Saxemara? Damn, I Thought You Said Sexy Mama!

Peacemaker7 · August 13, 2006

The final third of the season started with a trip to a Norrby side who were slipping and sliding their way to the lower leagues. On a rich vein of form, Saxemara proved too strong for the relegation certs as goals from Ingvarsson, Daniel Larsson, Karlsson and Ouladib sealed and all too easy victory. At home to Enkopings, who were not going to win the title and were not going to be relegated, the first half was a turgid affair and it seemed that the visitors defense was impossible to breach. Eventually Daniel Larsson made the breakthrough with nineteen minutes left and the gates having being opened, Ouladib and Karlsson felt obliged to add a goal apiece and in the end the scoreline would suggest a much easier win that it actually was.

Wons of 5-1 over Jonkopping Sodra and 4-0 over IFK Malmo pushed Clemente's side to the brink of promotion and then it was off to fellow title chasers, Hacken. The hosts were two ahead after half an hour and looking good before Ulf Karlsson put Saxemara back in the match before half time and six minutes after the break it was all square thanks to an OG. Saxemara's joy lived only ten minutes, but a few minutes later it was all square once more thanks to Haris Laitinen and another classicly enthralling match was unfolding. In the dying seconds Nemeth scored what turned out to be the winner for Hacken and in the end the home side probably deserved their win.

A 1-1 draw with Vasteras, followed by a 0-0 draw with Gefle and suddenly Saxemara's promotion push seemed to be coming off the rails. With Hacken top and Oster, Orebro and Landskrona all in hot pursuit, it was imperative that Clemente's side took something from their third from last match of the season away to relegated Vasalund/Essinge. On the day it was an easy win for Saxemara, and that left Hacken top with 65 points, and then Saxemara, Oster and Landskrona were all on 62 with Orebro a point further back. With two matches to play, the table could not have been much tighter at the top and next up for Saxemara was a home match with Landskrona.

Due to having a far superior goal difference, a win would ensure that, barring a miracle, Saxemara would at the very worst be in a play-off spot. A tough match that had a bore draw written all over it until the 85th minute when Asgeir Fridjonsson all but assured his side of that play off spot. Going into the last games, Landskrona would have to overturn a 16 goal disadvantage and that simply was not going to happen. An easy 4-0 triumph over Brommapojkarna ensure the play offs and although Oster did win their final match by 4-1, it was nowhere near enough to deny Saxemara 2nd place behind Hacken and for the first time ever the tiny Goteland side were into the top division of Swedish football.

Based on this seasons results, they should do fairly well there and certainly anyone who underestimates this side will be in for a huge shock.....

Peacemaker7 · August 14, 2006

First Division Elite Final Table 2010

| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 1st | C | HÃ¤cken | | 30 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 72 | 22 | +50 | 71 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 2nd | P | Saxemara | | 30 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 84 | 31 | +53 | 68 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 3rd | Pl | Ã–ster | | 30 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 60 | 19 | +41 | 68 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 4th | | Ã–rebro | | 30 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 63 | 30 | +33 | 64 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 5th | | Landskrona | | 30 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 58 | 25 | +33 | 63 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 6th | | IFK MalmÃ¶ | | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 49 | 42 | +7 | 46 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 7th | | EnkÃ¶pings SK | | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 52 | 57 | -5 | 42 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 8th | | FC TrollhÃ¤ttan | | 30 | 13 | 1 | 16 | 61 | 58 | +3 | 40 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 9th | | VÃ¤sterÃ¥s SK | | 30 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 39 | 53 | -14 | 38 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 10th | | VÃ¤stra FrÃ¶lunda | | 30 | 10 | 4 | 16 | 35 | 53 | -18 | 34 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 11th | | Brommapojkarna | | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 40 | 59 | -19 | 34 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 12th | | UmeÃ¥ | | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 43 | 63 | -20 | 30 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 13th | | JÃ¶nkÃ¶ping SÃ¶dra | | 30 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 42 | 59 | -17 | 28 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 14th | R | Gefle | | 30 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 22 | 56 | -34 | 18 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 15th | R | Norrby | | 30 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 22 | 61 | -39 | 18 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 16th | R | Vasalund/Essinge | | 30 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 17 | 71 | -54 | 15 |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

</pre>

gil · August 14, 2006

Very well done, consecutive promotions

HD · August 14, 2006

bara bra.

Peacemaker7 · August 15, 2006

'Hi Clemente, it's Iain. Just calling to ask when you would like to arrange our annual match?'

'Ahem, well, you see..... We don't have the room this year.'

'Fine. I'm not your friend anymore'

The gateway to Saxemara's first ever season in the Swedish top division would see the side play preseason matches with AIK, Eskilstuna City, Gunnilse, Karlskrona, Bolton and Nottm Forest. A good mix of teams to test the playing squad, and they would need a good testing for the stern season that lay ahead.

Clemente was excited to find out that the bookies were offering odds of 2000-1 and placed all his savings plus his new house on as a bet.

'Thats a tad silly' someone told him, 'You're not going to win the league, you're teams rubbish. Thats why you're 2000-1.'

Clemente smiled. 'I have confidence in my players, the League is ours.'

As usual in preseason, players left and players came in. Daniel Larsson moved to GIF Sundsval in a Â£1.3M deal, Jimmy Andersson went off to Oster for Â£750,000, Dmytro Brovkin was sent to IFK Goteborg for Â£1M and Siyabonga Siphika, who had totally failed to make any impression, went to Orlando Pirates for Â£40,000. That left Clemente with a transfer budget of around Â£12M. He spent Â£925,000.

New players arriving at the club for the season ahead are, Italian U-21 right back Simone Bruno (21) from Inter Milan for Â£180,000. Bruno failed to make any first team appearances for the Italian giants but the fact he has been capped 8 times for the U-21s shows he must be a half decent player. Dutch right winger Chakin Tayeb (24) signs from Ajax for Â£3,000. The Morrocan, who has gained Dutch nationality, made three appearance in his early career for Ajax but has since failed to make any impact at all.

French left winger Amaury Dumonteix (22) arrives from Bordeaux for a fee of Â£240,000. A fromer French U-19 cap, Dumonteix looks to have a decent potential and should do well in Sweden. Continuing with the influx of non Swedes, Spanish striker Javier Delgado (23) comes in from Valladolid. In 19 matches for them, their B team and Barcelona B, Delgado has failed to find the net but nevertheless looks a player who can make his mark in what is a much weaker league.

Albanian midfielder Alban Gashi (20) already has 4 caps for his country and comes in from Elbasani for Â£75,000. Gashi looks a more than accomplished player who should go on and gain many more caps for his country. Another Frenchman, 22 year old Axel Luzayadio comes in from St Etienne for a fee of Â£100,000. Gained one U-21 cap for France but has failed to add to that tally or make the breakthrough to full national side. 29 year old Czech Republic international Miroslav Slepicka is probably the biggest name to ever play for Saxemara. The six times capped player is also a new club record signing at a cost of Â£300,000. Even so, he is not actually guaranteed a starting berth.

The final signing of the close season si 17 year old Swede Jan Igemarsson from Bunkello for a fee of Â£35,000. Added to that, right back Erik Augustsson and right winger Christian Jacobsson come into the youth side but neither of them look like they have a long term future as we still look for the first Saxemara youth player to make the grade.

Wimb The Barman · August 15, 2006

Congratulations on the promotion Â£12 million transfer kitty :O

Peacemaker7 · August 16, 2006

Yeah its a lot of money. Problem is, I can't spend it!

Peacemaker7 · August 16, 2006

The first warm up game of the season was curteousy of left back Jesper Holmqvist's half million pound move to AIK last season. Holmqvist won't be playing - he was mysteriously sold to Orgryte not long after AIK bought him, and is now playing for Sundsval. Does this guy have really bad BO or something?

The match, which was being played at home, would be a stern test of the sides prospects this season and a first chance for the fans to see the new signings. The match was only right minutes old when AIK took the lead and already alarm bells were ringing around the tiny park. You can hardly call it a stadium, cos it isn't. After the fire alarm was dealt with, AIK scored again on 21 minutes and if this was a precursor for the season ahead, Saxemara's looked in deep sh*t. The second half was virtually a different game entirely. Amaury Dumonteix pulled his team back into the game on 67 minutes, Slepicka levelled things with twelve minutes to play and a sensational long range effort from Albanian Alban Gashi ensure a fantastic fightback was sealed and the season opened with a confidence boosting win.

Eskilstuna City, being a First Division North side, were expected to be swept aside, and the reality is there were. Ulf Karlsson made sure the fans would not forget him amidst the new signings as he opened the scoring after just fifteen minutes, Chakib Tayeb provided a double and Elias Elio was also on target as Clemente's side coasted to a very easy win. First Division Elite side Gunnilse were expected to provided a sterner challenge. They didn't. Mensur Berbatovic was the hero of the day with a superb hattrick, Javier Delgado made his claim for a berth with a double and Karlsson added yet another to his immense tally. Too easy.

Second Division side Karlskrona were given no chance, and no chance they got. Another double from Delgado, added to by Elio, Halvorsen, Gashi and Joel Ekstrand and this was literally a walk in the park as the match actually stood 5-1 to Saxemara at half time. Ekstrads goal was the only one after the break, but there was little use in totally humiliating their oponents. The penultimate match of the preseason saw a Bolton side sitting 7th in the English Championship come to Ronneby as part of the Neil McGregor transfer. McGregor was in the side to face Saxemara but was treated with contempt by the home side, having played only 12 times for the side when he was here for such a brief spell.

This would surely provide a tough test, against side nearing the end of their season and challening for a play off spot. Bolton took the lead after 24 minutes in front of a crowd of 718, the highest crowd ever recorded at Saxemara's quaint little tree lined park. Javier Delgado, playing alongside Ulf Karlsson as Clemente experimented with his forward combination, equalized eight minutes later but Bolton proved dangerous everytime they went forward and their lead was soon restored. Swede Tobias Hysen made it 3-1 to Bolton near the end of the half, but almost from the restart Ulf Karlsson added a second and the match was certainly entertaining stuff. As substitutions were made though, so the match lost its rythym and Hysen was given the final say as he added a 4th and in the end Saxemara were well and truly beaten by a better side.

Days before Nottm Forest were due to arrive, they called to cancel due to a re-arranged league match with Luton. Clemente wanted to having something to do that day, and so lifted the phone once more to Mr Bartholomew.

'Hahahahahaha' Iain said

'Yes ok' Clemente tried to be patient, 'But will you come and play us instead?'

'Do we get a ten goal start?'

'Erm, yeah, sure, why not' Clemente replied coyely.

'Ok see ya there then, prepare to be humped!'

Of course Tord did not get a ten goal start, and doubles from Delgado and Slepicka, added to by singles from Karlsson and Tayeb meant another easy enough training session for Saxemara in front of the mere 53 people who had bothered to turn up. Iain was not best pleased at seeing his side humped again, and refused to shake hands with anyone at the end, claiming his side had been 'cheated' and that they had really won 10-6.

The preseason nonsense out of the way, it was time to buckle down and get on with the real thing and the most eagerly anticipated season in Saxemara history.

HD · August 16, 2006

10-6 \o/

Peacemaker7 · August 16, 2006

Clemente had become a bit of a laughing stock in the Swedish media. This silly Portuguese was not only being paid a pittance and taken for a ride so often by his Chairman, but now had the utter stupidty to put everything he owned on the chances of his side winning the Swedish title. At 2000-1, such stupidity deserved its own reward. Shooting.

'If it all goes tits up' Iain kindly told his friend as he phoned to wish him luck for the season ahead, 'Don't bother running to me. I've got a girlfriend now.'

