Vejle Boldklub
Encyclopedia
Vejle Boldklub is a Danish football club with proud traditions from the town of Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...

. The club has won the Danish championship
Danish football champions
The Danish football champions are the winners of the highest league of football in Denmark. The title has been contested since 1913, in a varying form of competitions. Since 1991, the winners have been found through the Danish Superliga championship...

 five times and the Danish cup
Danish Cup
The Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...

 title six times.

The homeground, Vejle Stadion
Vejle Stadion
Vejle Stadion is a fully closed, modern football stadium in Vejle, Denmark and is home ground of Vejle Boldklub. The stadium has two towers for the industry and two VIP lounges. The stadium holds 10,418 seats and the field is equipped with irrigation and heat system.-External links:** *...

, has been placed in beautiful surroundings in Nørreskoven (the northern forest) since 1922. The club has been playing in red shirts and white pants since 1911.

The main rival of Vejle Boldklub has always been AGF from Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...

.

In the 2009/10 season Vejle Boldklub is playing in the Danish 1. division, while the reserves are playing in Danish series, group 2.

Staff

  • Head Coach: Nicolai Wael
  • Talent Coach: Lasse Christensen
  • Chief Scout: Lars Bach
  • Goalkeeper Coach: Henrik Ipsen
    Henrik Ipsen
    Henrik Ipsen is a Danish professional football goalkeeper, who currently plays for the Danish Superliga club SønderjyskE.-External links:...


Current squad

Up to date as of March 1, 2011.

History

When 23 men from Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...

 the third of May 1891 founded Vejle Boldklub, they would never have imagined that the club would go on to be one of the greatest football clubs in Danish history. This has a natural cause, since Vejle Boldklub was founded as a cricket club. Football first became a part of the clubs activities in 1902.

The first golden age

The period from 1910 to 1920 is often referred to as Vejle Boldklub’s first golden age. In this period the club took part in the Jutland championship final seven times and won it four times in 1912, 1913, 1914 and 1915.

This way Vejle Boldklub established itself as the best club in the western part of Denmark.

The 1950s: A golden decade

About 15.000 people were seated at Vejle Stadion
Vejle Stadion
Vejle Stadion is a fully closed, modern football stadium in Vejle, Denmark and is home ground of Vejle Boldklub. The stadium has two towers for the industry and two VIP lounges. The stadium holds 10,418 seats and the field is equipped with irrigation and heat system.-External links:** *...

 on May 22, 1952 when Vejle Boldklub secured promotion to the second best Danish league in a nerve wrecking match against Odense KFUM. One of the central players in the Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...

 team was Bent Sørensen
Bent Sørensen
Bent Sørensen is a Danish composer.Sørensen studied composition with Ib Nørholm at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and with Per Nørgård at the Jutland Music Academy....

, who later went on to become the club's first national team player.

On May 10, 1956 an even bigger triumph was secured when VB in front of 25.000 people in Parken, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...

 they met B93 in a qualification game for a place in the best Danish league. Once again Bent Sørensen
Bent Sørensen
Bent Sørensen is a Danish composer.Sørensen studied composition with Ib Nørholm at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and with Per Nørgård at the Jutland Music Academy....

 scored the winner. After this VB played in the best Danish league for 36 years, which is the record.

In 1958 the club celebrated its biggest triumph so far. For the first time Vejle Boldklub won the Danish championship
Danish 1st Division 1958
-League standings:-References:*...

 - and as if that was not enough the club also went on to win the Danish cup
Danish Cup
The Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...

. This made VB the first club in Denmark to win the Double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...

. Among the profiles in the squad was Tommy Troelsen
Tommy Troelsen
Tommy Troelsen is a Danish former football player and manager, and television presenter. He played his entire club career with Vejle Boldklub, winning one Danish championship and two Danish Cup trophies. Tommy Troelsen played 16 matches and scored five goals for the Danish national team, and won a...

 and Henning Enoksen
Henning Enoksen
Henning Enoksen is a Danish former football player, who most prominently won a silver medal with the Denmark national football team at the 1960 Summer Olympics. He played a total of 54 national team games and scored 29 goals from 1958 to 1966, and also played for the Denmark national under-21...

. Tommy Troelsen
Tommy Troelsen
Tommy Troelsen is a Danish former football player and manager, and television presenter. He played his entire club career with Vejle Boldklub, winning one Danish championship and two Danish Cup trophies. Tommy Troelsen played 16 matches and scored five goals for the Danish national team, and won a...

 was only 17 years old when he played in the final.

Normally 15.000-20.000 people attended the matches in Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...

 those days and they got full value for their money. K.B.
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub or KB is a Danish sports club based in Copenhagen. The club was founded April 26, 1876 on the grassy fields in outer Copenhagen which later became Fælledparken. Football and cricket has been played in KB since 1879, making KB the oldest football club on Continental Europe and...

 were beaten 8-3 and Odense Boldklub were sent home with a 7-2 defeat. The manager was Frits Gotfredsen and he was the man who started developing the attacking style of play that made VB the most popular club in Denmark in this period.

The 1959 season also offered great moments for the history books. The biggest triumph was without a doubt the cup win against AGF. 33.000 people came to the national arena to watch the match between the two great clubs from Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...

