
Allsvenskan 2017 and change of "surname".
AFC United changed their name to AFC Eskilstuna at this time.
The year started with a new coach, whose main task was to keep the team in the Allsvenskan. Merited coach, Pelle Olsson, was known for his defensive football and his strong team. He was the man behind Gefle IF who managed with little resources before. It was Pelle who started the training right after the Christmas and New Year break at Tunavallen.
AFC lost some key players before the season started. It was a tough time in the Allsvenskan but a fantastic experience for everyone who was involved. The organization had grown drastically by hiring people from Eskilstuna for various tasks. An academy started from scratch but got up and running pretty quickly anyway. The old academy in Solna was abandoned to Vasalunds IF.
Pelle Olsson got off to a slow start and was replaced during the summer with Burnley's U23 coach Michael Jolley. Even though more points were collected, it did not really hold in the Allsvenskan and AFC Eskilstuna ended up in last place with 20 points collected with 4 wins, 8 draws and 18 losses. One of the victories came against the champions Malmö FF at Tunavallen through a stroke of genius by Jolley.
During this time, the club's employees did not have their own office, but this was built on Tunavallen later.
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2017 - Omar Eddhari bär Buya Turay (Chidi Omeje i bakkuren).
2018 - Back to the elite against all odds
Nemanja Miljanovic, an Elfsborg icon, took over as head coach the following year. Quite quickly, you got to see a disciplined defensive football with a lot of the ball. AFC Eskilstuna became difficult to beat and had a total of 15 drawn games when the season had ended. Fewest losses of any team - only 2! Helsingborg and Falkenbergs advanced directly, while AFC Eskilstuna managed to squeeze a qualifying spot. The Brommapojkarna were waiting for the resistance. The first match was played at Tunavallen and after a close fight the Brommapojkarna won the match with 0 - 1. Not many believed in AFC Eskilstuna at this time, especially when former AFC player Ludvig Öhman (2017) headed the ball in to make it 1 - 0 at home for Brommapojkarna in the second game. AFC Eskilstuna now had absolutely nothing to play for, except to do their best. And it was the best! In the second half, AFC's Samuel Nnamani scored the goal to make it 1 - 1 and the game intensified even more. 10 minutes later, Bajram Ajeti scores the goal to make it 1 - 2 and suddenly AFC Eskilstuna was up in the Allsvenskan. And so the match ends. AFC Eskilstuna was back in the Allsvenskan for a second time in a very short time!
Bild-----Nemanja "Mance" Miljanovic (tv)
Image----Bröderna Michel celebrate the move to Grimsta IP!
Allsvenskan 2019 and historic second place in the Cup
Nemanja Miljanovic continued with his philosophy in 2019. In the Cup, the club faced Värnamo, Norrköping and Assyriska. AFC Eskilstuna won against Värnamo and Assyriska with 4 - 0 and cruised against Norrköping 1 - 1. With these results, AFC ended up first in their group ahead of Norrköping. The club then won against Halmstads BK with 2 - 1 in the quarter-finals after a very tough and close match. The semi-final was to be played against AIK at Friends Arena. The match started with a huge pressure from AIK and where Panos Dimitriadis made it 1 - 0 to AIK. After the goal, AIK relaxed and AFC Eskilstuna fought for a goal through an own goal by Sebastian Larsson in the 82nd minute. Extra time didn't help either, and the match went to penalties. AFC was the cooler team and knocked out AIK at the Friends Arena. A huge feat and history being made.
The final was to be played away against Häcken later in the summer. A match that AFC lost fairly with 3 - 0. It was also a tough season for AFC Eskilstuna in the Allsvenskan. It ended with only 4 wins, 8 draws and 18 losses (Exactly like 2017). The victories came against Djurgården (3-2), IFK Gothenburg (3-1), Kalmar (3-1) and Östersund away (2-1).
During the club's first 11 years, Alex Ryssholm had financed the club both privately and via his company. Both A-team and academy activities. Since AFC was anchored in Eskilstuna, Eskilstuna companies and members have taken the club to their hearts and continued the financial and structural support. Alex Ryssholm is still chairman and together with the Eskilstuna companies, new long-term investments are being made at the club.
