Zealand Series Explained

Sjællandsserien
Country:Denmark
Confed:DBU Zealand (DBU)
Founded: (cup format)
(league format)
Divisions:2
Teams:24 (from 2015–16)
Promotion:Denmark Series (4 divisions)
Relegation:Series 1, group 1 (north Zealand)
Series 1, group 2 (south Zealand)
Lolland-Falster Series
Levels:6
Domest Cup:Danish Cup
Champions:IF Skjold Birkerød
Season:2016–17
Current:2021–22 season

Zealand Series (Danish: '''Sjællandsserien''', '''SS''', '''Herre Sjællandsserien'''<ref name="turneringsreglement-dbu-sjælland" />) is the highest division for men organized by the regional association DBU Sjælland and one of the sixth-highest divisions overall in the Danish football league system. The Zealand Association Football Championship (Danish: '''Sjællandsmesterskabet''', '''SM''') was introduced a week after the association's foundation in 1902 and was played in a cup format until actual league formats organized on a double round-robin basis including promotions and relegations were introduced in 1927 with the highest ranking division being named Mesterrækken (or SBUs Mesterrække to distinguish it from the other regional leagues). At the time of the league's introduction, it was placed at the top of the Danish football league system, but has since been moved to its current status as the sixth best level, below the Denmark Series at the fifth level.

History

Only one week after the foundation of the second regional football association, Zealand Football Association (SBU), the first tournament between member clubs was started. The first tournament was played in a cup format with the participation of 13 teams and a final match, a tournament format that was kept until 1917. In 1918, the teams started playing a double tournament format (autumn–spring). At the annual general assembly in 1927, the decision of introducing an actual league format for the best member teams was passed, creating the Mesterrækken (SBU level 1) and the A-rækken (SBU level 2) with promotions and relegations in a double year-long format (autumn-spring) under the auspices of the football association. In 1910, no tournament winner was declared. I finale match ended in a tie and a new date for the replay match was not found. Due to World War I, the Danish football tournaments in 1914–1915 were completed with great difficulties and almost ceased to exist - only eight teams participated in the local tournament administrated by SBU.

Despite difficulties with transportation (especially using cars) during World War II, the football tournaments under Sjællands Boldspil-Union in 1940–1942 managed to complete almost without any cancellations, and continued in a reduced format until the end of the war in 1945. Mesterrækken (SBU level 1), Oprykningsrækken (SBU level 2) and A-rækken (SBU level 3) completed the scheduled matches in autumn 1944, but due to restrictions on the usage of trains during Sundays, many cancellations occurred in spring 1945. A wartime crisis tournament was set up instead, where teams played in small (local) regional tournaments and all promotions and relegations were suspended. Immediately following World War II, the Danish Football Association (DBU) annulled the national wartime league tournaments and introduces a new national league structure for the top tree levels (Danmarksturneringen i fodbold) with ten teams in each league. Promotion to the third division went through the top amateur leagues organized by the six regional football associations, at that moment in time located as the fourth level in Danish association football, where each league winner entered play-off matches against the other regional league winners. The highest ranking senior men's league administrated by DBU Zealand was renamed from Mesterrækken to Sjællandsserien, while the league below was renamed from Oprykningsrækken to Mellemrækken, beginning with the 1945/46-season.

As a consequence of the new league restructuring introduced by the national football association for the higher national levels, on 5 September 2014 at a board meeting of the committee the regional association of Zealand decided to adopt a new league structure for their own highest league competition. Starting from the 2015–16-season, the best men's league would be split into two geographically organized groups with 12 teams, where the group winners are each secured a direct promotion spot to Denmark Series, while the runners-up play an additional single match on a neutral field for a third promotion spot to the fourth level in Danish football. The losing team will enter into a play-off match against one of the league runners-up from the other regional associations. Also the Lolland-Falster Series, that have historically always been located at the same level as the Zealand Series, would drop a level and would instead become a feeder league to the Zealand Series with two promotion spots following an agreement made with DBU Lolland-Falster. DBU Lolland-Falster saw the difference in level between the teams in the Lolland-Falster Series and the Denmark Series being too high.

Zealand Championship winners

Beginning with the 2015–16 season, the two group winners in a given season enters a play-off final match against each other to determine the Zealand Championship (Sjællandsmesterskabet) - both are automatically promoted to the Denmark Series. The runners-up in both group enter a play-off match against each other on a neutral playing field for the right to enter the Denmark Series, while the losing team will get an additional chance by playing one extra play-off match against a league runner-up from another regional association. Teams placing in the bottom are automatically relegated to the Series 1 leagues and Lolland-Falster Series respectively.