. VB won the game 1-0, but until this day it has never been decided who scored the winner. Both the ball, Henning Enoksen
Henning Enoksen
Henning Enoksen is a Danish former football player, who most prominently won a silver medal with the Denmark national football team at the 1960 Summer Olympics. He played a total of 54 national team games and scored 29 goals from 1958 to 1966, and also played for the Denmark national under-21...

 and a couple of AGF players were in the net. However, it was a goal and VB could celebrate the clubs second cup win in two years.

At the Olympic Games in Rome in 1960 four VB players were selected in the Danish side which sensationally won silver medals. The four VB players were: Henning Enoksen
Henning Enoksen
Henning Enoksen is a Danish former football player, who most prominently won a silver medal with the Denmark national football team at the 1960 Summer Olympics. He played a total of 54 national team games and scored 29 goals from 1958 to 1966, and also played for the Denmark national under-21...

, Tommy Troelsen
Tommy Troelsen
Tommy Troelsen is a Danish former football player and manager, and television presenter. He played his entire club career with Vejle Boldklub, winning one Danish championship and two Danish Cup trophies. Tommy Troelsen played 16 matches and scored five goals for the Danish national team, and won a...

, Poul Mejer
Poul Mejer
Poul Mejer is a former football player and Danish international.-Profile:Poul Mejer played his entire career for Vejle Boldklub, where he got 307 caps for the clubs first team....

 and Poul Jensen (captain).

The 1970s: A triumph march

In 1971
Danish 1st Division 1971
-League standings:-References:*...

 Vejle Boldklub celebrated its 80 years jubilee and the players gave the club the best birthday present possible: The Danish championship trophy and the clubs first ticket to the European Champions Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...

. The trophy was won through great attacking football, and there was never any doubt that VB would win it.

The Danish football audience were impressed with the new top side in Danish football and thousands of people came to Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...

 to enjoy the charming football of Vejle Boldklub. Among the many profiles in the team were Allan Simonsen
Allan Simonsen
Allan Rodenkam Simonsen is a former Danish footballer and manager. He most prominently played for German team Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning the 1975 and 1979 UEFA Cups, as well as for Barcelona from Spain, winning the 1982 Cup WInners' Cup...

 and Flemming Serritslev
Flemming Serritslev
Flemming Seritslev is a former Danish footballer, coach and manager. He is currently technical manager of Mes Kerman.-Biography:Serritslev played most of his career for Vejle Boldklub in a very successful period...

. The manager was once again Frits Gotfredsen. He ended his amazing carrier in Vejle Boldklub after this big triumph.

In the 1972 season VB went on to prove that the team was now on top of Danish football. The Danish championship in 1971 was followed up by another cup triumph and once again the Danish championship
Danish 1st Division 1972
-League standings:-References:*...

 ended up in Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...

 – The Double.

The title was won even more convincingly than the year before after ten straight victories in the spring half of the season. It was simply VB and the others. After the 1972 season VB's biggest profile, Allan Simonsen
Allan Simonsen
Allan Rodenkam Simonsen is a former Danish footballer and manager. He most prominently played for German team Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning the 1975 and 1979 UEFA Cups, as well as for Barcelona from Spain, winning the 1982 Cup WInners' Cup...

, joined the German giants Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...

, where he was named European Footballer of the Year
European Footballer of the Year
The "", literally translated as "the golden ball" and often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year award, was an annual association football award. It was presented to the player who had been considered to have performed the best over the previous calendar year...

 in 1977 as the only Danish player in history.

In the 1975 season VB did not live up to the huge expectations in the league. However, the club delivered some great attacking football in the cup tournament
Danish Cup
The Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...

 and went on to win the final for the fourth time with a 1-0 victory over Holbæk
Holbæk
Holbæk is a town in Denmark and the seat of Holbæk municipality with a population of 27,055 . The city is located in the northeastern part of Region Sjælland, Denmark....

. Club record holder, Gert Eg
Gert Eg
Gert Eg is a former Danish footballer. He played his entire career for Vejle Boldklub and holds the club record for most played matches.- Biography :...

, scored with a great first timer, which qualified VB for the European Cup Winners Cup.

The 19 May 1977 Vejle Boldklub won its third cup final in only six years. The fifth cup triumph was won with a 2-1 victory against B1909. The goal scorers for Vejle was Ib Jacquet
Ib Jacquet
Ib Sigfred Jacquet is a former Danish football player.-Profile:Ib Jacquet played in the forward position and was known as an unpredictable and entertaining player....

 and Knud Nørregård. VB could now name itself the best cup team in Denmark – a status that was taken away from AGF.

Vejle reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup-Winners' Cup in the 1977-78 campaign.

In the following season, 1978, Vejle Boldklub underlined its top position in Danish football by winning the Danish title
Danish football champions
The Danish football champions are the winners of the highest league of football in Denmark. The title has been contested since 1913, in a varying form of competitions. Since 1991, the winners have been found through the Danish Superliga championship...

 for the fourth time in the clubs history. Manager, Poul Erik Bech
Poul Erik Bech
Poul Erik Bech is a former Danish football manager. He won the 1984 Danish Championship with Vejle Boldklub and was awarded Manager of the Year the same year.-External links:*...

