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The Road to Fame (or Obscurity) - The Country Lad's Challenge
This is my first attempt at one of these challenges, so hopefully all goes well. I have a variety of leagues activated (England, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Spain, and Sweden). This is mainly for stage 4 should I make it that far.
13th July 2003 - Mellerud, Sweden
This small municipality in Västra Götaland was hardly noticable to anyone outside of the area itself. The population of 9902 paled in comparison to nearby Gothenburg and its nearly half million residents. Now one of its residents wanted to right his name in the football history books, but getting there was going to be tough.
Enter Anders Lidström, a man who had been on the Melleruds IF books many years ago before suffering an ultimately career ending knee injury that forced him into a coaching role. When he finally received his coaching badges ten days ago, he was shocked to learn that he was the only individual in the village who held those qualifications.
Meanwhile, Mellerud was a football club that absolutely no one wanted to manage. It was quite clear that they were playing well above their talents at this stage of the season as they sat 8th in the 12 team Västra Götaland section of the Swedish Second Division. With attendances that were less than half of any other team in the league, something had to be done.
So on this date, the Mellerud board made the decision to appoint local resident Anders Lidström as their new manager.
Lidström's first training session as manager of the club was one of concern. Daniel Barac, who at 16 was just breaking into the squad went down with a torn groin muscle that effectively ruled him out for the remainder of the season. This was a harsh blow just days before their first match under Lidström. After that initial training session, Lidström already had an idea what his preferred starting XI would be.
17th July 2003 - Swedish Second Division
FC Trollhättan v. Mellerud
Edsborgs IP, Trollhättan
The match was dominated early by the hosts as they went close on several occasions. However, it would Lidström's men taking advantage of their chances that ultimately determined the winner. Eskil Ohlsson's ball found Burim Avdijaj and the Albanian born Swedish striker had no problem scoring on his debut. Ohlsson then found the net on his own as he curled one past the helpless Trollhättan goalkeeper to make it 2-0 for the visitors with his first ever goal.
Eventually FC Trollhätten found the net, as in the 57th minute Andreas Kristoffersson hit a beautiful volley that gave the home supporters hope. They never did find an equaliser and Lindström had won his first match as a manager.
Another week passed and Mellerud were getting ready to entertain league leaders GAIS. Being stuck in midtable was just fine for Lidström as he hoped to take a point from his first home match in charge. Mellerud's stadium Râdavallen was the smallest stadium in the league holding a capacity of 750 with no seats. With the league leaders in town, it was hoped that it would reach that capacity.
24th July 2003 - Swedish Second Division
Mellerud v. GAIS
Râdavallen, Mellerud
GAIS were completely unprepared for what was about to hit them. Lidström's men put the ball in the back of the net early and often in this encounter. Mathias Larsson got the ball rolling as he headed in from a corner to make it 1-0. On 33 minutes Mellerud struck on the counter as Eskil Ohlsson struck his second in as many matches. The match went into halftime 2-0, but the scoring was far from over.
It took a half hour for Mellerud to strike again, and it was Ohlsson with his second of the match on 75 minutes. Six minutes later, and it was 4-0 to the home side through a powerful effort from Alex Mabäcker Johansson. Two minutes later, Mabäcker Johansson was taken down in the GAIS penalty area. Fredrik Grenander added the final nail in the coffin for the league leaders and made it 5-0. GAIS managed to find a late consolation after a cross took a bizarre deflection off of Henrik Olsson to finish an unexpected 5-1 victory for Mellerud.
There was only one major event that occurred at the training ground during the week. 17-year-old utility midfielder Daniel Andersson went down with a groin strain two days before the next match and would be out for the next two weeks.
31st July 2003 - Swedish Second Division
Mellerud v. Ljungskile
Râdavallen, Mellerud
All those in attendance at this encounter watched a match that stood out in no particular way. Lidström's side had all of the possession in attack, but were unable to take advantage. A 0-0 draw was always on the cards.
Mellerud 0-0 Ljungskile
Attendance: 664
Other Scores:
FC Trollhätten 2-0 Skärhamn
FC Trollhätten: Andersson (1) 39; Berndtsson Gonzalez (1) 89
Attendance: 2169
Mellerud had a week off from the league due to Qviding's unlikely run to the quarterfinal of the Swedish Cup. However, they were easily dismissed by First Division Kalmar FF 2-0. The other ten teams in the league were in action and the chase for the single promotion playoff spot that went with winning the league tightened up that much more.
League Matches (7/8/2003):
Floda 1-2 FC Trollhättan
Floda: Svensson (2) 25
FC Trollhättan: Fahler (3) 6; Kristoffersson (8) 26
Attendance: 1496
Daniel Andersson returned from his injury just in time to boost Lidström's attacking options.
13th August 2003 - Swedish Second Division
Qviding v. Mellerud
Torpavallen
The match was fairly one-sided, although it wasn't very obvious from the scoreline. Lidström's men continued to show deadly effectiveness from set pieces as Ecuadorian-born Swedish defender Daniel Mesa Moreno headed home from a corner in the 13th minute. The lead lasted a mere 15 minutes when Mattias Lundström launched a wonder strike from 30 yards that would not be stopped for the equaliser.
Mellarud's advantage was restored just minutes later when Alex Mabäcker Johansson rounded the helpless Qviding goalkeeper and put it in the top corner of the net. Early in the second half, Qviding found a second equaliser when Lundström buried a penalty after Oskar Löfstedt was brought down from behind in the penalty area.
Unfortunately for the hosts, there was another quick response from Mellerud. Eskil Ohlsson beat the offside trap and finished in easy fashion to put them back in front on 54 minutes. Mabäcker Johansson finished the scoring in the 63rd minute when he pounced on a rebound.
