Odds BK

History

IF Odd was founded in 1885, and is thus one of the older sports clubs in Norway still in existence. The name derives from Viktor Rydberg's novel Seierssverdet, where one of the main characters was a Norwegian athlete called Orvar Odd.

In the beginning, IF Odd was mainly focused on gymnastics, and also had a department for Nordic skiing and track and field. This was the club's second effort to do so, some time after English workers at nearby Skotfoss brought the game of football to Skien, and the city decided to buy a football. Odd is counted as Norway's oldest football team still in existence.

Odd started a cooperation with the local club Pors in 1994, and changed their names to Odd Grenland and Pors Grenland, in an effort to represent the district of Grenland. In conjunction with the name change, a public limited company named Grenland Fotball was founded. and in January 2013 Odd Grenland decided to change its name back to Odds BK because they wanted to be a club for the entire county of Telemark.

Odd won the Norwegian Football Cup in 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1913, 1915, 1919, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1931 and 2000, more than any other team in Norway. In the late 20th century, the men's team struggled in the lower divisions for many years, but made it back to the Tippeligaen in 1999 and stayed there until they were relegated in 2007. The team had survived relegation twice; first in 2005 after a dreadful start of the campaign, then in 2006 when the team only survived relegation by beating Bryne in the relegation play-offs. In 2007 the team was relegated to the 1. divisjon after being beaten by Bodø/Glimt in the relegation play-offs. In 2008, with three games still to play, Odd secured the promotion back to the Tippeligaen after winning 4–0 at home against Hødd.

On 25 September 2011, Odd player Jone Samuelsen scored what is claimed to be the longest headed goal ever scored in a match, in a match against Tromsø, when he headed the ball from within his own half of the pitch into Tromsø's open goal, the goalkeeper having come forward for a late corner in the match. Norwegian police were invited to measure the distance, and calculated the length as to be 58.13 metres.

Home ground

Main article: Skagerak Arena

Club's home ground is Skagerak Arena (capacity 12,000), has seen the largest crowd (approx 12,500 people) at the 1984 Cup semi-final against Viking, though the official number is 8854. Officially, the highest attendance is 12.436, achieved in the 2015 Europa League play-off against Borussia Dortmund. The stadium was rebuilt to hold a capacity of between 13,000 and 14,000, and was finished in 2008. It is named Skagerak Arena after local sponsor Skagerak Energi.

Players and staff

First-team squad

For season transfers, see transfers winter 2024–25 and transfers summer 2025.

Out on loan

Coaching staff

Honours

• Eliteserien:
  • Runners-up (2): 1950–51, 1956–57
• 1. divisjon:
  • Winners (2): 1998, 2008
• Norwegian Football Cup:
  • Winners (12) (Joint-Record): 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1913, 1915, 1919, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1931, 2000
  • Runners-up (9): 1902, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1921, 1937, 1960, 2002, 2014

Recent history

:{|class="wikitable" ! Season ! ! Pos. ! Pl. ! W ! D ! L ! GS ! GA ! P !Cup !Notes |- |2000 |Tippeligaen | |- |2001 |Tippeligaen |Semi-final | |- |2002 |Tippeligaen | |- |2003 |Tippeligaen ||Third round | |- |2004 |Tippeligaen ||Third round | |- |2005 |Tippeligaen ||Quarter-final | |- |2006 |Tippeligaen ||Third round | |- |2007 |Tippeligaen |Semi-final

| |- |2010 |Tippeligaen |Semi-final | |- |2011 |Tippeligaen ||Fourth round | |- |2012 |Tippeligaen ||Fourth round | |- |2013 |Tippeligaen ||Fourth round | |- |2014 |Tippeligaen | |- |2015 |Tippeligaen ||Quarter-final | |- |2016 |Tippeligaen ||Fourth round | |- |2017 |Eliteserien ||Fourth round | |- |2018 |Eliteserien ||Fourth round | |- |2019 |Eliteserien ||Semi-final | |- |2020 |Eliteserien ||Cancelled | |- |2021 |Eliteserien ||Fourth round | |- |2022 |Eliteserien ||Fourth round | |- |2023 |Eliteserien ||Third round | |- |2024 |Eliteserien ||Third round

| |}

European record

Overview

Matches

;Notes

• 1Q: First qualifying round
• 2Q: Second qualifying round
• 1R: First round
• PO. Play-off round

Managers

• Lennart Söderberg (1983–84)
• Tore Andersen (1990)
• Paul Wilson (1991–93)
• Lars Borgar Waage (1994–97)
• Tom Nordlie (1998–99)
• Arne Sandstø (1 January 1999– 28 September 2007)
• Gaute Larsen (2005–07)
• Ove Flindt-Bjerg (28 September 2007 – 17 December 2007)
• Dag-Eilev Fagermo (17 December 2007 – 31 January 2020)
• Jan Frode Nornes (11 March 2020 – 8 January 2022)
• Pål Arne Johansen (24 January 2022 – 31 December 2023)
• Kenneth Dokken (16 January 2024 – 13 November 2024)
• Knut Rønningene (interim) (13 November 2024 – 10 December 2024)
• Knut Rønningene (10 December 2024 – 15 September 2025)
• Per Frandsen (17 September 2025 –)

References

References

1. dubious, dubious. (7 May 2017). "Club of Pioneers". Odds Ballklubb.
2. (2007). "Odd Grenland". Kunnskapsforlaget.
3. Tollefsen, Morten. (28 March 2007). "Litt om ODDS BALLKLUBB". Odd Grenland.
4. Saga, Else Jorunn. (2 December 2009). "Pors ut av Grenland fotball". NRK.
5. (2 January 2013). "Odd stryker Grenland fra klubbnavnet". Aftenposten.
6. (2 October 2011). "Halfway-line Norwegian header set for record books". BBC Sport.
7. "A-laget". Odds BK.
8. Røsholt, Åmund. (20 June 2025). "Lånes ut". Odds BK.