, and his players could celebrate the victory in Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...

 before the last game as AGF and Esbjerg fB
Esbjerg fB
Esbjerg forenede Boldklubber also referred to as Esbjerg fB or simply EfB is a professional Danish football club from the port city of Esbjerg in West Jutland. The club was formed in 1924, as a merger between Esbjerg Boldklub af 1898 and Esbjerg Amatørklub af 1911. The club has training facilities...

 could no longer catch the reds. Among the profiles in the team were Alex Nielsen
Alex Nielsen
- Biography :Alex Nielsen in primarely known for his many years as goalkeeper in Vejle Boldklub. He came to VB in 1977 from Fremad Amager and became the first professional player in Vejle Boldklub....

, Tommy Hansen and Ulrik le Fevre
Ulrik le Fevre
Ulrik le Fevre is a Danish former professional football player and manager, and current FIFA-licensed player agent. He was an elegant and technichal left winger, who had a fierce shot. He played for Danish club Vejle Boldklub, German club Borussia Mönchengladbach and FC Brugge in Belgium, and won...

, who later became the first player to score Tor des Jahres in the German Bundesliga.

The 1980s: The trophies are brought to Vejle

In 1978
Danish 1st Division 1978
-League standings:-References:*...

 Vejle Boldklub became the first team to win the Danish title after the involvement of money in Danish football. But as it turned out VB would find it difficult to adapt to the new times.

However, in the beginning of the decade VB continued in the footsteps of the successful 1970s. On 28 May 1981 Boldklubben Frem
Boldklubben Frem
Boldklubben Frem is a Danish sports club based in the Valby-Sydhavnen area of Copenhagen. It is best known for its semi-professional football team. Since its foundation in 1886, Frem has won the Danish Championships six times and the Danish Cup twice...

 was beaten 2-1 in the cup final. This meant that the beautiful trophy - which the Danish clubs had been fighting for since 1955 - was brought to Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...

 permanently and placed in the club house in Nørreskoven.

In 1983 Allan Simonsen
Allan Simonsen
Allan Rodenkam Simonsen is a former Danish footballer and manager. He most prominently played for German team Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning the 1975 and 1979 UEFA Cups, as well as for Barcelona from Spain, winning the 1982 Cup WInners' Cup...

 – same year named the third best player in Europe – returned to Vejle Boldklub. Simonsen had a big impact on the team and was a major profile as the club went on to win its fifth Danish title in 1984
Danish 1st Division 1984
The 1984 Danish 1st Division season was the 39th season of the Danish 1st Division league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association...

. With this victory the greatest trophy in Danish football found a permanent spot in the club house in Vejle next to the cup winners trophy. Among the biggest profiles in the squad was John Sivebæk
John Sivebæk
John Sivebæk is a Danish former football defender, who most notably won the 1984 Danish championship with Vejle Boldklub and played for English club Manchester United...

, Allan Simonsen
Allan Simonsen
Allan Rodenkam Simonsen is a former Danish footballer and manager. He most prominently played for German team Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning the 1975 and 1979 UEFA Cups, as well as for Barcelona from Spain, winning the 1982 Cup WInners' Cup...

 and Steen Thychosen
Steen Thychosen
Steen Thychosen is a Danish former football player, who played 252 games and scored 101 goals for Vejle Boldklub. He was a forward, who also represented German club Borussia Mönchengladbach, Belgian club R.W.D. Molenbeek and Lausanne Sports in Switzerland. He played two games for the Denmark...

, who became the league top scorer with 24 goals.

After some indifferent seasons VB was in 1988 taken over by four local business men. Once again the club started dreaming about titles and the fans were excited by the signings of star players such as Preben Elkjær Larsen
Preben Elkjær Larsen
Preben Elkjær Larsen , known as Elkjær, is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a striker.Amongst others, he played with Hellas Verona in Italy, helping it to the only major title of its history, the 1985 Serie A...

, John Larsen
John Larsen (footballer)
John Høholt Larsen , known as John Larsen, is a Danish former football player in the defender position. He played for Helsingør IF, Lyngby BK and Vejle BK, winning the 1983 and 1992 Danish championships with Lyngby. He played 19 games for the Denmark national football team, scoring one goal...

 and Keld Bordinggaard
Keld Bordinggaard
Keld Tande Bordinggard is a Danish former football player and current football manager. He was most recently the head coach of the Danish national under-21 team from July 2006 until the U21 European Championship in June 2011...

. However, the new manager, Ebbe Skovdahl
Ebbe Skovdahl
Ebbe Skovdahl Hansen is a retired Danish football manager. He most prominently was a successful manager at Brøndby IF, for whom he had also played in his active years...

, could not get the team to work together even though he had several star players in his side.

1991: A black year in VB’s history

Vejle Boldklub’s centenary was celebrated in the worst possible manner with relegation to the second tier for the first time since 1956. Many star players went to play for other clubs and a sad atmosphere of crisis descended upon Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...

. The four businessmen left the club, but ensured on their way out that it was not in dire straits. To turn things around VB hired their old star player Allan Simonsen
Allan Simonsen
Allan Rodenkam Simonsen is a former Danish footballer and manager. He most prominently played for German team Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning the 1975 and 1979 UEFA Cups, as well as for Barcelona from Spain, winning the 1982 Cup WInners' Cup...

 as new manager. However, it was a thankless task for Simonsen, who started his managing carrier with a defeat.