Of course he didn't have a girlfriend, but then neither did Raptor but that didn't stop him actually flying to Bulgaria on the pretence. Then again, who the fecking hell is Raptor? I dunno.

With two away games to start their first ever season in top flight football, it was going to be a tough way to begin for the Saxemara players. A 0-0 draw at Trelleborg though was a decent enough result against a side who had finished 11th last season. Norkopping was the next stop, to a side that have twelve times been Champions of Sweden themselves, but the last time was way back in 1989. They at least have been consistent over the past few seasons, finishing 8th, 9th and 8th. An exciting match ensued, as Mensur Berbatovic, in for the injured Chakeb Tayeb, had the honour for scoring Saxemara's first ever top flight goal on the 35th minute mark. Ten minutes later, former Saxemara player Behrang Safari had the honour of being the first player to score against Saxemara in top flight football. Half time came and it was all square, but six minutes after the break Ulf Karlsson showed that he was no one season wonder as he restored the lead, but Norkopping were level again just a few minutes later. That match was certainly enjoyable, and in the end it was to be Clemente's day, as Javier Delgado scored his first ever senior goal and the points were in the bag.

The first home match for Saxemara was against Kalmaar FF, who had finished 5th last season and 2nd the season before that. This was expected to be a harsh opening home match, and it turned out that way as Kalmaar ran out winners by a solitary goal and so ended Saxemara's unbeaten top flight record. Oh well. Yet if anyone thought that was that, and the minnows would now collapse and die away, they were to be proven severely wrong as IFK came to town. It was now fifteen years since the twice UEFA Cup winners and 17 times Champions of Sweden had last won the title. Indeed, in 2007 they had found themselves relegated to the First Division Elite, and spent two seasons there before coming back up and last season finished 3rd in the Premiership. All that history was to no avail though. True, it did take an OG to send Saxemara into the 23rd minute lead, and although Faroese international Simun Samuelsen levelled things nine minutes later, Asgeir Fridjonsson restored the Saxemara lead right on half time. Any thought that this would be a blip and Goteborg would run riot in the second half were to die away and eighteen minutes from time Slepicka thundered home a glorious third and IFK had been well and truly humiliated.

With the shockwaves of that win still ringing around the country, it was off to face AIK, the current Swedish Champions, that Saxemara went next. AIK's cause was not helped by the sending off of Aleksandar Malinov after just 21 minutes as he gave away a penalty. Ouladib stepped up, and blasted the ball over the bar. AIK had escaped. Five minutes later, Saxemara had a 2nd penalty. This time Andreas Olofsson took it. This time it went wide of the right hand post. And so the first half was to end goalles, and as luck would have it AIK went ahead just seconds after the restart. All that did though was inspire the Saxemara players as Luzayadio equalized just a couple of minutes later and then Delgado sent his team into a sensational lead. With fifteen minutes left AIK looked to have salvaged a point, but deep into injury time Delgado stole the winner and Saxemara stole the points.

The Cup came as a break from league football and Second Division Eskilstuna Sodra were soundly beaten by five goals to nil, the goals coming from five different players. Back in the League and a 4-0 win over Halmstad was followed by a 1-0 victory over Sundsval and Saxemara were starting to make people wake up as they sat atop the Swedish Premiership. All good things though must come to an end, and a visit to Orgryte saw Ola Toivonen score twice in the first eleven minutes as the hosts threatened to run riot. They didn't though, but right on half time they had a third and the match was surely over. Ulf Karlsson did get what seemed like a consolation goal ten minutes after half time, but when Delgado made it two-three with seven minutes left, Orgryte were left hanging on by their fingertips and when the final whistle did come, it was more relief than joy that they had hung on to the points.

Having been overtaken by IFK, it was to be wondered just how Saxemara would react to defeat, and the answer was 'quite well'. Karlsson and Olofsson sent them two up at home to Hammarby, the visitors pulled a goal back just before the hour but Alban Gashi bagged his first professional goal ten minutes from time to secure the points, even if Hammarby did gain a late second to make the score look decent. Back in the Cup, and a home match with First Division Elite side Djurgarden. This should have been a comfortable passage to the 4th round for Saxemara but as they fell behind inside the first minute and further behind on the half hour, it became clear this just was not going to be their day and the Cup was gone for another season.

Revenge was needed and revenge was taken as GAIS were overcome in another five goal, three two thriller. Certainly one thing that cannot be said of Clemente's sides is that they are boring. Yet if anyone thought, given that IFK had been leapfrogged as they lost out to Kalmaar, that this was all too easy, they were to be brought back to earth with a bang as the trip to Helsingborg ended in a tame 2-0 defeat.

The halfway stage of the season arrived, as Javier Delgado scored twice to push himself clear as the clubs top scorer this season with nine goals from thirteen league games to Karlsson's seven. Despite a late strike, Hacken went down by two one and with half the season now passed, Saxemara sit incredibly 2nd in the table, only two points adrift of IFK. European football beckons for the club if they can keep this up, and just perhaps Clemente will have the last laugh. Probably not though.

Nevertheless the thought of top class European opposition coming to play at Brunnsvallen is quite hilarious and its be wondered just how the likes of Real Madrid or Manchester United would take to this comical little park.

Best Football Park in the World?

Halfway Table

gil · August 17, 2006

Quality pitch

Keep up the good work!

Peacemaker7 · August 18, 2006

The visit of Norkopping signaled the second half of the Swedisg Premiership Season. A dull game, the visitors stole all three points with a goal deep into injury time. A huge blow to Saxemara's blossoming title hopes, and a tough trip to Kalmaar to follow. The home side went ahead after just three minutes but Clemente's side dug in well, and a great long range effort from Olofsson levelled the match four minutes from half time. Kalmaar though were ahead in first half stoppage time, but Olofsson came to the rescue again four minutes from time and in the end a draw was probably a fair result.

A 34th minute Ulf Karlsson strike gave Saxemara a narrow but vital win over Trelleborg, and then the big one as the lads headed off to face league leaders Goteborg. Having won 3-1 at home, there was some confidence amongst the Saxemara support, but that was put to the test as Goteborg took the lead after just four minutes. Berbatovic though equalized just four minutes later but three minutes from half time the league leaders should have been back in front, but ex Saxemara player Dmytro Brovin sent his penalty chance wide of the post. Brovkin though did get on the score sheet, on 71 minutes as he looked to be the hero of the day but seven minutes later Slepicka won a point to keep Saxemara in the title race.

A 0-0 draw at home to a struggling AIK side was not overly great, but with Goteborg losing it was better than it perhaps might have been and the Saxemara title bid was very much still on the rails. But it was soon about to come off in spectacular fashion.

As injuries built up, so Clemente took his side to Halmstad with every intention and hope of gaining a win. After a nervy first half, Halmstad took the lead right on half time and then a Georeg Mourad hattrick sent the visitors spinning, added to by a red card for Joel Ekstrand and this was a day everyone associated with Saxemara just wanted to forget. The only good thing to come from it was another defeat for Goteborg but as their title challenge slipped, so Helsingborg started to emerge as the new favourites.

Hopes that the defeat might just be a blip, one of those things that happens now and then and would soon be gotten over, were totally blown away as GIF Sundsvall ran out 4-1 winners and suddenly Clemente's side were on a steep slipper slope with little chance of getting back up it. A 41st minute goal from Ulf Karlsson though was enough to give Saxemara the win over Orgryte but the trip to Elfsborg was to end in utter disaster as the emerging title challengers ran riot with a 6-0 win and it was all going horribly wrong.

When GAIS took an 18th minute lead curteousy former Saxemara player Elmin Kurbegovic's penalty kick, things looked very bleak indeed. Four minutes later though, Olofsson levelled the match and as the side battled on through the form slump, so two second half goals from Ulf Karlsson brough a welcome win to relieve the pressure and practically guarantee a top half of the table finish - which in the end would still be ab excellent achievement. Away from home though, it seemed as if Saxemara were a totally different team, although at half time against Hammarby, they werer 1-0 up through Berbatovic and it looked like the form slump was over. But it wasn't. Despite a record beating 46th league goal from Fridjonsson, Hammarby scored five times and any lingering title hopes Saxemara may have had were well and truly gone - and any hopes of a European place at all were fading very fast.

Hacken would finish 14th in the table, and so be relegated. Even so, given Saxemara's current away form this would still be a difficult penultimate match of the season. Fridjonsson took less than sixty seconds to bag goal number 47, but seven minutes later Hacken were level. The match was entertaining, end to end stuff and on 15 minutes Ouladib had the chance to restore his teams lead from the penalty spot - but he missed. Right on half time though, Olofsson did send his side into a half time lead, and chances of European football were being clung onto for grim life.

Three minutes after the interval, Hacken were level again and seventeen minutes from time they went into the lead for the first time in the match. Two minutes later Ouladib was red carded to complete a miserable afternoon and from the resultant penalty Hacken made it 4-2 and this was turning into yet another nightmare. Asgeir Fridjonsson though ensure the match was far from dead just yet as he grabbed his second of the match nine minutes from time and three minutes later Ulf Karlsson stunned the home support as he pulled ten man Saxemara level.

Only another two minutes had passed when Hacken had another penalty and a chance to surely tie up the points but this time it was missed and it looked like a thrilling game would end in a share of the points. That was until 94 minutes and 21 seconds had passed when Ulf Karlsson sensationally took the ball past the Hacken defence, blasted it home and Saxemara had won one of the most thrilling games of football ever seen. As Goteborg lost once more, and Elfsborg could only draw at Hammarby, so Saxemara moved back into second place behind newly crowned Champions Helsingborg.

A home win against the new Champions would see Saxemara end a quite incredible season by finishing second and guaranteeing themselves a place in the UEFA Cup. Helsingborg were still clearly suffering a hangover from their title celebrations as Karlsson sent his side into a 12th minute lead. As Helsingborg ran out of steam, and simply didn't have the energy to care so Elias Elio made it 2-0 and then a double from Asgeir Fridjonsson hoisted his Saxemara league goals total to the half century and ensure European football for his side.

It had been an incredible, breathtaking, roller coaster of a season and although Clemente knew all too well that he would really need to strenghthen his squad during the close season, and even though they had won nothing at all, it was a time to celebrate and celebrating is something Clemente can do quite well.

Even if he was now bankrupt.

Saxonator · August 18, 2006

KUTGW

Peacemaker7 · August 19, 2006

Swedish Premier Division 2011 - Final Table

| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 1st | C | Helsingborg | | 26 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 47 | 38 | +9 | 45 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 2nd | | Saxemara | | 26 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 47 | 47 | 0 | 44 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 3rd | | Elfsborg | | 26 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 44 | 28 | +16 | 41 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 4th | | IFK GÃ¶teborg | | 26 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 50 | 39 | +11 | 41 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 5th | | Halmstad | | 26 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 44 | 35 | +9 | 39 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 6th | | AIK | | 26 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 32 | 37 | -5 | 36 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 7th | | Hammarby | | 26 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 45 | 39 | +6 | 35 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 8th | | GAIS | | 26 | 10 | 4 | 12 | 45 | 44 | +1 | 34 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 9th | | Ã–rgryte | | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 46 | 45 | +1 | 33 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 10th | | GIF Sundsvall | | 26 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 45 | 46 | -1 | 31 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 11th | | Trelleborg | | 26 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 29 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 12th | | NorrkÃ¶ping | | 26 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 35 | 62 | -27 | 29 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 13th | R | Kalmar FF | | 26 | 5 | 13 | 8 | 32 | 40 | -8 | 28 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 14th | R | HÃ¤cken | | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 35 | 47 | -12 | 27 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

</pre>

HD · August 19, 2006

Nae luck.

Peacemaker7 · August 19, 2006

tbf I think we carried a hell of a lot of luck, that defensive record is woeful!

