Jan Jansson (footballer) explained

Jan Jansson
Fullname:Anders Jan Ove Jansson
Birth Date:26 January 1968
Birth Place:Mörbylånga, Öland, Sweden
Height:5feet[1]
Position:Midfielder
Youthclubs1:Mörbylånga GoIF
Years1:1985–1987
Clubs1:Kalmar
Caps1:34
Goals1:3
Years2:1988–1992
Clubs2:Öster
Caps2:127
Goals2:42
Years3:1993–1997
Clubs3:Norrköping
Caps3:82
Goals3:11
Years4:1996–1997
Clubs4:Port Vale (loan)
Caps4:11
Goals4:1
Years5:1997–1999
Clubs5:Port Vale
Caps5:40
Goals5:5
Years6:1999–2001
Clubs6:Norrköping
Caps6:15
Goals6:0
Totalcaps:309
Totalgoals:62
Nationalyears1:1986
Nationalteam1:Sweden U19
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1988–1990
Nationalteam2:Sweden U21
Nationalcaps2:14
Nationalgoals2:3
Nationalyears3:1991–1994
Nationalteam3:Sweden
Nationalcaps3:7
Nationalgoals3:0

Anders Jan Ove Jansson (born 26 January 1968) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. At the club level he represented Kalmar FF, Östers IF, IFK Norrköping, and Port Vale between 1985 and 2001. He won seven caps for the Sweden national team between 1991 and 1994 and was a squad member for his country at UEFA Euro 1992.

Club career

Kalmar FF

Jansson began his senior career at Kalmar FF and played 11 games in the Allsvenskan in 1985, as the "Red brothers" finished second, just two points behind champions Malmö. He then featured 17 times in 1986, as the club slipped down the table and ended the season in the relegation zone. They suffered a second-successive relegation zone in 1987 and dropped out of Division 1 Södra, despite Jansson scoring three goals in 16 games.

Östers IF

Jansson moved back to the top flight with Öster and scored two goals in 20 league games in 1988 as the club was relegated to Division 1. New manager Hans Backe then led Östers to the Division 1 Södra title in 1989, with Jansson scoring 14 goals in 26 appearances. He then scored five goals in 22 games in 1990, as the team secured European football with a fourth-place finish. He then scored 13 goals in 31 appearances in 1991 and also scored a goal against Olympique Lyonnais in the UEFA Cup. He went on to score eight goals in 28 games in 1992, as Östers finished second in the league, seven points behind champions Norrköping.

IFK Norrköping

He moved on to league champions Norrköping and scored eight goals in 23 games as they finished second in the league in 1993, some five points behind champions Göteborg. He played 19 games without finding the net in 1994, as Norrköping finished in fourth place. He featured 25 times in 1995, as they had to beat GAIS over two legs after finishing in the relegation play-off zone. He scored one goal in six games in 1996, as Norrköping finished in eighth place.

Loan to Port Vale

He moved to England with First Division side Port Vale on a three-month loan in November 1996, during the Swedish winter break. He played 11 league games in the 1996–97 season and scored his first goal in the Football League at Vale Park on 19 January, in a 4–4 draw with Queens Park Rangers. Back with Norrköping, he scored two goals in nine games in the 1997 season.

Port Vale

Port Vale manager John Rudge signed him permanently during the summer of 1997 for a £200,000 fee. He scored five goals in 32 league and two League Cup appearances in the 1997–98 season, the last two of which helped to secure a 4–0 win over Huddersfield Town at the Alfred McAlpine Stadium on the final day of the season – the victory kept the "Valiants" out of the relegation zone.[2] Jansson said that "That’s the first time in my career that I haven’t been able to sleep before a game. In Sweden, you play almost for fun, but here this is my work and it was important we stayed up." However, he featured just eight times in the 1998–99 season before being released by new manager Brian Horton in February.

Return to IFK Norrköping

Jansson returned to Sweden and his former club, Norrkoping, to make four appearances in 1999. He then played five games in 2000 and six games in 2001, before retiring from Nya Parken.

International career

Jansson was a part of the Sweden U21 team that reached the semi-finals of the 1990 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.[3] He won seven caps for the senior Sweden team between 1991 and 1994 and represented his country at UEFA Euro 1992 and the Joe Robbie Cup.

Style of play

Jansson was a cultured midfielder and a dead ball specialist.[4]

Career statistics

Club

ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueFA CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Kalmar1985Allsvenskan10
1986Allsvenskan170
1987Swedish football Division 1163
Total343
Öster1988Allsvenskan202
1989Swedish football Division 12614
1990Allsvenskan225
1991Allsvenskan3113
1992Allsvenskan288
Total12742
Norrköping1993Allsvenskan238
1994Allsvenskan190
1995Allsvenskan250
1996Allsvenskan61
1997Allsvenskan92
Total8211
Port Vale1996–97First Division1111000121
1997–98First Division3350020355
1998–99First Division70001080
Total5161030556
Norrköping1999Allsvenskan40
2000Allsvenskan50
2001Allsvenskan60
Total150
Total30962103031362

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[5]

National teamYearAppsGoals
Sweden199110
199240
199310
199410
Total70

Honours

Östers

1989

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rollin . Glenda . Rollin . Jack . Rothmans football yearbook 1999-2000 . 1999 . London : Headline . 978-0-7472-2166-1 . 27 November 2022.
  2. News: Baggaley . Michael . Last day drama when Port Vale stayed up but Man City and Stoke City went down . 4 May 2020 . Stoke Sentinel . 3 May 2020.
  3. Web site: Jan Jansson – Spelarstatistik – Svensk fotboll. 2020-08-18. svenskfotboll.se.. sv.
  4. News: Cult Hero 22: Jan Jansson . 1 June 2020 . onevalefan.co.uk . 30 January 2012.
  5. Web site: Player profile . National-Football-Teams.com . 10 July 2016.