In 1994 the successful manager from 1981, Ole Fritsen
Ole Fritsen
-Playing career:Ole Fritsen began his footballing career in Vejle Boldklub in 1963. Fritsen was the first Vejle Boldklub player to move abroad and become a professional....

, was named as the new manager of Vejle Boldklub. As a former youth coach in the club, Ole knew all about the many talented young players in VB, amongst which were the Danes Thomas Gravesen
Thomas Gravesen
Thomas Gravesen is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He has played for teams such as Hamburger SV, Everton F.C., Real Madrid CF and Celtic F.C.....

, Kaspar Dalgas
Kaspar Dalgas
Kaspar Buhl Dalgas is a former Danish footballer who was the joint top scorer of the Danish Superliga 2001-02 season with 22 goals in 31 games. He represented the Danish U21 team once, in 1997.-Biography:...

 and Peter Graulund
Peter Graulund
Peter Graulund is a Danish professional footballer who currently plays for AGF Aarhus. He is a striker, and has previously played for Danish clubs Vejle Boldklub and Brøndby IF. He has played six games and scored two goals for the Denmark national under-21 football team...

. Ole started to build up a new team around these young players.

Vejle Boldklub was back in the top Danish league in 1995. Ole Fritsen’s young team played impressive, charming and attacking football, which earned them runners-up medals in 1997 and qualification for the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

 on two occasions. For his fine work, Ole Fritsen
Ole Fritsen
-Playing career:Ole Fritsen began his footballing career in Vejle Boldklub in 1963. Fritsen was the first Vejle Boldklub player to move abroad and become a professional....

 was named Danish Manager of the Year in 1997.

2000: Crises and rebuilding

In the beginning of the new millennium VB was relegated from the best Danish league for the second time in the clubs history. However, the club was back after only one season in the second best league, but it turned out to be a shot visit as the club was relegated the same season. This turned out to be the beginning of a serious crises. In 2004 VB was almost relegated to the third league and the club was threatened by bankruptcy. This resulted in some desperate attempts to "save" the club through amalgamations with clubs in north, south, east and west.

But late in 2004 another turning point occurred as a group of visionary businessmen reconstructed the clubs economy and launched the so called four point plan: A new stadium, promotion to the best league, income through other business than football and a new sponsor strategy. In 2006 VB was back in the best league. However, the club got a miserable start to the season with nine defeats in a row and had to leave the good company once again. But a successful second half of the season pointed in the right direction and the optimism was back in the club.

Today VB brings together the most successful businesses in the south-east of Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...

, which potentially makes the club one of the richest in Danish football. And where the club earlier had to look in vain for local support it is today seen as an attractive investment.

In the spring of 2008 Vejle Boldklub opened the gates to a new modern stadium. The name is still Vejle Stadion
Vejle Stadion
Vejle Stadion is a fully closed, modern football stadium in Vejle, Denmark and is home ground of Vejle Boldklub. The stadium has two towers for the industry and two VIP lounges. The stadium holds 10,418 seats and the field is equipped with irrigation and heat system.-External links:** *...

 and the stadium is still placed in Nørreskoven.

The fifth of June 2008 VB made a new record as the most sovereign winner of the Danish 1. division ever. The promotion to the Superliga was secured with impressive 78 points for 30 matches.

By the 32nd round of the 2008-2009 season it was clear VB would be relegated and would play in the Danish 1st Division
Danish 1st Division
The 1st Division has been the name of the second highest football league in Denmark since 1991. From 1945 to 1991 the 1st Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark...

 during the 2009-2010 campaign.

2010: The end of Vejle Boldklub

On December the 8th 2010, Vejle Boldklub announced that the club known as Vejle Blodklub would fusion with Kolding FC and from July 2011 would be known as Vejle Boldklub Kolding. This marks an end for Vejle Boldklub as we know it and the beginning of yet another Danish fusion club.

Honours

Danish championship
Danish football champions
The Danish football champions are the winners of the highest league of football in Denmark. The title has been contested since 1913, in a varying form of competitions. Since 1991, the winners have been found through the Danish Superliga championship...

  • Winners: 1958, 1971, 1972, 1978, 1984
  • Runners-up: 1965, 1974, 1997


Danish Cup
Danish Cup
The Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...

  • 1958, 1959, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1981

Europe

1973 was the year when Vejle Boldklub debuted in the European Champion Clubs' Cup
European Champion Clubs' Cup
The European Champion Clubs' Cup, also known as Coupe des Clubs Champions Européens, or simply the European Cup, is a trophy awarded annually by UEFA to the football club that wins the UEFA Champions League...

. Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...

 was put up against one of the biggest clubs in Europe at the time; Anderlecht
Anderlecht
Anderlecht is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region.There are several historically and architecturally distinct districts within the Anderlecht municipality.-Pronunciation:* Dutch: * French:...

 from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

. Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...

 gave the Belgians a good match, but the reds could not keep Anderlecht
Anderlecht
Anderlecht is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region.There are several historically and architecturally distinct districts within the Anderlecht municipality.-Pronunciation:* Dutch: * French:...

 from progressing in the tournament.

The highligt of Vejle Boldklub's European history came in 1978, when the club went all the way to the quarter finals in the UEFA Cup Winners Cup, where VB lost out to Dutch side FC Twente
FC Twente
FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...