Our RESULTS went from the sublime to insanely ridiculous

Peacemaker7 · August 19, 2006

BTW you got Tord relegated again

Peacemaker7 · August 19, 2006

It had certainly been one of the strangest seasons anyone could have ever have witnessed. The fact that Saxemara had come second, despite having a defence that was utterly woeful, probably spoke more about the standard of the Swedish league than anything else. Clemente had lost everything he owned, and still earning only Â£110 a week, he desperately needed to make cash and find somewhere new for him and Hamish to stay. The cardboard box trick had become a tad tiresome.

Being second of course meant qualification for the Royal League, played between teams from Sweden, Norway and Denmark and basically a competition to make up the fact the European football was something very rarely seen in these part for any length of time. The draw put Saxemara in a group with Helsingborg, Rosenborg and OB, and Clemente, despite his vow never to gamble again, placed his next three months wages on Saxemara to qualify from the group at 15/1.

With the first three matches before the winter break, there was little time to catch a breath and Helsingborg were back in Ronneby before they even knew they had left. The Swedish Champions would be looking for revenge for that 4-0 humiliation, but they were not going to get it. Just four minutes into the game, Javier Delgado sent Saxemara into the lead and Haris Laitinen, whose appearances had been few and far between, made it two after 25 minutes. Helsingborg did seem to have given themselves a lifeline right on half time, but Saxemara went straight up the park from the restart and Delgado added third. Late goals from Fridjonsson and a consolation strike for the visitors and the match ended in a remarkable five two triumph for the league runners up.

Norway was next, as Saxemara travelled to take on the might of Rosenborg. Once more, they were given no chance of winning, but five minutes into the game Fridjonsson silenced the 12000 crowd. Friisk missed a penalty for Rosenborg on 17 minutes, but five minutes later they were level through Youssouf Kone. The lead lasted less than a minute as Javier Delgado made sure his side went into the break ahead. Rosenborg are of course very experienced campaigners and were not going to give over easily, especially at home. Seven minutes after the break they were level and the match seemed to be heading to a draw, which would be a decent result, until late goals from Delgado and Tayeb gave Saxemara a superb away win.

The final match of the year was OB at home. The Danish side drew first blood after just eight minutes and it looked like they might just have too much guile and power for a Saxemara side whose players were by now usually away on their holidays. Ulf Karlsson though came to the rescue on 66 minutes and in injury time Alban Gashi ensure Clemente's season ended on a high and with three wins from three, qualification was looking assured and Clemente for once seemed as if he was about to cash in on some good luck.

Peacemaker7 · August 19, 2006

Despite finishing second in the Premiership, and that in the end by only one point - and the magnitude of such an achievement should not be overlooked - Clemente was all too aware that there were problems with his side, particularly a defence that leaked like a sieve and the fact that when injuries had ravaged the first team, there had been very little to offer from the fringe players. With money to spend, it was then time to offload the dead wood and bring in players who could, perhaps, take Saxemara to a higher level and prevent them being totally humiliated in the UEFA Cup.

There was a lot of coming and going at the club over the winter, new faces for the fans to get used to and new clubs for those leaving to adapt to. For youth players Marcus Ek, Christian Jacobsson, Mattias Pih, Ulf Carlsson and Ola Arvidsson, there was the heartache of being told that simply had not shown anything to show they were good enought to remain at the club and if they wanted to remain in football, they would have to do so elsewhere.

Indeed, the youth policy of the club certainly seems to leave a lot to be desired, despite 17 year old defender Erik Augustsson making seven appearances for the first team last season. He didn't set the heather on fire, but the wasn't totally rubbish, although for now he returns to the youths. There doesn't seem much prospect of any other Saxemara youth joining Augustson in making a first team appearance, not in the near future anyway. Mind you, when you have millions to spend, perhaps the youth set up isn't that important anyway.

With the club playing in a higher level, looking forward to European football and being very well off financially, the board decided they better upgrade the training facilities, and so they did. To go with the upgraded facilities, it was needed to have upgraded players and so Clemente set about the task of rebuilding his successful squad, with the linger danger that you might just over do it and everything falls about your arse.

A fair number of players were shown the door, or were subject to an offer that was simply too good for the club to turn down. Those shown the door were Drissa Sylla (to Djurgarden, Â£20,000), Miroslav Slepicka (to Hammarby, Â£100,000), Joel Ekstrand (to Kalmaar FF, Â£10,000), Axel Luzayadio (to Oster, Â£100,000), Mensur Berbatovic (to Orebro, Â£40,000), Pontus Hagstrom (to Orgryte, Â£100,000), Amaury Dumonteix (to Hammarby, Â£100,000) and Robert Beach on a free to Vastra Frolunda.

Bids too good to turn down came in for, Christian Halvorsen (IFK, Â£1.7M), Jan Ingemarsson (Malmo, Â£2M), Bruno Simone (M. Tel Aviv, Â£1M), Alban Gashi (Â£700,000) and a Â£2.5M bid from IFK for Javier Delgado. In all, Â£8.25M raised in transfer fees, although at least half of that is payable over a number of months. Even so, it simply added to Clemente's war chest and he went out and spent a breathtaking Â£3.8M

Saxemara Squad 2012

Goalkeepers

Mads Nielsen (22) Denmark, 6 U-21 caps With the defence in tatters, it could perhaps not all have been blamed on the keepers. Even so, a certain percentage had to lie in that area, and so Clemente decided it was time to bring in keepers that would, hopefully, be more reliable. At just 22, Mads Nielsen is still young in keeping terms but he comes highly recommended. Â£180,000 was enough to prise him away from Charlton Athletic where he had struggled to make an impact.

Tommi Vaiho (23) Sweden, 6 U-21 caps Another former U-21 international, Vaiho is a decent keeper but has so far failed to establish himself. Will be back up to Nielsen, so if the Dane proves his worth, then Vaiho will be keeping the bench warm. Again.

Ole Soderberg (21) Sweden, 1 U-21 cap Soderberg seemed to be a decent keeper and even managed to make an appearance for the U-21 side. However, when finally given his chance in the first team he blew it big time, conceding ten goals in just four matches. Will not be cast off though just yet, and will spend some time in the reserves as he may yet prove to be a decent enough keeper.

Matthias Sundstrom (18) Sweden, capped at U-19 level One of the few youth players spared the bullet, Sundstrom though may have to be farmed out for a few years if he is to have any chance of making the grade at Saxemara.

Defence

Riccardo Giordano (22) Italy There is becoming a strong Italian influence at Brunnsvallen for some reason. Right back, curteousy of Bruno Simone, was the one area of the defence last season that was at least half decent. Simone's departure though means the need for new faces and Giorano comes in from Parma for Â£5,000. Having never played a first team match, it is not easy to know how good Giordano is but he does look good in training and should be more than able in the Swedish Premier.

Johan Palm (22) Sweden, 2 U-21 Caps. Good season last season with Djurgarden in the First Division Elite, and looks like he will do well at the higher level after his Â£250,000 move. Ironically, is likely to be back up to Giordano despite the hugely disportionate price tags.

Christian Jardler (29) Sweden, 4 U-21 caps Left back was certainly weak, and the acquistion of former U-21 international Jardler from Crystal Palace for Â£375,000 should go a long way to solving that particular problem. Jardler spent two season with Palace in the English Premiership, before they got relegated and despite playing in a poor team he did very well indeed.

Goncalo Brandao (25) Portugal, 14 U-21 caps The first of Clemente's fellow countrymen he had brought to Sweden, Brandao moved from Derby to Norwich for a fee of Â£550,00 and so must have been considered a half decent prospect. Having failed to make the grade though, he comes to Saxemara for just Â£55,000. Brandao can play at left back or in the centre but will be back up for both positions.

Richard Spong (28) Sweden The central defensive partnership last season was a joke, and so in comes the experienced Richard Spong from AIK for a nominal fee of just Â£1000. Spong is a reasonably good player and despite not being given much chance at AIK, had performed fairly well before that at Norkopping.

Marco Sala (24) Italy Partnering Spong at the back will be left sided defender Sala, who comes in from Milan for Â£180,000. Made two appearances for the Italian giant and played very well but has failed to hold down a place and was more than happy with a move to a club where he should be a star. Along with Spong, should certainly provide much more of an obstacle to the opposition attackers.

Luka Skrbina (26) Slovenia, 24 caps An established international player, Skrbina should be a good asset for the club, especially with Europe in mind. However, he will have to fight for his place but as well as playing in the centre he can also play at left back which should be of help. Cost Â£30,000 from Sheffield United.

Robin Jonsson (24) Sweden, capped at U-19 level Didn't have the best of seasons last season with Champions Helsingborg, but should be a decent enough back up if needed and at Â£35,000 its not as if he's broken the bank.

Jonathan Baillie (26) Scotland Baillie is a second signing from Crystal Palace, from whom he cost Â£475,000. Has been about a bit, but did have a decent season with Palace in the Premiership in England before losing his place. Shouldn't have too many problems in Sweden, except actually convincing the manager that he should be first choice.

Viktor Jansson (26) Sweden[/b] The Â£1000 signing from Malmo is not a bad player, but if all goes to plan he should he nothing more than a back up.

Midfield

Andreas Olofsson (20) Sweden, 7 U-21 caps Had an excellent season that saw him hit six goals and provide nine assists in 26 appearances. Should provide more as he matures, and has established himself in the U-21 side, which can't be a bad thing.

Asgeir Fridjonsson (32) Sweden New signings up front will probably see the clubs highest scoring player of all time fall back to a midfield role. His 50 league goals and 107 league appearances have pushed him into Saxemara legend and he will probably see out the rest of his career with the club.

Daniele Greco (23) Italy, capped at U-19 level A Â£325,000 from Lazio, where he made just none appearances in nine seasons, Greco should join Olofsson and Fridjonsson as the more defensive minded of the midfield trio. Despite failing to make the grade in Rome, Greco should more than have what it takes to shine in Sweden.

Elias Elio (25) Sweden Another excellent season for Elias on the left of the midfield, but looks like he might have to fight off the challenge from Fridjonsson if he wants to keep his place. Not a spectacular player and rarely makes the headlines but he gets the job done and thats what counts.

Casper Nielsen (20) Denmark, 12 U-12 caps Current Danish U-21 international, Casper comes in from Brondby for Â£10,000. Didn't exactly set Denmark alight, but will be hoping it all comes right for him in Sweden.

Andrea Rizzo (23) Italy, capped at U-19 level You would be forgiven for thinking Clemente had some sort of dealings with the Mafia. Yet another Italian who has made his way to Ronneby, Rizzo arrives in a half million pound deal from Sampdoria. Flopped totally in Genoa, but if given the chance must surely have what it takes amongst the much less talented players of the Swedish league.

Dan Ingvarsson (28) Sweden Has finally signed a full professional contract, previously the only part timer at the club. A good solid back up player, but will never be anything more than that.

Attack

Ulf Karlsson (19) Sweden, 4 U-21 caps Fifteen goals in his first Premiership season was a reasonable haul and formed a decent partnership with Delgado until the Spaniard went off the boil. Will probably play wide left to accomodate the new signing through the middle.

Filip Sledzinski (24) Poland, 4 U-21 caps Having played for Hull, MK Dons and Blackpool in England, Sledzinski hardly comes with a huge reputation but Clemente feels that the Pole can drive his way through the Swedish defences and at just Â£80,000 he may well have picked up a real bargain. Or the guy may be sh*t.

