GIF Sundsvall could only be dreaming of a top half finish before the season started, so it really is a dream come true that Joel Cedergren's side finished eighth in the league this season. They were tipped to be relegation fodder before a ball had been kicked, with many pundits doubting their squad strength and limited resources.
But Joel Cedergren and his side have proved the doubters wrong time and again this season, and have once again recruited shrewdly with the little they have had, and the scouting for players has once again been spot on. The unity in the group has been highlighted time and again. Draws away to both AIK and Malmo in the latter half of the season was an example of that. With little to play for other than pride, Sundsvall still managed to hold firm away from home against clubs who had a lot still to play for. That shows what kind of spirit Cedergren has instilled in his group.
Linus Hallenius is an obvious choice for player of the season, netting 18 goals in 29 games, and he has become such a cult hero at the club. The recruitment of Maic Sema from Orebro was definitely a case of Orebro's loss and Sundsvall's gain, as the table comparing the two will demonstrate.
It'll be interesting to see where the club goes from here. There will be little movement in the transfer market, and it will once again be a case of checks and balances ahead of the 2019 campaign. But once the dust settles on this season, the club and its supporters can reflect on an absolute belter of a campaign, where they set the bar extremely high for themselves from an early stage. The challenge will be now to fight any elements that could threaten the high standards set this season, both financial and structural.
