Linköpings FF (locally known as ''LFF'') was the premier men's

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

team in

Linköping Linköping ( , ) is a city in southern Sweden, with around 167,000 inhabitants as of 2024. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality and the capital of Östergötland County. Linköping is also the episcopal see of the Diocese of Linköping (Chu ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

, playing in the Swedish second division. The club is a 1984 merger of BK Derby and IF Saab. And as both these clubs had a one-season spell each in

Allsvenskan Allsvenskan (; ), also known as Fotbollsallsvenskan (, ) is a professional association football league in Sweden and the highest level of the Swedish football league system. Founded in 1924, it operates on a system of promotion and relegatio ...

during the 1970s (Derby in 1977, Saab in 1973), the new club was initially hopeful for a promotion from their Division 3 position. At this time Division 2 was split up into a Southern and a Northern league, with 14 teams each, but the third division was split up into 12 regional leagues with 12 teams each. The difference between the second and third tier was huge.

1985 qualification for Division 2

In 1985 Linköping won their regional league, but as only half of the twelve regional winners were to be promoted, a home-away qualifying was needed. In the lottery Linköping drew Landskrona BoIS. Of the 11 possible opponents, it was the largest and club with most traditions. This was not the same as Landskrona was favorite. Only a little above 3000 spectators came to the first qualifier, home at Folkungavallen, and perhaps half of them were Landskrona BoIS supporters. The match ended 1-1, but "BoIS"'s goalkeeper Peter Joelsson saved. In the return at Landskrona IP twice as many attendees turned up (6016). The decider went to Landskrona BoIS, but again the match ended 1-1, with no goals scored in the 2 x 15 min extra time. The final decider became a penalty shootout, and five penalties each wasn't sufficient. "BoIS"' player Ole Jensen scored the last of the penalties.Åke Jönsson, "Ett fotbollslags historia 1915-2015" (History of a football team 1915-2015) , pages 340-343 The team played in red shirts. A

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

formed its logo, as is the case with both the city and the other sports teams. The club had long aimed at securing a place in

Superettan Superettan (; ) is an association football league and the second highest league in the Swedish football league system, league system of Swedish football, Swedish men's football. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and rel ...

, the Swedish first division, but all endeavours failed. Linköpings FF played their home-games at Folkungavallen. In 2009 the club were replaced by FK Linköping.

References

External links

Linköpings FF
nbsp;– Official site {{DEFAULTSORT:Linkopings Ff Football clubs in Östergötland County Sports clubs and teams in Linköping Association football clubs established in 1981 1981 establishments in Sweden 20th-century establishments in Östergötland County