Full name | Gefle Idrottsförening |
---|---|
Founded | 5 December 1882 | as Gefle SK
Ground | Gavlevallen, Gävle |
Capacity | 6,500 |
Chairman | Thomas "Badis" Andersson |
Head coach | Thomas Andersson |
League | Superettan |
2016 | Allsvenskan, 15th (Relegated) |
Website | Club home page |
Gefle Idrottsförening, also known simply as Gefle IF, Gefle ([ˈjæːvlɛ]), or locally Gif ([ɡɪf]), are a Swedish professional football club based in Gävle. The club is affiliated with Gestriklands Fotbollförbund and play their home games at Gavlevallen since the 2015 season. The club colours are blue and white. Formed on 5 December 1882 as Gefle SK, the club have played fifteen seasons in Sweden's highest football league Allsvenskan, with the first season being 1933–34. The club are currently playing in Allsvenskan, where the season lasts from April to November.
Gefle IF was originally formed as Gefle SK in December 1882 but changed the name to its current form only months after. The name "Gefle" is one of the old variations of spelling for the town Gävle which was used from the 1500s to the early 1900s. The multisports club mainly focused on winter sports during its early years, with rowing being their only summertime activity. In 1896 the club started having regular football training sessions under the guidance of an English accountant by the name of Robert Carrick. Born in England, he had grown up in Gävle but returned to his homeland for a few years as a student. There he had picked up the new sport which he brought back with him to Sweden and introduced at Gefle IF.
The club found early success at the turn of the century by winning one of the biggest swedish cups at the time, Rosenska Pokalen, three times. Due to high travel costs Gefle declined to participate in the other major swedish football tournament, Svenska Mästerskapet, during those years. Therefore, the clubs golden generation never got the chance to play against the nations other dominant team at the time, Örgryte IS from Gothenburg.