OB – Odense Football Club
Football shirt from the football club (Odense Boldklub), early 1960's. This shirt is now at Møntergården in Odense. Photo: René Riis.
Intro
OB saw the light of day as Odense Kricketklub in 1887, four years after the first football match was played in Denmark. Two years later, the club changed its name to Odense Bold Klub. As the first club in the province, OB got its own pitch in 1894.
The market town of Odense
Odense is the capital of Funen and was, for centuries, the second-largest city in the realm. During the period following 1860, the city grew rapidly with new residential and industrial districts, and after World War Two, single family housing and high-rise districts emerged outside the old city centre. The urban space has changed significantly and so has the life of the inhabitants of Odense.
Leisure time flourishes
Life in Odense changed very markedly during the 20th century. The growing industry created wealth and jobs, and the basic structure of society altered. Trades unions ensured better working conditions and more leisure time for salaried employees and workers, and this created the opportunity for ordinary people to engage in sport and cultural activities.
The striped and the reds
Football became an incredibly popular sport and several clubs were established in Odense: OB, B 1909, B 1913 and the club, Stjernen – The Star – for the 'reds'. Odense was Denmark’s number 1 football city with no less than three teams in the first division, and football provided entertainment for an ever-increasing audience. 1941 saw the opening of Odense Stadion with a capacity of 10,000 spectators. The stadium has since been extended and modernised several times, and is now the only Danish provincial stadium to live up to UEFA standards.
This location is part of the exhibition 'Funen – at the centre of the universe', at Møntergården in Odense. Read more about the exhibition on our website.