For once, it was not a quiet week at the Mellerud camp. Lidström finally made the first transfers as manager, when two players left the club for playing time in the lower divisions. Ismael El-ani had not featured all season at Mellerud and went to Överås on a free transfer. Also leaving for free was Henrik Norgran to Hjulsbro.
21st August 2003 - Swedish Second Division
Skärhamn v. Mellerud
Röavallen, Skärhamn
The goals were flying in early, with three scored in the first twelve minutes. Things settled down and Mellerud emerged with the victory thanks to some solid goalkeeping from Harry Hyvärinen.
The hosts went up early Daniel Milicevic slipped the ball past Hyvärinen from a tight angle. However, Mellerud equalised when Burim Avdijaj powered on off the bottom of the crossbar to make it 1-1. On 12 minutes, Alex Mabäcker Johansson completed the quick turnaround with a wonderful chip of the goalkeeper. Five minutes before the half, Johansson intercepted a poor backpass and made no mistake curling it past substitute goalkeeper Rickard Alsterberg.
The second half had much the same tone as the end of the first half. The home side came close on several occasions, but they could not cut into Mellerud's lead. They paid the price when Avdijaj beat the offside trap on a brilliant pass from Eskil Ohlsson and made it 4-1. Skärhamn managed to find a consolation goal in the 86th minute on some careless defending by the visitors. Niklas Löfgren was completely unmarked to bury a rebound after Hyvärinen fumbled a cross to make it 4-2.
With the transfer window quickly closing at an absurdly late point in the Swedish season, bids were flying in for Mellerud players. The amount of bids was testing Lidström patience to say the least. With promotion a near impossiblility this season, he was not going to accept the free transfer offers that he was getting nearly everyday.
28th August 2003 - Swedish Second Division
Mellerud v. Jonsered
Rådavallen, Mellerud
Lidström's Mellerud side continued to show that they may be a force to be reckoned with next season with a convincing 2-0 victory over Jonsered. Alex Mabäcker Johansson put the home side in front with a goal in the 39th minute. Burim Avdijaj made it 2-0 when he put the ball into the back of the net after a lovely through ball from Johansson.
The two Mellerud strikers were quickly becoming a potent strike force, and they may be ones to watch next season. Although promotion is still a statistical possiblility, with only three matches remaining some miraculous results were needed for Mellerud to be top of the table come the end of the season.
There were two weeks between matches in the league, but that did not solve the fact that there were two players suspended for the next league match against Floda. Henrik Olsson, a popular target before the transfer window closed, was suspended for picking up his third yellow card. Alex Mabäcker Johansson picked up a two match suspension due to being sent off on a second yellow, which was also his third. If there was any chance of promotion left, it would probably be lost on the next match day.
11th September 2003 - Swedish Second Division
Mellerud v. Floda
Rådavallen
Another season in the Second Division now beckons for Mellerud after a wasteful draw at Rådavallen. Dominating possession and flow of play for nearly the entire match, it took them 72 minutes to finally open the scoring. Jon Bergenholtz nodded a cross into the path of Burim Avdijaj who put it into the net to make it 1-0. Oddly named substitute Leppe Leppe made sure the lead was short lived as he took advantage of a terrible decision by the linesman to score on Floda's only chance of the match. The 1-1 draw mathematically eliminates Mellerud from the league championship and the possibility of promotion regardless of the results of other matches.
Even though Lidström's Mellerud side was playing attractive football (at least at this level), they had failed to get out of the hole that is the Swedish Second Division. They would be attempting to play the role of spoiler for the remaining two matches. In a true test of his team's mettle, Mellerud would be taking Ytterby, winners of their last ten matches.
18th September 2003 - Swedish Second Division
Ytterby v. Mellerud
Ytterns IP, Ytterby
The 1524 fans that showed up to watch this matchup between the two form teams in the league were not disappointed. However, for the home supporters, it was ten minutes of brilliance that sent their team to their first defeat in twelve matches.
The visitors controlled play early as both Johan Larsson and Burim Avdijaj came close to scoring. Ultimately, it was Ytterby who opened the scoring on 33 minutes. A well taken free kick from goal scoring talisman Eddy Lopez into the top corner gave the home side a 1-0 lead.
From that point, Ytterby showed why they were at the top of the table and really should have added to their lead. Mellerud goalkeeper Harry Hyvärinen played the spoiler on several occasions. His efforts paid off when Mellerud equalised in the 61st minute. An excellent 1-2 between Jon Bergenholtz and Eskil Ohlsson tore a hole in the defence and resulted in the 5th goal of the season for Ohlsson. Eight minutes later, it was Fredrik Grenander, filling in for the suspended Alex Mabäcker Johansson, scored from a rebound, which was ultimately proved to be the winner.
It was a cool night in Mellerud as the season was about to end. Preparations were already well underway for the close season for the two teams involved in this encounter.
25th September 2003 - Swedish Second Division
Mellerud v. Torslanda
Rådavallen
The two sides looked as though they were already going on holiday. The linesman also had that look as well, as Alex Mabäcker Johansson took advantage of being in an offside position to score twice. Torslanda found the net in the 70th minute after a 60 yard pass from Fredrik Andersson fell to Anders Lundqvist, who scored his first ever goal for Torslanda.
These two sides ended up going in opposite directions in the second half of the season. With a solid core of players, Mellerud should be near the top next season. However, they likely bring in some more talent to challenge for promotion next season.
The Road to Fame (or Obscurity) - The Country Lad's Challenge 
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