Football Season Guide

Fredericia are about to play their first-ever top flight season. After 22 consecutive years in Division 1 last term saw the side took a huge leap. They finished only a point behind division champions Odense and full 13 points above the nearest team behind, so the promotion was never in doubt. Had the best defence in the division last season, just 30 goals conceded in 32 games. Also, loanee striker Asbjørn Bøndergaard netted 17 goals in just 25 league appearances. He has returned to his parent club now and this is a huge blow for Fredericia. Yet to add any new faces in attack, so it seems Patrick Egelund will have to carry the main burden up front. Coach Michael Hansen has been in charge of the team for the past 5 years. He often played with two up front in recent seasons, but now in the top division it seems more likely for Fredericia to switch to a formation with a lone striker. The other notable departure of the summer was that of the main goalie Valdemar Birksø. He kept the most clean sheets in Division 1 last season and will be missed. Loaned in promising Ovie Ejeheri instead but he lacks Superliga experience. Centre-backs Jeppe Kudsk and Frederik Rieper were crucial last season too. They are staying put and this should make Fredericia a team hard to break. Andreas Pyndt returns to Denmark after a miserable year in Sweden. He lacks match practice but the expectations are for him to become the main anchor-man of the team. The main concern is the lack of top flight experience and the youth of the squad. No player in the squad is older than 28. Only a handful of the current roster have played more than a season at Superliga level too.