Astrit Ajdarevic (21) Sweden, 15 U-21 caps After being sold for Â£1M to Danish side Stabaek, Ajdarevic was then moved on to Djurgarden for Â£325,000 despite actually doing quite well in Denmark. Spent very little time with his new club, before another million pound move to Orgryte where he did well in his first season but found the going tough last time around. Comes back to Saxemara in a Â£500,000 deal and is a known quantity for the right wing.

Ryan Peters (24) England Has blown hot and cold over his career, and found himself struggling when Chartlon were promoted to the English Premiership. Will get his chance here, but despite a half million pound fee, is nowhere near certain to be first choice.

Chakib Tayeb (25) Holland Made a decent enough start last season, but was then sidelined by injury and never really made it back to the level he had seemed to be at. Could be on his way out as he just doesnt seem to have what it takes.

Haluk Turkeri (25) Turkey, 8 U-21 caps Made his name with Bochum before moving to Besiktas where he was a failure. A Â£250,000 move to Sweden may help rejuventate his career. But then again, it might not. Who really knows. Who really cares?

HD · August 21, 2006

Dan Ingvarsson is on the books at Ayr in my deity story

Is Ali Mohammadian in your game?

Peacemaker7 · August 21, 2006

Yeah he's at Hacken, 26 years old. Looks quite decent actually.

Peacemaker7 · August 21, 2006

The first match for the new look Saxemara side would be a Royal League fixture away to Swedish Champions Helsingborg. After 75 minutes, Helsingborg were two nil ahead and the new era was turning into a damp squib. So much for the record spending spree and when Elias Elio was red carded six minutes from full time, the Saxemara support must have wondered what the hell was going on. Just five seconds passed normal time, Polish striker Filip Sledzinski bagged his first goal for the club to make the scoreline at least a bit more respectable. Almost exactly two minutes later, Sledzinski pounced again and in the most dramatic of endings had stolen a point for his team. With qualification assured, 644 people turned out for the visit of legendary Norwegian outfit Rosenborg. No one could have predicted the outcome of this match, without being taken away in a white straighjacket in the back of an unmarked white van. It all started off sensibly enough, as a first half double from Ulf Karlsson was interspersed by a goal for the Norwegians and at half time Saxemara held a slender but well deserved lead. Six minutes after half time Asgeir Fridjonsson added a third and then it all went crazy. Further goals from Daniele Greco, Filip Sledzinski, Richard Spong and Astrit Ajdarevic resulted in a fairytale seven one triumph for the Swedish minnows and it would be a long time before the most successful team in Norway would want to show their very red faces around these parts. Away to Danish side OB, a match that was to all intent and purposes meaningless, but not to Sledzinski who battered in a hattrick and Karlsson who settle for a double in a fine five one win. After such a poor start, the fans were seeing just why these players had cost so much money.

It was back to Norway for the Quarter Final, to take on Brann Bergen. This was to turn into a classic battle as Brann took an earlier lead, Sledzinski rolled in a first half hattrick and Bran came roaring back to make the match all square at the break. Elias Elio sent Saxemara back into the lead eighteen minutes from time but just when you though the defensive problems of last season must have been solved, Brann grabbed a 4th of their own and the match ended in a draw. If the first leg had been close, the 2nd was a farce. An early brace from Ulf Karlsson was added to four times by the insatiable Filip Sledzinski and the final score of six nil simply flattered the Norwegians. The Semi Final saw Danish side AaB in opposition and in Denmark a Sledzinski brace kept his incredible scoring start to his Saxemara career going. Further goals from Karlsson and Astrit Ajadervic saw the Danes well and truly beaten and the 2nd leg a formality. The home leg was to all intents and purposes irrelevant, but just to make sure, Sledzinski added two more goals to his tally and Asgeir Fridjonsson felt the need to get his name on the scoresheet in an all too easy three nil win and Saxemara were into the first major final in their history.

That Final though, which would be played on Saxemara's own tiny little park against fellow Swedes Elfsborg, was still some time off and the Swedish Premier League campaign kicked off once more. As fate would have it, the opening day fixture saw Saxemara travel once more to Champions Helsingborg and Sledzinski showed that his Royal League scoring form was no fluke as he banged in a hattrick, and Astrit Ajdarevic added a 4th in a well fought and exciting four two win. The first league home match of the season though did not go as well as might have been hoped. True Ajdarevic, Sledzinski and Spong all got on the scoresheet but in reply Halmstad scored four times, including Daniele Greco almost hilarious own goal and it seemed nothing at all had been learned from last season and the defence was still leaking like a sieve.

Yet the amount spent on the defense and the quality brought in could only tell in the long run and with Sledzinski on fine goal scoring form, a run of five successive wins was put together without the loss of a single goal. Which was pretty amazing, even if one of the matches was a 2nd round Swedish Cup tie away to Ytterby which ended 7-0. Norrkoping (3-1) and Landskrona (3-2), kept the winning streak going before Sundsval came to Brunnsvallen and Sledzinski battered them silly with an amazing six goals, after Andreas Olofsson had given his side an early lead. A late penalty gave Sundsvall a little consolation but in reality there is little consolation in being thrashed seven one.

As Scandinavia tuned in live on TV, so 725 people turned up to Saxemara's tiny little ground for the Final of the Royal League against Elfsborg. Filip Sledzinski's 18th goal of the tournament after 28 minutes, and strikes by Olofsson either side of half time sent Saxemara into an unassailable lead. Elfsborg were reduced to ten men just before the hour and Clemente proudly watched in the little wooden dugout as his side coasted to their first major trophy triumph. A 3-1 win over IFK stretched the winning sequence to ten games, before Oster turned up for the 3rd round of the Swedish Cup. Clemente had not taken his side beyond this stage yet, and he would not do so this season either as Oster ended their rivals run with a fine 2-1 win and the cup was gone for yet another year. Back in the League, Hammarby were seen off 2-0 and revenge for the cup exit was extracted on Oster as they were whipped 3-0 on their own patch.

After the excitement of the Royal League triumph, there was more excitement for the Saxemara fans as they turned up for the clubs first ever match in European competition. Lichtenstein minnows Vaduz would be the side to make history as they came to Ronneby for the UEFA Cup 1st qualifying round, 1st leg tie. You couldn't really ask for an easier entry into the competition, and as Sledzinski added yet two more goals to his ever increasing tally, so Saxemara ran out easy five nil winners and the 2nd leg was surely nothing more than a foregone conclusion. The first half of the season ended with a rather dissapointing 0-0 draw at home to Trelleborg, the effects of the UEFA match all too obvious. Nevertheless, Clemente's side sit ten points clear at the top of the table and look almost uncatchable as the race towards an historic first ever Swedish title. With nineteen league goals from his first thirteen matches, Filip Sledzinski has been a sensation and if he keeps this up they will have to totally rewrite the record books.

HD · August 22, 2006

Wow

Peacemaker7 · August 23, 2006

The slip up against Trelleborg looked as if it might not quite be a flash in the pan as the home match with Helsingborg reached half time with neither team having scored. Nine minutes after the restart, the penalty spot came to the rescue as Sledzinski thundered the ball home. Three minutes later, left back Jardler made it two and as the team's confidence came surging back Daniele Greco grabbed a third. A late consolation for the visitors was nowhere near enough and Saxemara were back to their winning ways.

The 2nd leg in Vaduz was nothing more than a formality. Sledzinski helped himself to a hattrick, Olofsson, Karlsson and Greco all got on the scoresheet and the match was won with plenty to spare. The draw for the 2nd qualifying round would see Saxemara play one of the legendary sides of European football in the shape of Red Star Belgrade, which would surely be a much tougher proposition. Returning from Europe once again proved to be difficult, and all that could be gained against Elfsborg was a 0-0 draw. If that game had been dull, the match away to Orgryte was certainly the exact opposite. And Saxemara would go there without the services of Greco, who had been so impressive in midfield that Kobenhavn had slammed in a bid of Â£2.2M which was way more than Saxemara could afford to turn down.

Only three minutes had passed when Orgryte took the lead, and it seemed the Euro hangover was extending to another match. Sledzinski had other ideas and eleven minutes later the match was level again. The lead though only lasted four minutes and the chances of any points at all were fading fast when Orgryte went three one up after 26 minutes. The nature of this match seemed to be that any time someone took a shot at goal, they scored and this epitomized on the 29th and 30th minutes, when Rizzo, now getting a start thanks to the departure of Greco, put Saxemara back into the match once more only for the hosts to go straight up the park and score. Half time came with the score at 4-2 and everyone watching the matched drained from nervous excitement. With Saxemara's chances looking dead in the water, it was Rizzo who once more pulled them back into the game on 57 minutes and then Haluk Turkeri, on for the tiring and injured Astrit Ajdarevic, sensationally levelled the match five minutes later. As the momentum swung this way and that, so it seemed a draw would be a fair result, but Orgryte were having none of that and with twenty minutes to go they back in front. All the hard work of clawing back the two goal defecit had been undone and it seemed fate was deeming defeat was nessecary was this upstart little team. Fate though hadn't banked on Sweden's record goal scorer. Seven minutes from time, Sledzinski pounced to level the match yet again, and then in sensational hit and run style, Ulf Karlsson netted on 92 minutes, with the Orgryte players, bench and fans screaming that Sledzinski was offside. Tough.

After such a dramatic goal fest, the players then had to keep their momentum up for the UEFA Cup 2nd qualifying tie with the famous Red Star of Belgrade. This was never going to be any easy match, and anyone who turned up expecting a goal feast was going to be sorely dissapointed. A Filip Sledzinski goal on 39 minutes was all that seperated the sides, and it remained to be seen whether that would be enough to survive with in Belgrade. European hangovers seemed to be the in thing this season, as Clemente's side travelled to Halmstad and despite taking an early lead, rather sluggishly lost out by 2-1. Nevertheless, even dropping the points after Europe, Saxemara still sat well clear at the top and only a dramatic collapse would prevent them taking that title.

And the response to the loss at Halmstad was to be devastating. AIK were the visitors, midfield genius Andreas Olofsson bagged a nice hattrick but was completely over shadowed by the magic that is Filip Sledzinski as the Pole celebrated being capped for his country in style as he rammed the ball into the AIK net no less than SEVEN times, and even if two were from the penalty spot, that was still some achievement. The incredible ten to nil win sent shockwaves around Sweden, and no-one now would surely take the **** out of Saxemara ever again. The trip to Belgrade could not have been made by a happier bunch of players, but this was so going to be a much tougher match and if the players hadn't realised that before, they certainly did four minutes into the game as the hosts took the lead and the tie was all square. Saxemara though were probably not experienced enough to be overawed and on 33 minutes left back Christian Jardler got the goal that made Red Stars task that much harder and it was a task they simply could no live up to. Two minutes from time, Sledzinsky made sure with a goal to win on the night and Saxemara were into the UEFA Cup 1st round. There, they would meet Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow, avoiding any of the big names like Inter, Dortmind, Seville etc and thereby surely having a chance of reaching the group stages.

And then it happened again, and after a 10-0 win in their previous league match, you would have thought this was a totally different team as Saxemara took on Norrkoping. Filip Sledzinski did bag another two goals for his incredibly soaring tally, but Norrkoping scored six times and Saxemara had been well and truly hammered. The players simply could not cope with an extra game a week. Things were far from bleak though, and a fully recovered Saxemara side easily disposed of GAIS by four nil to edge ever closer to that title and then a Filip Sledzinski hattrick brought them a great win at home to Lokomotiv Moscow, but the Russians did grab an away goal which could prove oh so vital in the long term. For once there was no Euro hangover as Landskrona were brushed aside 3-1 and then a 4-1 victory over Sundsvall left Saxemara needing just three points from their final four matches to be crowned Champions of Sweden.

