Odd Grenland

 IF ODD was founded in Skien in 1885, and are one of Norways oldest sports clubs. The name is taken from Viktor Rydbergs novel "Seierssverdet" where one of the main characters was the Norwegian sportsman Orvar Odd. Firstly gymnastics was the main sport, but since English workers already had brought the football to Skien, most likely as the first town in the country, a football was bought in 1887, and the first team in the regi of ODD started. It failed quickly, but they tried all over again, and 31st march 1894 ODDs ballklubb (ODDs football club) was founded. ODD Grenland, which comes directly from ODDs ballklubb, is therefore the oldest still existing football club in Norway . The first golden years, 1902-1940 In this period ODD was unquestionably the best team in Norway. No officcial national league was held, but they participated in the cup final 17 times, and being on the winning side 11 times. They lost the first ever cup final in Norway 2-0 against Grane Nordstrand(now known as Nordstrand IF). After that they won it four conescutive times, beating Grane Nordstrand 1-0, Porsgrunds FC(Urædd IF) 4-0, Akademisk 2-1 and Sarpsborg 1-0. From 1908 to 1910 they lost in the final every season, all against Lyn . In 1911, under the name Grenland and with support by other local players, ODD met a foreign team, Rangers FC(Glasgow Rangers), which was quite unusual for a Norwegian side. They did also play Dartford, Banks of Dee and Airdrie . In this period the club had their first foreign coach, the scottish Arthur F. Murray. In 1913 it was back on winning tracks, this time against Mercantile(now in Nordstrand IF), winning with 2-1. A national test league was held from 1914 to 1916, seeing ODD on the top of the table. They did also win the cup final in 1915, beating Kvik Halden 2-1. In the following years ODD came to a number of cup finals: 1919, ODD - Frigg 1-0. 1921, Odd was defeated 2-0 against Frigg. 1922, victory 5-1 against Kvik Halden. 1924 victory 3-0 against Mjøndalen. 1926, victory 3-0 against Ørn(Ørn-Horten). 1931, 3-1 victory over Mjøndalen, and at last a 4-2 defeat against the same team in 1937.  In these decades several ODD players represented Norway, among them profiles like Nils "Påsan" Eriksen, Rolf Holmberg, Einar "Jeia" Gundersen, Thaulow Goberg and Ingolf Pedersen. Apart from the national test league, other leagues was started, but failed after few years. First, in 1926, was the Eastland league. It was divided into the main league, the western league and the eastern league. ODD participated in the main league. In the 1927/28 season(propably from August to May, differently from the modern Norwegian season(March to november)) they ended up taking the number three spot. The next season they came closer to take the gold medal, as they were number two. In light of the first two seasons, number three ended up as a big dissappointment, ending as low as number eleven. For an unknown reason, the league did not eksist for longer than three seasons. The third attempt(including the test league) of starting a national league came in 1937. Norgesserien(The Norwegian league) was stopped only three years later, understandably, by the second world war. During that time ODD won their department twice, but lost in the first round of the knockout-stages. They was also on top in the interrupted 1939/1940-season. 1940 - 1969. The way down has started Because of the war, no official league was arranged from 1940-45. In 1951 and 1957, when the top divisjon consisted of two equal departments, ODD won their department, but lost the two finals against Fredrikstad . ODD did also lose the cup final in 1960 against Rosenborg after a replay. At that time local clubs like Storm, Borg and pors started to challenge for the hegemony in Grenland.  In 1963 the top divisions was converted to one group, and ODD did not manage to qualify. They came back in 1965, but after the relegation in 1967 it took long time till next time ODD competed in the top division. The 1969 season resulted in another relegation, this time to the 3rd division(3rd tier). 1970 - 1989. The dark years Througout the 1970s ODD attended the 2nd division. In 1975, 1976 and 1977 they lost the qualification for the top division. The eighties was a decade of ups and downs, pending between the 2nd and 3rd division, with the cup semifinals against Viking in 1984 as the highlight. Despite ODDs absence in the first division, Ulf Moen represented Norway in a few games. 1990 - 1999. A new era Early in the nineties both ODD and arch rival pors attended what now is named 2nd division(former 3rd division), and the traditional Telemark county was one of the poorest football counties in Norway. People began to realise that the hard rivalry between the two clubs prevented promotion to the top divisions for both of them. By initiative of the former chief of police in Porsgrunn(pors home town) a dialogue about a possible cooperation was started in 1995, and in 1996 Grenland Football was born. At the time ODD had gained promotion to the first division(2nd tier), while pors just saved themselves from relegation to the third division. Therefore ODD became the no. one club, and the one they hoped could promote Tippeligaen(Premier division) within a few seasons. The intention with Grenland Football was split . On the one side a sporting cooperation, especially when it comes to player development, and on the other side a economical cooperation. sponsorships were shared, giving ODD 80% of the cake. Since 1996 both of the first teams has been named ODD Grenland and pors grenland, and in some season they even shared the same reserve team.  Grenland Football became an immediate success, and in 1998, with Tom Nordlie as head coach, ODD promoted to Tippeligaen for the first time in over three decades.