.

In the 1985-86 season, Vejle lost to eventual Champions' Cup winners FC Steaua Bucureşti, after a first-leg tie: 1-1, 1-4.

The last time Vejle Boldklub played in Europe was in 1998-99, when the reds were drawn with Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....

 in the first round of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

. Betis came to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

 with a great team including the starplayer Denílson
Denílson de Oliveira Araújo
Denílson de Oliveira Araújo , commonly known as Denílson, is a Brazilian former footballer, who played mostly as a left winger...

. But against all odds VB won the first match against the Spanish stars as Peter Graulund
Peter Graulund
Peter Graulund is a Danish professional footballer who currently plays for AGF Aarhus. He is a striker, and has previously played for Danish clubs Vejle Boldklub and Brøndby IF. He has played six games and scored two goals for the Denmark national under-21 football team...

 scored the winner in the dying minuts of the game. However, in Sevilla VB could not follow up on the good result and lost 5-0.
Champions
European Champion Clubs' Cup
The European Champion Clubs' Cup, also known as Coupe des Clubs Champions Européens, or simply the European Cup, is a trophy awarded annually by UEFA to the football club that wins the UEFA Champions League...

Cup Winners UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

Intertoto Cup
UEFA Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...

1972-73, 1973-74, 1979-80, 1985-86 1975-76, 1977-78, 1981-82 1990-91, 1997-98, 1998-99 1967, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1978,
1979, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990

Notable players

1950s Poul Mejer
Poul Mejer
Poul Mejer is a former football player and Danish international.-Profile:Poul Mejer played his entire career for Vejle Boldklub, where he got 307 caps for the clubs first team....

 (1950) Poul Jensen (1953) Knud Herbert Sørensen (I)
Knud Herbert Sørensen (I)
Knud Herbert Sørensen is a former footballer and Danish international.- Biography :Knud Herbert Sørensen played his entire career as defender in Vejle Boldklub....

 (1954) Tommy Troelsen
Tommy Troelsen
Tommy Troelsen is a Danish former football player and manager, and television presenter. He played his entire club career with Vejle Boldklub, winning one Danish championship and two Danish Cup trophies. Tommy Troelsen played 16 matches and scored five goals for the Danish national team, and won a...

 (1957) Henning Enoksen
Henning Enoksen
Henning Enoksen is a Danish former football player, who most prominently won a silver medal with the Denmark national football team at the 1960 Summer Olympics. He played a total of 54 national team games and scored 29 goals from 1958 to 1966, and also played for the Denmark national under-21...

 (1957) Bent Sørensen
Bent Sørensen (footballer)
Bent Nørgaard Sørensen was a Danish footballer-Profile:Sørensen played most of his career for Vejle Boldklub, where he scored 157 goals in 200 matches.In September 1958 Sørensen became VB's first Danish international...

 (1957)
1960s Johnny Hansen (1962) Karsten Lund
Karsten Lund
Karsten Lund is a Danish former football player, who played 310 games and scored 140 goals for Vejle Boldklub. He played four games and scored two goals for the Denmark national football team.-External links:*...

 (1962) Ole Fritsen
Ole Fritsen
-Playing career:Ole Fritsen began his footballing career in Vejle Boldklub in 1963. Fritsen was the first Vejle Boldklub player to move abroad and become a professional....

 (1963) Ulrik le Fevre
Ulrik le Fevre
Ulrik le Fevre is a Danish former professional football player and manager, and current FIFA-licensed player agent. He was an elegant and technichal left winger, who had a fierce shot. He played for Danish club Vejle Boldklub, German club Borussia Mönchengladbach and FC Brugge in Belgium, and won...

 (1965) Jørgen Markussen
Jørgen Markussen
- Biography :Jørgen Markussen played ten games for Denmark scoring a single goal. This goal rate did not match the goal instinct that made Markussen a club legend in Vejle Boldklub....

 (1966) Flemming Serritslev
Flemming Serritslev
Flemming Seritslev is a former Danish footballer, coach and manager. He is currently technical manager of Mes Kerman.-Biography:Serritslev played most of his career for Vejle Boldklub in a very successful period...

 (1966)
1970s Iver Schriver
Iver Schriver
-Biography:Iver Schriver was born in Lemvig but moved to Aulum with his family at a young age. Already then it was obvious that Schriver was a big talent....

 (1970) Allan Simonsen
Allan Simonsen
Allan Rodenkam Simonsen is a former Danish footballer and manager. He most prominently played for German team Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning the 1975 and 1979 UEFA Cups, as well as for Barcelona from Spain, winning the 1982 Cup WInners' Cup...

 (1971) Knud Herbert Sørensen (II)
Knud Herbert Sørensen (II)
- Biography :Knud Herbert Sørensen played his entire career for Vejle Boldklub. With 476 matches Knud Herbert is number two on the alltime match record list of VB after the former captain Gert Eg....

 (1971) Gert Eg
Gert Eg
Gert Eg is a former Danish footballer. He played his entire career for Vejle Boldklub and holds the club record for most played matches.- Biography :...

 (1973) Ib Jacquet
Ib Jacquet
Ib Sigfred Jacquet is a former Danish football player.-Profile:Ib Jacquet played in the forward position and was known as an unpredictable and entertaining player....

