Sundsvall suffered expected relegation with the signs there even before the season started. In February the team’s financial statement revealed huge depth and lack of money for anything but the basic necessities.
The start to the season was decent enough (W2 D2 L2), but most of those points came thanks to the goals scored by the team’s goal machine Hellenius and when he left at the end of May for substantial transfer fee it already looked as if Sundsvall are giving up. With 2 more regulars sold in the summer to patch up the money pit and pretty average replacements signed the squad was significantly weaker from June onwards.
This was probably the main reason for the 18-game winless run (D5 L13) stretching from April to September. Near the end of it, after round 21, coach Cedergren was sacked after 6 years in charge.
Tony Gustavsson took the reigns for round 23 and his first 5 games were very positive (W2 D2 L1). This resurrected the survival hope, it looked extinguished prior to those results, but things quickly got back to where they were and 3 defeats in a row to end the season sealed the team’s fate. Crucial proved the 0:1 away loss vs. Eskilstuna in round 28!
With no money available now Sundsvall might find themselves demoted more than just 1 division and the future of the team is under serious question.
