GIF Sundsvall

Gymnastik- och Idrottsföreningen Sundsvall, more commonly known as GIF Sundsvall () or simply Sundsvall, is a Swedish professional football club based in Sundsvall. The club is affiliated with Medelpads Fotbollförbund and plays its home games at Idrottsparken. Formed on 25 August 1903, the club has played 17 seasons in Sweden's highest football league Allsvenskan, the club's first season in the league was in 1965.
History.
The club was formed on August 25, 1903 at Matilda Anderssons Café. At that time, GIF Sundsvall stood for ""Godtemplarnas Idrotts Förening Sundsvall" which mainly was for Teetotallers up until the alcohol demands was lightened in 1920. The initials then came to stand for, to this day still, "Gymnastik och Idrottsföreningen Sundsvall"" (Gymnastics and sports club Sundsvall).
The club reached the first tier of the domestic football in 1965. The club has since been a "yo-yo team" mainly playing in the second division but with Allsvenskan stints in 1975, 1987–89, 1991, 2000–06, 2008, 2012 and 2015–19.
GIF Sundsvall earlier had women's football, bandy and ice hockey on the program. The bandy team became district champions for Västernorrland in 1921. The hockey team folded in the late 1960s. In 1985 the women's team was transferred to Sundsvalls DFF. This mainly because the women's team was disappointed with the lack of support from the men's team.
Idrottsparken.
GIF Sundsvall's home stadium is "Idrottsparken", formerly known as "Norrporten Arena." It is located in the heart of Sundsvall and was inaugurated on August 6, 1903.
It was renovated in 2001–2002 and it can now hold a capacity of 7,700, with 5,000 under roof.
Between 2006–2016 the name was changed to Norrporten Arena and during 2017 the club expect to present a new sponsor and name of the stadium.
The stadium's grass is artificial turf since 2004.
Top attendance: 16,507 vs Högadal on October 15, 1961.
Supporters.
The official supporter's club of GIF Sundsvall is called Patronerna. Formed in 1999, mostly as a joke by some friends supporting their friend, the club has in a short period of time amassed a strong reputation. The name is mainly a historical reference to the sawmill owners who were very powerful in Sundsvall during the post-industrial-revolution era. In 2005, FP-tifo, the group who designs the club's terrace choreography, won the Swedish tifo awards arranged by Canal+.
Players.
Retired numbers.
10 – Leif Forsberg, forward (1980–1988, 1990–2001)