Before their big chance came though, it was off to Moscow to try and confirm that place in the group stage of the UEFA Cup. A goalless first half played well into Saxemara's hands, and then two minutes after the interval Filip Sledzinski made triumph sure with yet another goal. Moscow hit back straight away as they realised they now needed to find the net four times but as they pressed forward so Saxemara found gaps at the back and just after the hour Ulf Karlsson made doubly sure of progress. Six minutes from the end, Yury Lebedev put the ball into his own net and Lokomotiv's night of misery was complete. When the draw for the group stages were made, Saxemara found themselves on the way back to Moscow as they would face CSKA, and an away match at French club Rennes. The home matches would be against English side Tottenham, and Italian giants Internazionale. It would certainly be four huge games for this inexperienced side, but they would give it their best shot for sure.

A win at home to IFK would ensure that Saxemara wrapped up a title that had looked to be theirs for some considerable time. To do do though, the players would need to rise above their Euro hangover tiredness and find one final burst of energy and if they did so, they would all become legends. Fittingly, twenty five minutes in, it was Filip Sledzinski who sent his side on his way to glory against a rather lacklustre IFK and on 66 minutes Ajdarevic wrapped up the points, and the title, and the party was well and truly underway.

As Clemente Marito was the name on every Saxemarians lips, so there were still three more league games to get out of they. As injury and tiredness took their toll, so the side stuttered to a 1-1 draw with Hammarby, beat Oster 1-0 and a final day 4-3 battled with Trelleborg saw Sledzinski take his league total to 41 from 26 and pushed his overall for the season nearer to that magical and almost unbelievable 75 goal mark. And also prompted the striker to hand in a transfer request - which was promptly denied.

The title in the bag, the season was not over yet as the UEFA Cup beckoned and then there was the seemingly trivial now matter of the Royal League and eventually the players would be allowed to go and have a well deserved rest. But not until then.

dr-nix · August 24, 2006

Good story, KUTGW.

Seems like you found a real jem in Sledzinski.

ntfc · August 24, 2006

Excellent update.

Peacemaker7 · August 24, 2006

Swedish Premier Division 2012 - Final Table

| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 1st | C | Saxemara | | 26 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 79 | 31 | +48 | 63 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 2nd | | Helsingborg | | 26 | 17 | 2 | 7 | 56 | 28 | +28 | 53 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 3rd | | Elfsborg | | 26 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 50 | 29 | +21 | 47 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 4th | | Hammarby | | 26 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 43 | 36 | +7 | 44 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 5th | | Halmstad | | 26 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 36 | 36 | 0 | 39 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 6th | | NorrkÃ¶ping | | 26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 47 | 38 | +9 | 38 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 7th | | GIF Sundsvall | | 26 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 37 | 36 | +1 | 35 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 8th | | Ã–rgryte | | 26 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 37 | 47 | -10 | 29 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 9th | | IFK GÃ¶teborg | | 26 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 42 | 44 | -2 | 28 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 10th | | Trelleborg | | 26 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 30 | 45 | -15 | 28 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 11th | | AIK | | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 38 | 56 | -18 | 27 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 12th | Pl | Landskrona | | 26 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 29 | 47 | -18 | 26 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 13th | R | GAIS | | 26 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 31 | 48 | -17 | 25 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 14th | R | Ã–ster | | 26 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 22 | 56 | -34 | 16 |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

</pre>

Saxonator · August 24, 2006

Nice one PM7 KUTGW . I might see you up there next season

Saxonator · August 24, 2006

Nice one PM7 KUTGW . I might see you up there next season

Peacemaker7 · August 24, 2006

Thanks guys

I'm sure you will Sax

Peacemaker7 · August 24, 2006

The group stages of the UEFA Cup started with a home match against English side Tottenham Hotspur. A hard fought match saw the English side dominate for long spells, but the Saxemara defence held firm. As the match meandered its way to the end, it looked like a very respectable draw for the Swedes, until Kieran Richardson pounced five minutes from time and the English went home with all the points. Greedy bastards.

The trip back to Moscow was anticpated to be rather more difficult than the previous one, and as CSKA hit Clemente's side with a 20 and 22 minute double whammy, so those anticipations seemed to be justified. Just after the half hour, CSKA went three up through Vagner Love and the match to all intents and purposes was over. Or so it seemed. No-one though had taken into account Filip Sledzinski's thirst for goals and four minutes after the restart he gave his side a lifeline. On 67 minutes, Russian hearts started beating much more wildly as Sledzinski made it 2-3 from the penalty and a great fight back was on the cards. The great fight back though was put to sleep ten minutes from time as CSKA bagged a 4th, and now Saxemara's involvement in the competition hung by a very thin thread.

Before the crucial match at home to Inter, two Royal League matches had to be gotten out of the way. Danes AaB were seen off 2-0, before a 2-1 reversal at Helsinborg, which wasn't the best preparation for such a huge match. Inter came into this game having won both their home games, 1-0 against Rennes and 2-1 against CSKA, but having been utterly thrashed 4-0 in London by Tottenham. Even a point in Sweden would see the Italians grab 3rd place in the group for sure, and a place in the next round of the UEFA Cup.

With the weather cold, the pitch frozen and hard, it was always going to be tough for the Italian, used to their pristine surfaces, to cop and just ten minutes into the match Sledzinski gave Inter something to think about as he sent his side into the early lead. There were fears that they might have struck just too early, but come half time and with the Italians still trying to heat themselves up, Saxemara stood on the verge of a superb triumph. The Italians started to get a grip in the second half, and it seemed only a matter of time before they levelled and indeed right on the hour Gaetano Vigano became his clubs man of the moment. Thoughts though that Inter would now run away with the game were soon put in their place, and with fourteen minutes left to play Andrea Rizzo rammed home a 25 yard drive and Saxemara had pulled off probably the greatest result in their history.

Bouyed up by the magnificent Inter result, poor Norwegian side Fredrikstad didn't stand a chance and as Sledzinski notched up another six goals, Olofsson celebrated his return from injury with a brace and the Norwegians had been humiliated by an eight to nil scoreline. Sledzinski had taken his seasons total to 84, and now looked to get just one more in the final game of the season in France to complete his incredible year.

Rennes, having lost all three of their matches so far, were out of the UEFA Cup. Tottenham and CSKA had both qualified already and Inter could only sit and wait for their fate. A win for Saxemara would see them end 3rd in the group, edging out Inter, any other result would see the Italians through. It took just two minutes for Filip Sledzinski to grab a remarkable 85th goal in his 49th match of the season and Inter could only sit and curse the French team who seemed as if they couldn't care less about this match. Which they probably didn't. Ten minutes later though, Rennes were level from the penalty spot, but right on half time Ulf Karlsson, himself back from a period out injured, grabbed his 24th goal of the season and the Swedes had their noses back in front. As Rennes gave up the chase, so Inter could only watch in frustration as their UEFA Cup hopes faded away and a 61st minute strike from Italian midfielder Andrea Rizzo made sure of a Saxemara win and Inter had been knocked out by the smallest team in the competition.

If Saxemara reached the 2nd knockout round, they would face either Besiktas or Club Brugge. But first, they had to get passed........Tottenham Hotspur. How daft.

Peacemaker7 · August 24, 2006

With their last game being on the 13th of December 2012, and the first competitive match scheduled for the 9th of February 2013, there was a much shorter than usual break for the players but it was something they would simply have to get used to if they wanted to continue being successful. Clemente was already a legend amongst the Saxemara support. He had certainly come a long way from the days he arrived as a downtrodden, destitute, homeless novice and had proven his worth over and over again. With one year left on his current contract, and with a host of clubs now seemingly wanting this guy that a few years ago no-one had ever heard of, President Olaf Larsen promised Clemente that come the end of this new season he would be giving him a brand spanking new contract, a new house and a car of his choice. Clemente was cautiously pleased, because although he might be a bit slow witted at times, he was not totally stupid and he was begining to think Mr Larsen was a bit of a chancer.

Even so, Clemente was more than happy with his job here in Ronneby and even if he was being paid peanuts it was job satisfaction that counted most and he kept telling himself that everynight when he and Hamish went to sleep in the run down hotel room. His job was not worry about such trivialities but to make Saxemara great and then the rewards would come flooding in. It was a dream and you were nothing if you did not have something to dream about.

The board decided that, considering they now had millions of pounds in the bank, they should take the step of building a brand new stand that would seat 1000. It would cost just over one and half million pounds and was a serious investment for a club this size and in many ways showed how much they respected their current manager and his ability to keep them at the top. For this season then the side would have to travel to Karlskrona for their home matches and it would be interested to see how that affected them.

With millions of pounds the fans might have been looking for big name signings, but the starting eleven for the new season would - at first at least - be unchanged. Those players had proven themselves good enough to win the title and to succeed in Europe and deserved to keep their places. Clemente had had to fight off a lot of huge bids from bigger clubs, but he could at least afford to do that now. There was of course transfer activity nevertheless, mainly because the fringe players simply did not want to sit around on their arses getting paid for doing nothing. Ungrateful bastards.

Free transfers were given to Hekko Sahara - who had spent the season on loan with Vastra Frolunda - and youth player Joakim Sward who quite simply was nowhere near good enough. Keeper Tommi Vaiho went to Djurgarden for Â£300,000; Defender Goncalo Brandao - who had been utterly woeful the few times he had actually gotten on the park - was shipped off to Halmstad for Â£100,000; Moaning Jonathan Baillie went to Motherwell for Â£250,000 with Ryan Peters and Casper Nielsen joining him on the trip to bonny Scotland, Peters to Gretna for Â£250,000 and Nielsen to Ross County for Â£600,000.

The youth team, bolstered by the new training facilities and investment by the board, finally became established as a proper side with the signing up of sixteen teenagers. Most of them will of course not make the grade, but along with defender Erik Augustsson - who has now made eight first team appearances - the ones to keep an eye on are, left back Jonathan Lundmark, midfielders Eric Lundqvist, Magnus Danielsson and Bjorn Ohlsson as well as previous years cadet, Hans Martinsson who, although still to make his first team debut, looks a decent enough youngster.

Of course with the rigours of a - hopeful - continuing UEFA Cup run, and the prospect of Champions League football, the squad would need to be big enough to cope and havig spent Â£3.8M last season, Clemente splashed out another Â£3.6M this time, including the clubs first ever one million pound signing in the shape of promising 19 year old midfielder Thomas Engstrom from Djurgarden. It might be deemed a huge risk spending so much on one player, but his performances in the First Division elite have shown this guy has real potential and it shouldn't be long before the Saxemara fans see him appearing for the first team.

Peacemaker7 · August 25, 2006

Saxemara Squad 2013

Goalkeepers

Mads Nielsen (23) Denmark, 6 U-21 caps An ever present last season, Nielsen certainly showed more composure in goal that the previous incumbents and even though he was there for a couple of bad beatings, he certainly played a big part in the title win and hopefully will be with the club for the long term.

Kevin Olimpa (24) France, 4 U-21 caps The former French U-21 international comes in from UEFA Cup rivals Rennes, where he was so far down the pecking order he was nearly starving. Will have trouble displacing Nielsen, but at least is only 2nd in the pecking order and if he's patient - unlike a lot of others - he can be successful at the club. Perhaps.

Mathias Sundstrom (19) Sweden, capped at U-19 level The youth product player is now in his 4th season with the club, but has yet to make his first team debut. Still looks a decent enough prospect, but will be allowed to go out on loan if anyone wants him.

Ove Nilsson (16) Sweden New youth team keeper, it will be a while before we know if he's any good or not.

Defence

Riccardo Giordano (23) Italy Had a good, solid season at right back and pitched in with 14 assists from his 49 appearances. Has proven himself to be a good player and should keep his position for as long as he wants it.

