AIK's untimely plunge

By Jan Juhlin

In 1998 AIK Solna won the Allsvenskan and went on to reach the group stages of the 1999/00 UEFA Champions League. Despite only picking up a solitary point from a goalless draw against AC Fiorentina at the Råsunda, AIK were eager to compete in Europe again.

Simple assumption
Ahead of the 2000 season the Stockholm club spent a vast amount by Swedish standards on squad improvements, working on the assumption that qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League again would see a handsome return on their investment.

Expensive squad
Even though failing to win the 1999 Allsvenskan title had already blown AIK's chances of Champions League football in 2000/01, coach Stuart Baxter embellished his squad with Swedish internationals Teddy Lucic and Erik Edman as well as experienced players like Mattias Thylander and Andreas Alm to create what was mooted to be the most expensive side ever to start a Swedish season.

Disappointing campaign
However, despite the squad's undoubted quality, AIK could only achieve bronze in the Allsvenskan, finishing behind champions Halmstads BK and Helsingborgs IF, and were quickly eliminated from the UEFA Cup by Denmark's Herfølge BK. Baxter duly resigned and was replaced by former Sweden coach Olle Nordin.

Nordin retires
Despite a decent transfer budget, Nordin could not significantly improve the side and AIK were to finish the 2001 season in third place again and also missed out in the final of the Swedish Cup. The 2002 season started with further disappointment, as illness forced Nordin to retire.

Turbulent spell
His assistant Peter Larsson lasted just seven games at the helm, resigning under pressure from AIK's hardcore support. Czech coach Dušan Uhrin stepped in to replace him but his reign was every bit as turbulent. He left at the end of the season, with AIK having finished fifth in the Allsvenskan.

Financial strain
By this time the club were beginning to feel the financial strain with high wages and transfer funds taking their toll on the AIK coffers. None the less, new coach Richard Money was given the funds to rebuild the squad again, and in the early stages of the 2003 season it seemed to have paid off.

Dismal slump
Money's side were top of the Allsvenskan after eight games, but the following 12 matches saw everything go horribly wrong as AIK won just one game. Although they recovered towards the end of the season, a fifth-placed finish was not the kind of success AIK fans were yearning for.

Money down
The supporters raised the pressure on Money and, denied the funds to replenish his squad again for 2004, he threw in the towel after just four games of the new season. However, supporter discontent was not solely focused on AIK's coach, with the club's board bearing the brunt of fans' rage.

Antagonistic fans
Chairman Sanny Åslund's house was vandalised, and fans also broke into the Råsunda to paint the word 'resign' on the pitch. Such incidents provided an ugly backdrop to a dismal season, which was symbolised by the rioting which forced the abandonment of the derby game against Hammarby after 45 minutes.

Cave in
The situation was out of hand. The players and inexperienced coach Patrick Englund could not take the pressure, Åslund resigned and AIK were relegated. The board resigned en masse at the club's next annual general meeting. AIK start 2005 seeking promotion back to the Allsvenskan.

Cautionary tale
Barely five years after welcoming Arsenal FC and FC Barcelona in the Champions League, the emphasis is now on getting the financial balance right.