Holstebro Boldklub

Holstebro Boldklub (Danish pronunciation: [hʌlˌstəˈpʁoˀ ˈpʌlˀtkʰlup]; also known as HB) is a football club based in the town of Holstebro, West Jutland, Denmark, that competes in the Danish 2nd Division, the third tier of the Danish football league system. Founded in 1921, it is affiliated to the DBU Jutland, the regional body of football in Jutland. The team plays its home matches at Holstebro Idratspark, where it has been based since 1989.

History

Holstebro Boldklub was formed on 21 March 1921. Before this cricket was the main sport in the town of Holstebro, while association football was introduced in the region around the turn of the century. The first football match in the town was on the market square between the antecedent to Holstebro Boldklub called Holstebro Idratsforening, and the main club from the neighbour town Lemvig. In the 1910s, the teams from Holstebro and Lemvig were among the best in Jutland and public interest grew quickly. In 1919, this resulted in a record 5,000 spectators in a match against Skive. However, it had become clear that modern facilities were needed in order to organise the sport further.

On 21 March 1921, Johannes Nielsen called to a meeting at the town's temperance hotel, which was located on Norregade, which would result in the formation of Holstebro Boldklub. Nielsen became the club's first chairman. Besides him, the board also consisted of grocer Bjerrehus, gardener Rasmussen, cigar makers Ottow and Laursen, baker Jensen and slaughterhouse worker Ejner Skod. Two years later, cigar maker Otto Ottow became chairman, bookkeeper Krunderup became treasurer and director Alfred "Asse" Norgaard became secretary. Even though Holstebro Boldklub in its first few seasons won the JBU B-rakke, the A-rakke, Mellemrakken and, in 1926, reached promotion to Mesterrakken, today known as the Jutland Series, which is the highest regional level and the fifth level of the Danish football league system, it was not all fun and games. Even back