 (1975) Ulrich Thychosen
Ulrich Thychosen
- Biography :Ulrich Thychosen spend his childhood years in Vejle FC, before he moved to Vejle Boldklub. He made his debut for the first team in 1975 against Leicester City....

  (1975) Steen Thychosen
Steen Thychosen
Steen Thychosen is a Danish former football player, who played 252 games and scored 101 goals for Vejle Boldklub. He was a forward, who also represented German club Borussia Mönchengladbach, Belgian club R.W.D. Molenbeek and Lausanne Sports in Switzerland. He played two games for the Denmark...

 (1977) Alex Nielsen
Alex Nielsen
- Biography :Alex Nielsen in primarely known for his many years as goalkeeper in Vejle Boldklub. He came to VB in 1977 from Fremad Amager and became the first professional player in Vejle Boldklub....

 (1978)

1980s John Sivebæk
John Sivebæk
John Sivebæk is a Danish former football defender, who most notably won the 1984 Danish championship with Vejle Boldklub and played for English club Manchester United...

 (1980) Troels Rasmussen
Troels Rasmussen
Troels Rasmussen is a Danish former football player, who played as a goalkeeper for Danish clubs Vejle Boldklub and AGF. He played 391 games for AGF, and scored 5 goals on penalty kicks...

 (1980) Finn Christensen
Finn Christensen
- Biography :Finn Christensen played most of his career in Vejle Boldklub. However, in 1984 he played a single season for Ikast FS. The same year Vejle won the Danish Championship....

 (1981) Henrik Risom
Henrik Risom
- Biography :Henrik Risom ended his professional career in 2002 - a career that started in Vejle Boldklub and brought him to Lyngby Boldklub, Dynamo Dresden, Odense Boldklub, Silkeborg IF, Vejle Boldklub, Stoke City and AGF....

 (1986) Johnny Mølby
Johnny Mølby
Johnny Mølby is a Danish former professional football player who played 16 matches for the Denmark national football team, and was a part of the team which won the Euro 1992, even though he did not play a single match at the tournament...

 (1987) Brian Steen Nielsen
Brian Steen Nielsen
Brian Steen Nielsen is a former Danish professional footballer from Denmark, who most notably played 66 matches as a defensive midfielder for the Denmark national team between 1990 and 2002, scoring three goals...

 (1988) Preben Elkjær Larsen
Preben Elkjær Larsen
Preben Elkjær Larsen , known as Elkjær, is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a striker.Amongst others, he played with Hellas Verona in Italy, helping it to the only major title of its history, the 1985 Serie A...

 (1988) Keld Bordinggaard
Keld Bordinggaard
Keld Tande Bordinggard is a Danish former football player and current football manager. He was most recently the head coach of the Danish national under-21 team from July 2006 until the U21 European Championship in June 2011...

 (1989) John Larsen
John Larsen (footballer)
John Høholt Larsen , known as John Larsen, is a Danish former football player in the defender position. He played for Helsingør IF, Lyngby BK and Vejle BK, winning the 1983 and 1992 Danish championships with Lyngby. He played 19 games for the Denmark national football team, scoring one goal...

 (1989) Jacob Laursen
Jacob Laursen
Jacob Thaysen-Laursen is a Danish retired professional football player, who played as a defender. He most notably played for English club Derby County and won the Danish Superliga championship with Silkeborg IF and F.C. Copenhagen...

 (1989)
1990s Kaspar Dalgas
Kaspar Dalgas
Kaspar Buhl Dalgas is a former Danish footballer who was the joint top scorer of the Danish Superliga 2001-02 season with 22 goals in 31 games. He represented the Danish U21 team once, in 1997.-Biography:...

 (1995) Thomas Gravesen
Thomas Gravesen
Thomas Gravesen is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He has played for teams such as Hamburger SV, Everton F.C., Real Madrid CF and Celtic F.C.....

 (1995) Peter Graulund
Peter Graulund
Peter Graulund is a Danish professional footballer who currently plays for AGF Aarhus. He is a striker, and has previously played for Danish clubs Vejle Boldklub and Brøndby IF. He has played six games and scored two goals for the Denmark national under-21 football team...

 (1995) Dejvi Glavevski
Dejvi Glavevski
Dejvi Glavevski is a retired Macedonian international football player.-Club career:...

 (1995) Thomas Sørensen
Thomas Sørensen
Thomas Løvendahl Sørensen is a Danish professional football goalkeeper, who plays for Premier League club Stoke City. He has previously represented Premiership teams Sunderland and Aston Villa....

 (1996)
2000s Erik Boye
Erik Boye
Erik Boye is a former Danish footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.He started his career with FC Fredericia before transferring to Vejle in 1993. In the Danish Superliga 1996-97 he was ever present as his club finished in 2nd place and qualified for the 1997–98 UEFA Cup...

 (2000) Baré
Jader Volnei Spindler
Jader Volnei Spindler, more commonly known as Baré, is a Brazilian football player, currently associated with Al-Jazira in the United Arab Emirates. While playing for Japan's J. League Division 2 side Ventforet Kofu in 2005, he scored a double hat-trick in the 2nd leg of the J...

 (2002) Chris Sørensen
Chris Sørensen
Chris Sørensen is a Danish professional football player, who currently plays for the Danish Superliga club Odense Boldklub , with whom he won the 2007 Danish Cup. He has played five matches for the Denmark national football team....