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Bajram Ajeti, Samuel Nnamani, Anel Rashkaj and Adnan Kojic
The club's comments on the move, mergers and name changes
What is actually the idea behind AFC, many are probably wondering? Would one have asked the same question if AFC were a mid division 4 team? Probably not. There were many who raised their eyebrows when AFC took the step up to Superettan in 2014. Even more questions were added when the club advanced to Allsvenskan. A suburban club, without a real anchor, playing on a sports field that did not measure up. The answer is complex but one could say that AFC became an uncontrollable lion from being a wild little cat. Too many good things happened too quickly in a short amount of time. Was our idea to become an elite club? No, really not. The idea was that children would get good conditions in football. However, the club grew enormously. Partly for its innovative thinking and partly, actually, because it didn't belong to anyone (Då in Solna). It was not an association with a foreign background and it was not a "classic" bachelor club that "won the Allsvenskan in 1843". It was a club that was open to everyone, had the conditions and the focus was only to play good football. There were no demands, political positions, internal conflicts, titles meant nothing - only the work counted. And ideally. In addition to the work, there was enormous respect and love between each other. The club's employees were available 24 hours a day to the players. The Viby plant was an example. Although Viby looked like a military installation and the power could go out at some point, it actually made good characters out of our players. It took you 20 minutes to the nearest shop and in the winter when it snowed it was almost impossible to get out of there. Then the players had to borrow a car from the club to get out. These players did really well (who lived in Viby)! Othman El Kabir has been playing in the Russian first league for many years already, Buya Turay played in the first Belgian league and now Chinese, Filip Rogic plays in AIK, Joshua Wicks was one of the best goalkeepers, Haris Cirak plays in Norway and Sweden in the Superettan, and many other. Is the AFC behind their success? No of course, it's their hard work and talent, but we created the conditions to fight when you want something and that nothing comes for free. Hunger for success.
Many people forget that! How many good players AFC has produced and developed over the years.
Has the AFC run over clubs or deleted them? No, this is pure propaganda by those who are afraid of new ideas and new clubs. If you add up which clubs have merged in AFC, it is only "Atletico Husby" and "Väsby United". Is it tragic? Yes, it is tragic. But what would have happened if they didn't merge with AFC? Well, they would have gone bankrupt and disappeared. What has AFC given back since merging? Players who were allowed to continue their careers under better conditions, new players who were allowed to develop, people who were allowed to keep their jobs or work voluntarily with what they love - football. We fully understand what tradition means, but tradition is not built overnight. We are aware that we are a young club that is taking its own path. AFC has no intention of stopping anyone, but also requires an understanding that certain things happen by themselves when a club grows enormously quickly. AFC has brought joy, footballers, jobs and new projects that are good for society.
The AFC was unfairly criticized in some quarters for relocating. The critics argued that nothing is sacred for the AFC and that the “capitalist
the machine" moves around anyway. It is important to mention that AFC has always been in Solna, and that only one move took place, and that was to Eskilstuna. There is an explanation for this. Keep in mind that AFC was formed in 2007 and as was not an association with a foreign background or a classic Swedish club. Solna was chosen to get reasonable facilities for young players and that the A team got a place to play their matches. Even the birds in the trees know that Solna is AIK -land and that most people who live in Solna, AFC's idea was never to compete with AIK. The people who watched the games were friends and family of the players, and AFC had some fans who followed the club could be counted on one hand. It was clear that even Skytteholm's IP would not last for the Allsvenskan. Antigen would move to Eskilstuna and start building an even more serious club and home or stay and become a small farmer's club somewhere on the outskirts of Stockholm. The choice to move was made partly to create something new and partly to get a real home. None of us expected to fill the stadium every game, but we knew that through joy, young people, pensioners, good football, we can create something new that puts our city on the map. This is of course a process that takes time, but even now we can proudly say that we have loyal fans and volunteers from the local area who are building the club. AFC's real history actually started in Eskilstuna! Because what is football without an audience and support? Nothing!
The name change from United to Eskilstuna came naturally after the move. At the time of writing, we have a history of 14 years. What did the other clubs look like after 14 years?
#FramåtAFC #TogetherEskilstuna #Orange
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Former Jawad Al Jebouri (today sports manager), Gino Torlo (Security manager/ Today head of office), Jose Franco (Club manager), Alex Ryssholm (Chairman), Olga Åstedt (Board), Özcan Melkemichel (A-team coach), Niklas Karlsson (Marketing coordinator/ event) and Roger Ljungqvist (Marketing Manager)