Johan Palm (22) Sweden, 3 U-21 caps Spent last season on loan to Sundsvall where he only made seven appearances and failed to excell himself. Still seems to have what it takes at right back, and will be back up to Giordano for the season ahead.

Mattias Wahlstrom (16) Sweden New youth team right back, decent physical player which is always useful and if he can develop his skills he could become a reasonably good player. Probably not good enough for the top level though.

Christian Jardler (30) Sweden, 4 U-21 caps Superb season at left back, scoring twice and creating nine assists in 42 appearances. Has settled in really well at the club, so much so that despite consistent rumours and bids for his services, Jardler has come out and publicly declared that he has no intention of leaving the club he has fallen in love with.

Behrang Safari (28) Sweden Played for the club in 2009, before a Â£1M move to Hacken where despite playing very well he was sold to Norrkoping for Just Â£100,000 the following season. Spent two seasons there and returns in a Â£100,000 deal. Played on the left wing last time he was here, but will primarily be a back up left back.

Johan Lundmark (16) Sweden One of the new batch of youngsters, Lundmark looks to be a very promising left back. Unlikely to make a first team breakthrough this season, but certainly has future possibilities. Definately one to watch.

Nils Sandstrom (16) Sweden[/b] Lack the potential of Lundmark and looks as if he will remain in his teammates shadow, which will probably see his time at the club being very short indeed. But you never know.

Richard Spong (29) Sweden Good solid season on the right side of the defence, Spong even took time out to score three goals and provide five assists.

Marco Sala (25) Italy Another player who is attracting a lot of attention, but isn't going anywhere. Partnered Spong in the middle of the defence and had a fantastic season.

Mateusz Jasiszcak (24) Poland, 6 caps The Polish international arrives from Trelleborg for Â£100,000. Has had a fairly unimpressive career so far, but having been capped six times for his country you would have to think he must have something going for him.

Luka Skrbina (27) Slovenia, 27 caps Managed 7 appearances as a back up for both the left sided centre back position and left full back. Did well enough, but for now remains a more than adequate back up.

Erik Augustson (18) Sweden[/b] Managed only one first team appearance to add to the previous season seven. Nevertheless, although Erik will never be a top class player, he might just be good enough to be a reliable back up.

Matias Caballero (24) Argentina Although Matias can play in midfield, he probably has more chance of getting a game in the centre of the defence. Cost a mere Â£9,000 from Independiente and may not be the greatest player ever seen, but should be an adequate enough back up.

David Grenholm (16) Sweden New youth player, but seems unlikely to make the grade.

Markus Gustafsson (16) Sweden A player with good physique - unfortunately he has no footballing skills whatsoever.

Tobias Gustavsson (16) Sweden May make it somewhere, but unless he has something hidden away, it won't be here.

Midfield

Andrea Rizzo (24) Italy, capped at U-19 level Spent most of the season on the bench until the departure of countryman Greco. Ended with 24 appearances, bagging six goals and three assists. A very good player who has claimed his place in midfield and will be hard to dislodge.

Andreas Olofsson (21) Sweden, 12 U-21 caps Is turning into a real class act, and can hit the most ferocious long range efforts. Sixteen goals in forty six appearances is not a bad return for a midfielder and a move to a bigger league can surely not be that far away, although the club will battle as hard as they can to keep him.

Asgeir Fridjonsson (33) Sweden Written off by many as not good enough for the Premiership, or over the hill, Asgeir played a vital role on the left of midfield and only missed three games in the season. Scored four times, twice in the league to extend his club record to 52 career league goals. As long as he keeps producing the goods, he keeps playing.

Thomas Engstrom (19) Sweden, capped at U-19 level The clubs first million pound signing, it may have seemed a lot of money for such a young player but Engstrom looks to have the ability to go all the way and once he breaks into the first team the fans are in for a treat.

Anderson Silva (30) Brazil Quality player, signed from Derby for Â£350,000 and brings a wealth of experience to the club.

Daniel Joly (23) France, 8 U-21 caps Â£575,000 signing from Marseille. Looks a decent enough player but failed to make much impression with the French giants.

Pierre Dahlstrom (18) Sweden, capped at U-19 level The left sided midfielder was signed from Djurgarden for a fee of Â£600,000 and is viewed as a replacement for Fridjonsson. Whether the veteran wants to be replaced is another matter.

Martin Kadlec (21) Czech Republic, 11 U-21 caps Promising midfielder signed from GAIS for Â£140,000 but may have trouble breaking through in an area which is very strong.

Alexander Backman (16) Sweden Could be an averagely decent midfielder but nothing more.

Joakim Norelius (16) Sweden Looks pretty rubbish.

Tomas Ericsson (16) Sweden Could be average, probably be pish. Unlikely to ever play for the full Saxemara side unless the whole midfield dies.

Hans Martinsson (17) Sweden Is developing into a fairly decent midfielder, but is still unlikely to make the breakthrough to the first team just yet.

Eric Lundqvist (16) Sweden Reasonably good player, outside chance of being half decent.

Magnus Danielsson (16) Sweden Possibly one of the best prospects of the new batch of kids, his progress is well worth watching.

Attack

Filip Sledzinski (25) Poland, 3 caps Absolutely sensational season, with 85 goals from 49 appearances, Filip is going to be hard pushed to match such an incredible vein of form. As you might expect, has become a huge hit with the fans who voted him as their player of the year. Also picked up the Swedish Forward of the Year, Premier Division top scorer and the Swedish Player of the Year. The big question is, how long can the club hold onto him?

Ulf Karlsson (20) Sweden, 8 U-21 caps Playing on the left side of the attack, Ulf ended with a decent enough 24 goals from 45 games, as well as providing 29 assists. Has formed a superb partnership with Sledzinski and if they can be kept together, who knows what the future might hold?

Astrit Ajdarevic (22) Sweden, 18 U-21 caps Had a great season out on the right wing and provided eight goals and 25 assists from his 43 appearances. Improving all the time and provides a real threat with his pace and skill and links up well with the front two.

Haluk Turkeri (26) Turkey, 8 U-21 caps Only managed fifteen appearances, and nine of those were as a subsitute. Nevertheless looks a decent enough winger and can be relied on when needed, which is good to know.

Alexander Lindstrom (20) Sweden, 1 U-21 cap Â£250,000 signing from Malmo, should be a good backup and might have a decent future at the club if he can be patient.

Yasin Zengen (26) Sweden Â£65,000 signing from AIK, Zengin looked a decent prospect in his youth but has since fallen by the wayside. Will be looking to prove something, but may not get the chance.

Kristoffer Axelsson (16) Sweden Looks average at best and is unlikely to make it at the top level, could be a good lower league player.

Jesper Markstrom (16) Sweden Pretty poor when all is said and done. Which it hasn't been.

Magnus Roos (16) Sweden The third big prospect from the new batch of youth player, Roos definately looks to have what it takes and will be watched closely to see if its true.

Peacemaker7 · August 28, 2006

With a big enough squad to make it interesting, pre season saw a match up between the Saxemara first team and the reserves. Probably they had more to play for, but the so-called fringe players certainly made the manager sit up and notice them as they ran out 3-2 winners against their alleged superiors.

The season itself got off the ground with the continuation of the Royal League, and a visit to Denmark to take on AaB. Ulf Karlsson provided a Danish Double with further goals from Sledzinski and Olofsson wrapping up a very good win. It was the perfect confidence booster for the visit from Tottenham in the UEFA Cup, and having played so well against the Londoners in the previous match only to lose out unluckily, this was a time for revenge. And sure enough, only 14 minutes had gone when Saxemara had a penalty, upped stepped Sledzinski and the Swedes were ahead - a lead they took into the half time break.

Of course one goal would probably not be enough, but it was important to keep a clean sheet. Two minutes after the break that clean sheet was blown apart, ironically by Swedish international Daniel Nordmark. Still reeling from the devastating blow, worse was to follow as Tottenham took the lead six minutes later and it seemed Saxemara's European adventure was coming to an abrupt end. Sledzinski was having none of that, and on 63 minutes he levelled the match again, only for Tottenham to restore their lead a few minutes later. Sledzinski seemed to be waging a personal war, and it was he who pulled his side level once more with fourteen minutes left to play. Any chance Saxemara had though of progressing was ended with ten minutes left to play as the English side finally wrapped up the win on the night, and Clemente's team now had the proverbial mountain to climb.

A 2-1 defeat at home to Helsingborg in the penultimate Royal League group match was hardly ideal preparation for the trip to London and goals on the 12th and 15th minutes for Tottenham made the match safe and Saxemarian dreams were finally well and truly over. Fredrikstad were put to the sword in the final Royal League group match by 6-0 as Saxemara took out their UEFA Cup misery on the Norwegian foes. An amazing Quarter Final 1st leg against Kobenhavn saw Saxemara eventually run out five three winners, and completed the job in Denmark with a Sledzinski brace, despite the sending off of Richard Spong after just two minutes. Thoughts of retaining the Royal League though were put in severe doubt after a poor showing at home to Brondby in a match that ended 1-1 and the Danes ended Saxemara's reign with a narrow 1-0 win the 2nd leg.

With Europe gone until July, when the Champions League qualifying got underway, and the Royal League just gone, it was time to buckle down to the defend the Swedish League title.

Peacemaker7 · August 28, 2006

The defence of the League title started with a gala day home match against Hammarby, as goals from Olofsson, Sledzinski and an Ajdarevic brace saw Saxemara ease to a 4-1 win and a perfect party day all round. As Trelleborg were seen off by two nil and then a run of successive victories over Orebro, Goteborg and Djurgarden meant a 100% start to the season and things were going so well it was hard to see where the challenge was going to come from in the season ahead.

The Swedish Cup has so far not been kind to Clemente Marito, but a 2nd round match with Arameiska/Syrianska should have been a mere formality for a side which had dispossed of one of Europe's top sides in Internazionale. Filip Sledzinski rammed in a hattrick, a brace for Ulf Karlsson with Olofsson and Rizzo also on target and in the end the easy predicted win came to pass. If things were going too easily, all that was about to dramatically change. The trip to Norrkoping saw the side go three down after just 28 minutes and despite a desperate second half fight back, the goals from Sledzinski and Olofsson were not enough to prevent a first domestic defeat of the season. It was a warning to the Saxemara players that simply could not afford to underestimate anyone.

A last second goal from Ajdarevic gave Saxemara all three points at home to Elfsborg, before the visit to Halmstad saw Clemente's men slip to a second defeat in three games and suddenly it was all going horribly wrong. Having never gotten past the 3rd round of the Swedish FA Cup, so facing a home match with fellow Premiership side Trelleborg would prove a tough test - particularly on current form. Still nil all at half time, Sledzinski finally broke the deadlock after half time and an Andreas Olofsson goal on the hour seemed to finally have broken the cup jinx. Trelleborg did pull a goal back 20 minutes from the end to cause some jitters, but Sledzinski grabbed a third just moments later and for the first time ever Clemente had guided his team to the 4th round.

A 1-1 draw at Helsingborg followed by successive 3-0 wins over Orgryte and Kalmar FF seemed to steady the ship ahead of the 4th round tie, where the opponents would be First Division Elite side Vasteras. Asgeir Fridjonsson opened the scoring in thirteen minutes, and a rare appearance for Turkish right winger Haluk Turkeri saw him send his side into the Quarter Finals and finally the Saxemara fans could start to mibbe think about winning the Cup. They would, however, have to do so without Filip Sledzinski.

Along with Riccardo Giordani, Marco Sala and Andrea Rizzo, Sledzinski was off to join English Championship side Birmingham City, whose manager Pierre le Papillon was a close friend of Clemente who had met the Frenchman on a UEFA training course. Paid for, rather generously, by the club chairman in one of his rare fits of compassion towards a manager he seemed to treat like total crap. There was departure too for Haluk Turkeri who went to Besiktas, but it was the loss of the four key players and Sledzinski in particular that caused the greatest upset for the Saxemara fans and their love affair with their greatest ever manager would forever more be ever so slightly tarnished.