 (2004) Bora Zivkovic
Bora Zivkovic
Bora Živković is a Danish former professional football player of Serbian ancestry, who is assistant manager of Boye Habekost at FC Hjørring in the Danish 1st Division. He has played 310 games in the Danish Superliga, representing Silkeborg IF for the majority of the games...

 (2007) Pablo Piñones-Arce
Pablo Piñones-Arce
Pablo Piñones-Arce is a Swedish footballer of Chilean descent, currently playing for Swedish Superettan club IF Brommapojkarna. He plays as a forward.- Career :...

 (2008) Jimmy Nielsen
Jimmy Nielsen
Jimmy Nielsen is a Danish professional footballer currently playing for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer....

 (2009)
2010s Steffen Kielstrup
Steffen Kielstrup
Steffen Kielstrup is a Danish professional football player, who currently plays for Vejle Boldklub Kolding. Kielstrup has played in Vejle since the age of six and is on contract with the club until June 30, 2009.-Playing career:...

 (2010)

Recent history

Season Pos. Pl. ... W D L GS GA Points Cup
Danish Cup
The Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...

Notes
1996-97 1D 2 33 14 12 7 57 38 54
1997-98 1D 4 33 16 4 13 53 51 52
1998-99 1D 6 33 14 5 14 54 48 47
1999-00 1D 11 33 7 11 15 38 68 32 5th round relegated
2000-01 2D 2 30 17 8 5 73 37 59 5th round promoted
2001-02 1D 11 33 6 10 17 38 72 28 4th round relegated
2002-03 2D 5 30 15 4 11 65 58 49 5th round
2003-04 2D 12 30 8 6 16 44 59 30 3rd round
2004-05
2004-05 in Danish football
-Events:* 20 July 2004: FC København won the Super Cup at Parken Stadium after a 2-1 victory against AaB.* 24 July 2004: The Superliga kicks off.* 31 July 2004: The 1st Division kicks off.* 31 July 2004: The 2nd Division kicks off....

2D 5 30 14 7 9 59 51 49 3rd round
2005-06
2005-06 in Danish football
-Events:* 13 July 2005: Brøndby IF won the League Cup at Brøndby Stadion. FC København ended second, and FC Midtjylland third.* 19 July 2005: The Superliga kicks off.* 28 July 2005: Esbjerg fB beats Estonian FC Flora Tallinn 7-2 agg...

2D 1 30 19 6 5 62 32 63 3rd round promoted
2006-07
2006-07 in Danish football
-Overview:From the 2006-07 season mergered B 1909, B 1913 and Dalum IF to FC FYN. All three clubs played in the 2005-06 season in 2nd Division West. FC FYN will also play in 2nd Division....

1D 11 33 6 7 20 35 64 25 3rd round relegated
2007-08
2007-08 in Danish football
The 2007-08 season in Danish football, starting July 2007 and ending June 2008.-Domestic honours:-European participation:For the first time since the 2002-03 season, the Danish clubs had obtained enough UEFA coefficient points to qualify the third place finisher of the Danish Superliga 2006-07 for...

2D 1 30 25 3 2 80 24 78 5th round promoted
2008-09 1D 11 33 4 13 16 30 59 25 3rd round -


Note: 1D = Danish Superliga
Danish Superliga
The Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...

, 2D = Danish 1st Division
Danish 1st Division
The 1st Division has been the name of the second highest football league in Denmark since 1991. From 1945 to 1991 the 1st Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark...


Achievements

  • 43 seasons in the Highest Danish League
    Danish Superliga
    The Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...

  • 17 seasons in the Second Highest Danish League
    Danish 1st Division
    The 1st Division has been the name of the second highest football league in Denmark since 1991. From 1945 to 1991 the 1st Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark...

  • 9 seasons in the Third Highest Danish League
    Danish 2nd Division
    The 2nd Division is the third tier Danish football league, just after the 1st Division.It was founded in 1945, after World War II, as the second-best Danish football division. When the Danish Superliga was founded in 1991, the 2nd Division became the third level league...


Coaches from 1990 - Present

Ebbe Skovdahl
Ebbe Skovdahl
Ebbe Skovdahl Hansen is a retired Danish football manager. He most prominently was a successful manager at Brøndby IF, for whom he had also played in his active years...

 (1990–1991) Allan Simonsen
Allan Simonsen
Allan Rodenkam Simonsen is a former Danish footballer and manager. He most prominently played for German team Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning the 1975 and 1979 UEFA Cups, as well as for Barcelona from Spain, winning the 1982 Cup WInners' Cup...

 (1991–1994) Ole Fritsen
Ole Fritsen
-Playing career:Ole Fritsen began his footballing career in Vejle Boldklub in 1963. Fritsen was the first Vejle Boldklub player to move abroad and become a professional....

 (1994–1999) Poul Erik Andreasen
Poul Erik Andreasen
Poul Erik Andreasen is a Danish ex-football player and manager, who managed the Danish Superliga side Aalborg BK during their 1994-95 Superliga victory. In 1996-1999 he coashed Norwegian Viking FK from Stavanger. He is currently a youth coach at AaB...

 (2000) Keld Bordinggaard
Keld Bordinggaard
Keld Tande Bordinggard is a Danish former football player and current football manager. He was most recently the head coach of the Danish national under-21 team from July 2006 until the U21 European Championship in June 2011...

 (2001–2002) Frank Petersen (2002–2003) Henrik Brandenborg (2003) Steen Thychosen
Steen Thychosen
Steen Thychosen is a Danish former football player, who played 252 games and scored 101 goals for Vejle Boldklub. He was a forward, who also represented German club Borussia Mönchengladbach, Belgian club R.W.D. Molenbeek and Lausanne Sports in Switzerland. He played two games for the Denmark...

 (2003) Jens Tang Olesen
Jens Tang Olesen
Jens Tang Olesen Jens Tang Olesen Jens Tang Olesen (born 27 September 1947 is a Danish football manager. Currently in charge of the Greenland national football teamHe has previously managed Viborg FF, Randers Freja, FC Aarhus and Vejle Boldklub....

 (2004) Hans Lauge and Mogens Nielsen (2004) Frank Andersen
Frank Andersen
Frank Andersen is a former Danish ballet dancer who was twice artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet. He has been an influential supporter of the Danish choreographer August Bournonville.-Biography:...

 (2004–2005) Lasse Christensen and Jesper Søgaard (2005) Kim Poulsen
Kim Poulsen
Kim Poulsen is a Danish football manager, who is the current manager of the Tanzania national under-21 football team. He most notably guided Viborg FF to the 2000 Danish Cup....

 (2006–2007) Ove Christensen
Ove Christensen
Ove Christensen is an Association football manager, who is the head coach of Viborg FF in the Danish 1st Division. He has managed a number of Danish Superliga clubs, and won the Danish women's championship with Fortuna Hjørring....

 (2007–2009) Lasse Christensen and Ole Schwennesen (2009) Mats Gren
Mats Gren
Mats Gren is a former Swedish footballer and Head Coach. He most recently managed Vejle BK.-Career:Gren played for Falu BS 1982–1984. He then played for IFK Göteborg in 1984–1985 and became Swedish champion in 1984. Gren then moved to Grasshopper, where he played from 1985-2000...

 (2009-2011) Viggo Jensen
Viggo Jensen
Alexander Viggo Jensen was a Danish weightlifter, shooter, gymnast, and athlete. He was the first Danish Olympic champion, at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens....

 (2011) Nicolai Wael (2011-)

Captains 2003 - Present

Klaus Eskildsen (2003) Peter Degn
Peter Degn
Peter Degn was a Danish professional football player, who is now retired. He has played 25 games and scored three goals for the Denmark national under-21 football team.-Biography:...

 (2003) Peter Gravesen
Peter Gravesen
Peter Gravesen is a Danish footballer currently under contract for Cypriot side APEP Pitsilia. He started his career with Danish Superliga clubs Vejle Boldklub and Herfølge Boldklub, and has played for Fylkir in Iceland....

 (2004) Carsten Hemmingsen
Carsten Hemmingsen
Carstem Hemmingsen is a former Danish professional football midfielder nand now coach of the Danish club Aarup BK. He is the brother of Michael Hemmingsen.-External links:***...

 (2004) Steffen Kielstrup
Steffen Kielstrup
Steffen Kielstrup is a Danish professional football player, who currently plays for Vejle Boldklub Kolding. Kielstrup has played in Vejle since the age of six and is on contract with the club until June 30, 2009.-Playing career:...

 (2005) Jakob Bresemann
Jakob Bresemann
Jakob Bresemann is a Danish professional football central defender, who currently plays for the Danish Superliga side Lyngby Boldklub.He is the vice-captain of Lyngby BK, behind Morten Petersen.-External links:** at Danmarks Radio...

 (2005–2006) Bora Zivkovic
Bora Zivkovic
Bora Živković is a Danish former professional football player of Serbian ancestry, who is assistant manager of Boye Habekost at FC Hjørring in the Danish 1st Division. He has played 310 games in the Danish Superliga, representing Silkeborg IF for the majority of the games...

 (2006) Klebér Saarenpää
Klebér Saarenpää
Klebér Saarenpää, Swedish former footballer, born in Uppsala, former member of the Swedish national team . Saarenpää represented Djurgårdens IF, IFK Norrköping, Hammarby IF and AaB ]. He has made a contract with the Danish club Vejle Boldklub from 1 January 2007. On 10 March 2007 the defender...

 (2007) Bora Zivkovic
Bora Zivkovic
Bora Živković is a Danish former professional football player of Serbian ancestry, who is assistant manager of Boye Habekost at FC Hjørring in the Danish 1st Division. He has played 310 games in the Danish Superliga, representing Silkeborg IF for the majority of the games...

 (2007–2008) Jimmy Nielsen
Jimmy Nielsen
Jimmy Nielsen is a Danish professional footballer currently playing for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer....

 (2008–09) Steffen Kielstrup
Steffen Kielstrup
Steffen Kielstrup is a Danish professional football player, who currently plays for Vejle Boldklub Kolding. Kielstrup has played in Vejle since the age of six and is on contract with the club until June 30, 2009.-Playing career:...

(2010-)

External links

Official website The Crazy Reds: Official Vejle fanclub Red Lightning: Unofficial Vejle fanclub Roms Hule - en side om Vejle Boldklub
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