For Clemente on a personal level, July of 2013 would become a month he would never forget. Despite being unbeaten at the top of the South American qualifying table, Brazil - the greatest footballing nation on the planet - decided to part company with manager Muricy Ramalho and to whom should they turn to deliver them their 8th World Cup other than Portuguese almost unknown, Clemente Marito. Brazil, who would be going for an incredible 4th successive World Cup triumph in Spain next year, who were the number one side in the World, the greatest footballing job you could ever have. Why on earth would they want Clemente Marito, and at first Clemente had thought it was a joke. But it wasn't.

The first match for Saxemara post Sledzinski was at home to AIK and a hard fought 2-2 draw was the order of the day. The UEFA Champions League 1st qualifying round saw Saxemara drawn to face Andorran side Unio Esportiva Sant Julia Matecosa. This should surely be a rather leisurely entry into the worlds greatest club tournament and thats exactly how it panned out. Ulf Karlsson scorched in five goals, Olofsson knocked in two with Fridjonsson and Engstrom bagging a goal apiece and if every Champions League match was this easy Saxemara would be laughing.

The typical European hangover was self evident as the side crashed rather pathetically away to Sundsvall by three nil to sit a dissapoining but far from out of touch 3rd place in the table at the halfway stage. The journey to the 2nd qualifying round of the Champions League and a match with Northern Irish side Glentoran, was wrapped up in rather easy 2-0 win in Andorra and slowly but surely the fans were forgetting Sledzinski.

But the next few weeks would make them wish that he had never left and further add to their anger and frustration of the loss of a player they had come to utterly adore.

ntfc · August 29, 2006

Excellent but you should of sold Sledzinski,he is a Saxemara god throughout the Gq challenge forum.

Will he ever grace the famous blue and white shirt again?

p.s Saxemara's not birninghams.

HD · August 29, 2006

some friend! You'd never see me thieve your bestest players.

Peacemaker7 · August 29, 2006

Well the story is, Clemente was linked with Birmingham and its a job that appealed to me, mainly cos of my UCMIG days with them. But in the end I didn't actually want to leave Saxemara so I added a manager to Birmingham and I really want to see how Sledzinski goes in a better league. Scoring a hattrick everyweek gets a tad boring

Peacemaker7 · August 29, 2006

With Ulf Karlsson back in the central striking role, and Asgeir Fridjonsson on the left, the team got ready to take on Northern Irish Champions Glentoran. Having won on away goals against Finish side Haka, Glentoran were bound to be optimistic against a side with virtually no European pedigree. Clemente and his players though, and especially the Saxemara support, were equally sure their team would progress to the 3rd round and therebye ensure at the very worst a place in the UEFA Cup.

Glentoran may well not be the biggest club side in Europe, but even so with the game being played at the 5000 capacity Vastra Mark in Karlskrona, a crowd of 4110 showed that the interest in this match was there and with the match also live on Swedish TV, it was a remarkable crowd for such a game between two minnows. Even counting the fantastic win over Internazionale in the UEFA Cup, it could be argued this was the biggest match the club had ever played - this was after all the Champions League and not the diddy cup that is the UEFA. This is the real thing and there was hell of a lot of money at stake.

Glentoran would have been far from phazed by the occassion, but just eight minutes had passed when new signing Oscar Carlsson grabbed his first goal for the club to put Saxemarian noses in front and just two minutes later the ineffectual Hakan Lennartsson, who had been so inconsistant it wasn't even funny, popped up from the right wing to add a second and Saxemara had a bit of breathing space. But not much. Such is the problem with the home leg in such competitions that just one careless moment at the back would hand their opponents a valuable away goal and the whole complexion of the tie would be changed.

Saxemara though continued to dominate and there was very little threat at all from a dissapointing Glentoran side and with six minutes left to play the ever improving Andreas Olofsson fired in a trademark freekick and surely now the tie was safe. And it has to be said about Olofsson how, as Sledzinski gathered all the credits, the talented midfielder, now 22, was the craftsman behind the showmen and without him the side would be so much poorer. The only real surprise for Olofsson is his failure so far to be called up to the full Swedish squad. Their manager must be blind.

Before the 2nd leg, the draw was made for the 3rd round and the winner of this side would be off to Glasgow to take on Scottish giants Celtic, a match the Scottish media were already printing as a foregone conclusion whoever progressed. Clemente agreed with them, when he spoke to the Swedish media in response saying that he was sure his side would have little problem dispossing of a team who were after all only runners up in their own little league.

The match in Belfast was expected to be, at first at least, a torrid occassion with Glentoran needing to score three times and they would just have to go for it. Eight minutes in Hakan Lennartsson killed the tie stone dead, and although Glentoran battled hard they eventually ran out of steam and late goals from Ulf Karlsson, Oscar Carlsson and Lennartsson again sealed a superb away win and a seven to nil aggregate and of course, a place in the UEFA Cup. But such a place was not acceptable to Clemente, who fully believed his side could, and should, be able to beat the Scottish runners up.

As Saxemara travelled to Glasgow though, the media hype still insisted this was basically a walk over for Celtic. Sure, this silly little Swedish team had beaten Inter Milan but that was last season, their goal threat had gone to Birmingham and they currently lay 4th in the Swedish league. There really was no cause for concern and by the time the match went back to Sweden it would be all over.

Although on the transfer market, July had been a busier month - the acquistions of 18 year old Oskar Carlsson for Â£1M from Hammarby, right winger Hakan Lennartsson and Greek defender Giorgios Christou - both from Oster, Cypriot defender Giorgos Pekagias from Goteborg and Brazilian right back Santos from Sao Paulo being the main signings - the side had been misfiring up front and Ulf Karlsson showed time and time again that he certainly wasn't Filip Sledzinski. The Saxemara fans had not been overly happy either with the million pound sale of allegedly promising defender Erik Augustsson - a Saxemara youth product - to Hammarby, but as Clemente said, he wasn't all that good anyway. A striker was needed, and in August, just before the Celtic ties, one came in. And ironically, he was Scottish.

Twenty one year old Gary Robertson cost a club record Â£1.3M from Huddersfield. The Scottish U-21 international was being touted as a great prospect and he was a similiar player to the dear departed Sledzinski. But unless he settled in fast, and provided the goal, he would forever be compared in a negative light to the Polish hitman. After scoring six minutes from time in his debut at Hammarby, it was off to Glasgow for Robertson and co and the chance to be heroes. The big problem for Clemente was an injury to left back Behrang Safari and with Christian Jardler also injured - and also on his way out of the club on a Bosman and so not exactly flavour of the month - there was nothing left to do but hand a debut to young 17 year old youth product, Johan Lundmark. The player was certainly talented, possibly the best of the bunch or certainly nearly enough, but even so this was a huge occassion to throw such a young player into and of course gave the Scottish runners up more cause for complacency.

Make no mistake, this would be a tough match, but having beaten Inter there was no reason for the Saxemara players to feel overawed by this match. Celtic though started brightly and totally dominated the first half proceedings, but failed to turn their chances into goals. Just as it looked as if Saxemara had weathered the storm and would go in at half time level, Quavas Kirk popped up at corner right on the 45th minute and Celtic were ahead.

The Glasgow club were fired up as the second half got underway and just eight minutes passed when they increased their lead and Saxemarian dreams were evaporating into the Scottish evening. Lennartsson and Christou were both dragged off after an hour of being ineffectual and were replaced by Ajdarevic and Jasiszczak, and slowly but surely the tide was turning. Saxemara were push Celtic further and further back into their own half and the home side were left trying desperately to protect their goal. A goal would be oh so important for Saxemara and when it came, left back Lundmark was the provider with a sublime cross from deep which Gary Robertson thundered into the net and the huge Glasgow crowd were left stunned and dismayed.

Celtic did try and lift themselves to grab what would be a hugely important 3rd goal, but they had left it way to late and Saxemara held on comfortably for what was a very good result and now they only need to win 1-0 at home to progress to the group stages of the Champions League. Yet despite that away goal, the Scottish media had not been impressed, claiming that Celtic had totally dominated the match and had simply been very unlucky. Which was utter bollox.

A crowd of just five short of the Vastra Mark 5000 capacity turned up to see if Saxemara could achieve the seemingly impossible, the biggest 'home' crowd the club had ever had. The nerves were tangible around the ground as the supporters, many of whom were unable to come along week after week because of the size of their own stadium - and because they were glory hunting bastards who had failed to support their side when they were still wallowing in the lower leagues, but we'll ignore that - poured into the stadium and the air was pregnant with expectation. They didn't have long to wait for the birth.

With barely eleven minutes gone, a throw in reached Lundmark on the edge of the area and the youngster went for glory, only for Oloffson to stick out a leg and divert the ball. Whether Lundmarks effort would have gone in was debatable, but was irrelevant anyway as Olofsson's deflection did go in and Saxemara led on the night, and on away goals. If Celtic had really expected this tie to be an easy stroll in the park, they were being taught a harsh lesson as they failed to make any impression on the first half and seven minutes from half time Gary Robertson made it 2-0 and Saxemara were slowly but surely pushing open that huge Champions League door.

The dressing room at half time mirrored the excitement of the support and it was hard for Clemente to keep everyone's feet on the ground. Celtic were not out of this yet, and they only needed a goal to change the direction of the match once more. They though started the 2nd half much as they had played the first and it was Saxemara who were once more the dominant side and it was little surprise when Giorgos Christou headed home from a corner and the Champions League door was now standing wide open for the tiny Swedish side. Three minutes later, Celtic finally woke up and Souleymane Youla, who had scored the second goal in Glasgow, fired in a shot that revitalised Celtic hopes and they now only needed one more goal to progress themselves.

As the match entered the final stages, so nerves once more were rising, but with fourteen minutes left to play, Olofsson pounced on a poorly cleared ball on the edge of the penalty area, thundered the ball home and at 4-1 on the night the match was done and dusted and it was Saxemara, not Celtic, who would take their deserved place in the Champions League group stage. To cap a night of misery for the Scots side, right back Lee Cooper was red carded right on full time and it was with tails between their legs that the Celts were sent packing back to their homeland. Well, Scotland anyway.

The draw for the Champions League was made the next day, and Saxemara will face up to the might of Juventus and Betis, along with not quite so mighty Swiss club Basel. Its a tough group, but you have to feel that perhaps, just a tiny little perhaps, 2nd place and certainly 3rd, is achievable.

You have to dream.

HD · August 30, 2006

Nice. Out of interest, are you using the same tactic as you were in the Faroes game? Presumably more tailored now?

Peacemaker7 · August 30, 2006

Yeah same one. I've tried couple of variations, using attacking and defensive, not sure of the effect but it seems to work ok.

luismiranda · August 30, 2006

What tactic is the one that you are using? Do you have it available for download?

virtex · August 30, 2006

I've just stayed up all night reading that, brilliant.

Peacemaker7 · September 1, 2006

Thanks virtex, much appreciated

Peacemaker7 · September 1, 2006

The loss to Sundsvall by that 3-0 scoreline might well have been looked on as a blip, but at 2-0 down away to Trelleborg after half an hour of the next league match, and it was becoming clear something was not quite right and the sale of half the team was probably a huge mistake. Right on half time though, Hakan Lennartsson put Saxemara back in the match, and eight minutes after the restart Ulf Karlsson levelled things. A penalty kick on the hour gave Andreas Olofsson a chance to seal a remarkable come back, and he didn't pass up the opportunity. Just a minute later though the match was level again and then just when it looked like Saxemara would come away with what was not a great result, but a points a point and lets be grateful about that, Trelleborg found a late goal in injury time, and it was a second successive defeat for Clemente's men.

Desperately needing a win to boost their flagging title defence, the referee came to the rescue at home to Orebro. After Ulf Karlsson had given his side a 14th minute lead, on 36 minutes the referee awarded Saxemara a penalty and sent off Orebro defender Robin Jonsson. Olofsson made no mistake from the spotkick, and five minutes after half time the referee gave a second spot kick which Olofsson also converted and in the end a fine win. But nobody was fooled.

New signing Gary Robertson was in the line up to face Hammarby away, and six minutes from time he scored a debut goal that looked like being the winner till Andres Vasques levelled in the dying seconds for the home side and another two points were carelessly thrown away. A 2-0 win at home to Norkopping, with Robertson scoring once more, set things up nicely for the Cup quarter final tie, against Hammarby once more. Teenager Johan Lundmark was red carded after just fifteen minutes and three minutes later Hammarby were ahead from the penalty spot as Clemente's side made a horrendous start to their first ever Swedish Cup last eight tie. It looked as if the Cup jinx was continuing until Gary Robertson popped up fourteen minutes from time. In Extra Time, 16 year old Magnus Roos grabbed his first goal for the full team on 95 minutes and four minutes later Robertson sent his side into the last four. The drama was not quite over yet, as Hammarby's Tefik Osmani, who had been sent off the last time the teams met, was red carded againt on 109 minutes and that was the end of any lingering chance his side had of saving the match.

A Gary Robertson hattrick at home to IFK saw Saxemara battle to a 3-2 win, and Robertson, who may not quite have the same finishing ability as Sledzinski, was starting to win over the fans who were reluctant to forget their former hero. A 2-2 draw at Djurgarden though merely underlined the inconsistancy of the season and the title was looking like a forelorn hope. The Cup Semi Final against Norrkoping was marred by a 43rd minute injury to Ulf Karlsson, a leg break that would keep him out for around seven months. In a dull goalless draw, it was Saxemara who triumphed in the penalty shoot out to reach their first ever Swedish Cup Final, which would be against AIK.

Wins over Halmstad and Elfsborg retained an interest in the title race, and a vital home match with Helsingborg saw a great opportunity spurned as the match was to end goalless. Kalmar and Orgryte were both seen off, and then in the penultimate match of the season, still trailing Helsingborg although now by just a single point, it was off to face Cup Final foes AIK. At Half time the scores were still nil all, but the news from Orgryte where Helsingborg were playing, was good. The home side had gone in two up at the break and the title was slowly but surely sliding Saxemara's way. A 74th minute Gary Robertson goal seemed to have given Saxemara the edge, but in Orgyrte the visitors had battled back to a 4-3 win and in injury time Abbe Ibrahim scored the goal that broke Saxemarian hearts, and effectively handed the title to Helsingborg.

Going into the last games of the season - Helsinborg at home to, ironically enough, AIK and Saxemara also at home, to Sundsval - there was still the chance that title could be retained. Three points behind they may be, but Saxemara did have a superior goal difference and any favours from AIK would be much appreciated. Fired up, Saxemara started the match at a blistering pace as goals from Robertson, Fridjonsson, Christou and Olofsson saw them go 4-0 up after just 23 minutes. The news though from Helsingborg was not good, and come half time they were two up on AIK and the title was going there. The second half was a bit of anti climax as the crowd realised there would be no celebrations today, but Thomas Engstrom did add a 5th on 71 minutes. In the end though it was indeed to no avail, and Helsingborg sealed their second title in three years with a third goal on the 90th minute and that was that.

The title had been snatched away, but there was still the little matter of the Swedish Cup against AIK, who were aiming for a 9th victory in this tournament. At the end of the day, there was very little to write home about this match but an Andreas Olofsson 30 yard scorcher right on half time was worthy of winning any match and it certainly won this one. So history was made, and although it could only partially make up for losing the title, the Saxemara fans would at least have something to celebrate from a long hard season.

And they still had the Champions League.....

Wimb The Barman · September 2, 2006

Continues to read well Peace' are you staying for European success? or is a move on the cards?

ntfc · September 2, 2006

Wimb all will be revealed

I no what happens but im still excited,how Sledzinski doing with the brummies?

Peacemaker7 · September 2, 2006

Sledzinski has actually done well with Birmingham, but I got fed up with a pish team there and the fact it was slowing me down so I quit them. He's got 18 goals in 20 Championship games which is pretty decent. Is just a damn shame you can't export newgens to use in other games, I'd love to see this guy in Italy or Spain. I suppose I could edit him into the starting db, but it's not really him is it.

Wimb, I think I'll be staying the Saxemara for at least another season then see how it goes from there. I'm not desperate to end this yet

Peacemaker7 · September 2, 2006

Clemente was rather nervous as he turned up for the meeting with club President Olaf Larsen. Having lived now for eight years or so on just Â£100 a week, Clemente felt that his success at the club should be rewarded adequately and as his contract was coming to an end he was going to march in there and demand more money. He thought long and hard about it, and decided that although it would be wrench, if Larsen did not give him his demands he would walk out.

'Â£150 a week' Clemente thought to himself. 'No, bugger it, I'm demanding Â£200!'

After all, Brazil were not only paying his travelling expenses, they were also paying him Â£200 per match plus Â£1000 a year*. And if they could pay that much, then surely his own boss could at least match that.

Clemente did not want to leave Saxemara, but he was sure that now there would be many clubs who would want his services. After all, he was the manager of Brazil!

'Come in Clemente' Larsen smiled in that friendly way that he thought made you think he was your friend when in fact you knew that he was merely trying to get something from you. He was a conman, nothing more nothing less and not really a very good one at that. 'Now about this contract'

'Well it's like this.....' Clemente was determined to get his opinion in early.

'Shush now' The President said with an edge of patronization, 'We're all really happy with what you have achieved here.'

'And so you bloody well should be' Clemente murmered.

'Pardon? Anyway, never mind that, we're all really happy and I'm going to give you a new four year contract! Just sign there as always'

Clemente looked at his boss. 'You don't understand. You see I, I erm, well . damn'

Clemente signed another four years away and it was only when his next pay check came in that he realised how much money he was now on. Â£3,200 a WEEK. It was time to Partyyyy!

And so, new contract, title gone, Cup in trophy room, it was time to get on with the little matter of the Champions League and the opening match at home to Swiss club, Basel. Now sure this was expected to be a tough match, but the fact was this would be the Swedish sides best chance of picking up a Champions League win. Not that Basel were a poor team, but with prospects of Juventus and Betis, if the couldn't win here they were never going to in this group really, were they.

Any fears of nerves on the biggest occasion ever for the club were soon swept away as Gary Robertson fired in a 14 yard volley from a Fridjonsson cross and had the honour of Saxemara's first ever goal in the Champions League proper. Fourteen minutes later Robertson had a second and suddenly all the nerves and fears had gone. This wasn't bad after all. When Robertson completed a fantastic hattrick four minutes after the break that was that, but a couple of minutes later Asgeri Fridjonsson just had to get in on the act, and in the end a very easy win against a very poor looking Basel side.

As eratic league form continued that would eventually see the title stolen away, a trip to the Stadio Delle Alpi in Turin was a daunting prospect. With an opening game 2-1 win in Spain against Betis under their belts, the Italian giants were full of confidence and if Saxemara could come away from here with anything less than a hammering they would be doing well. Two minutes in, the only half full Delle Alpi was shocked as Gary Robertson sent Saxemara into a sensational lead and just four minutes later it was rocked to the core as Robertson made it 2-0 and the canter in the park was certainly not happening the way it should have been. Juventus were, as you would expect, stunned by such audacity from a club whose support would be lucky to fill one row of the main stand and they set about correcting matters. On 29 minutes Ibrahimovic pulled them back into the match but if their support expected the steamrollering to comence, they were sadly dissapointed and at half time Saxemara led the mighty Juve by two goals to one in their own back yard.

It simply was not good enough for the Italian giants but it was not going to get any better and indeed was about to get a whole lot worse. Gary Robertson, settling into the whole European atmosphere, completed another hattrick on 75 minutes and Juve were in tatters. Five minutes later Andreas Olofsson drove home a superb 25 yard drive that sizzled past the outreached arms of Juve keeper Marcelo Grohe - whose watching Brazil manager must have been far from impressed - and the match was over. Juve just wanted to get off the park now and showed very little fighting spirit at all. They had one more blow to suffer though, as Robertson rounded off a perfect night in injury time and not since Dundee United beat the mighty Barcelona by the same scoreline had Europe witnessed such an incredible giant killing act.

All this, remember, was going on whilst the club struggled to find continuity in their domestic league. The trip to Spain came at time when the title was hanging by a thread and Betis, having being suckered punched by Juve and then totally thrashed Basel 4-0 would be looking for the win that would put them in the driving seat. It was a win they were not going to get as the upstarts from Sweden continued to thwart the glamour clubs of Europe and 56th minute goal from Robertson was enough to give Saxemara a win they probably didn't deserve on balance of play but its goals that count in the end. The return match with Betis ended in a goalless draw and now Saxemara were just one point away from reaching the last sixteen of the UEFA Champions League. Which was silly.

Basel were simply playing for pride and after a goalless home draw with Juve, were determined to at least record a win here, even though they still looked destined to finish last in the group. So far they hadn't even scored a goal and on another night of Swiss cheese defending, that was never going to change. By now the League race was over for Saxemara, the title surrendered and a youthful side had played the opening two matches of the increasingly annoying Royal League, winning 1-0 against Helsingborg in the first match at Brunnsvallen since the opening of the brand new 1000 seater stand. 1697 people turned up to give the stadium its biggest ever crowd and the kids did not dissapoint them. A 2-1 loss in Denmark to OB was acceptable and one or two players had made a play for the future, one or two had shown they needed to know where the door is. And amidst all this, Saxemara arrived in Switzerland, knowing that they only needed a draw.

If Basel were the best side Switerland had, then it didn't say much for the others. The first half was tight enough until Robertson sent Saxemara ahead on 24 minutes but after half time the Swizz simply collapsed as goals from Ajdarevic, an Olofsson penalty and a first goal of the season for Behrang Safari, moved from his normal left back role to the left wing due to injuries and in the end another four nil win and Basel were left as the lauhging stock of Europe. They would get a goal in Spain against Betis, but losing four meant they finished rock bottom and will not want this year to brought up ever again.

Juve travelled to the Brunsvallen assured of a place in the last sixteen. Although Betis could catch them on points and had a better goal difference, Juve would go through on the head to head and that was what mattered. It was therefore a unique occassion and the chance for both sets of players to relax and simply show off a bit. Juve of course wanted revenge for annihilation in Turin and looked like they might get it when Gilardino sent them into the lead two minutes from half time. One minute after the restart Hakan Lennartsson, who had just come on to replace the struggling Adjarevic, levelled the match and both sides were happy to play out time and accept the draw.

A mixture of youth and experience closed out the year with a Royal League match in Norway and it was good to see Magnus Roos and Magnus Danielsson both get on the scoresheet along side Oskar Carlsson. Neither of the two teenagers are ready yet for a regular first team start, but they have laid down the gauntlet for the future.

And so ends another year of high drama, the title may have gone for this year, but a first ever domestic cup win and sensational European results ensure that Saxemara fans - and others - will be talking about this season for many years to come.

(*I made that up, there are no wages from Brazil and I feel I have to add this because some people might think there are and start whining. Or Something.)

PlayUpPompey · September 2, 2006

Hehe. Good read, funny stuff about the wages. Odd you went for so long only on Â£100 a week!

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