SBU's 1. Holdsturnering play-off Finals

SeasonLevelChampionsRunners-up
1902 fall1Holbæk IFVordingborg Seminariums Boldklub
1903 spring1Holbæk IFNæstved AIK
1903–041Helsingør IFVordingborg Seminariums Boldklub
1904–051Helsingør IFHolbæk IF
1905–061Helsingør IFVordingborg Seminariums Boldklub
1906–071Helsingør IFSlagelse Boldklub
1907 fall1Helsingør IFSlagelse Boldklub
1908 spring1Helsingør IFRoskilde Boldklub
1908 fall1IF Frem VordingborgHelsingør IF
1909 spring1Helsingør IFHolmegaard Glasværks Boldklub
1909 fall1IF Frem VordingborgRoskilde Boldklub
1910 spring1Haslev IKHelsingør IF
1910 fall1Haslev IKHolbæk IF
1911 spring1No Winner
1911 fall1Frederiksborg IF HillerødNæstved IK
1912 spring1Frederiksborg IF HillerødNæstved IK
1912–132Frederiksborg IF HillerødHaslev IK
1913–142Frederiksborg IF HillerødIF Frem Vordingborg
1914–152Helsingør IFNæstved IK
1915–162Frederiksborg IF HillerødNæstved IK
1916–172Frederiksborg IF HillerødNæstved IK

A-rækken play-off Finals

SeasonLevelChampionsRunners-up
1917–182Frederiksborg IF HillerødNæstved IK
1918–192Korsør BoldklubKøge G&IF
1919–202Boldklubben SøstjernenKorsør Boldklub
1920–212Helsingør IFKorsør Boldklub
1921–222Skovshoved IFKorsør Boldklub
1922–232Frederiksborg IF HillerødKorsør Boldklub
1923–242Holbæk IFFrederiksborg IF Hillerød

A-rækkens Kredsvinderturnering

SeasonLevelChampionsRunners-up
1924–252Korsør BoldklubSkovshoved IF
1925–262Skovshoved IFHolbæk Boldklub
1926–272Skovshoved IFKorsør Boldklub

Mesterskabsrækken

SeasonLevelChampionsRunners-up
1927–282Skovshoved IFFrederiksborg IF Hillerød
1928–292Skovshoved IFKorsør Boldklub
1929–303Frederiksborg IF HillerødNæstved Boldklub
1930–313Helsingør IFHaslev IF
1931–323Næstved BoldklubHelsingør IF
1932–333Helsingør IFNæstved Boldklub
1933–343Helsingør IFNæstved Boldklub
1934–353Korsør BoldklubHelsingør IF
1935–363Helsingør IFKøge Boldklub
1936–374Holbæk B&IFGentofte-Vangede IF
1937–384Slagelse BK&IFKorsør Boldklub
1938–394Korsør BoldklubFrederiksborg IF Hillerød
1939–404Næstved IFSlagelse BK&IF
1940–412Slagelse BK&IFNæstved IF
1941–422Haslev IFLyngby Boldklub
1942–432Haslev IFNæstved IF
1943–442Næstved IFLyngby Boldklub
1944–452Not finished

Sjællandsserien

SeasonLevelChampionsRunners-up
1945–464IF Skjold BirkerødLendemark Boldklub
1946–474Lyngby BoldklubRingsted IF
1947–484Slagelse BK&IFHolbæk B&IF
1948–494Slagelse BK&IFLyngby Boldklub
1949–504Slagelse BK&IFLyngby Boldklub
1950–514Kalundborg GF&BKSlagelse BK&IF
1951–524Roskilde B1906Slagelse BK&IF
1952–534Lyngby BoldklubKorsør Boldklub
1953–544Lendemark BoldklubKorsør Boldklub
1954–554IF Skjold BirkerødRoskilde B1906
1955–564IF Skjold BirkerødRoskilde B1906
1956–574Lyngby BoldklubFrederiksborg IF Hillerød
19584Roskilde B1906Køge Boldklub (II)
19595Lyngby BoldklubKøge Boldklub (II)
19605Slagelse BK&IFGlostrup IC
19615Køge Boldklub (II)Holbæk B&IF
19625Kalundborg GF&BKLendemark Boldklub
19635Holte IFFrederiksborg IF Hillerød
19645IF Skjold BirkerødAkademisk Boldklub (II)
19655Slagelse BK&IFHolte IF
19665Helsingør IFAkademisk Boldklub (II)
19675Ballerup IFHerlev IF
19685Herlev IFStore Merløse IF
19695Lyngby Boldklub (II)IF 32 Glostrup
19705Akademisk Boldklub (II)IF 32 Glostrup
19715Brøndby IFToksværd G&IF
19725Næstved IF (II)Nivå GF
19735Lyngby Boldklub (II)Knabstrup IF
19745Holbæk B&IF (II)Knabstrup IF
19755Lyngby Boldklub (II)Jyderup SG&IF
19765Jyderup SG&IFSlagelse BK&IF (II)
19775Næstved IF (II)Hørsholm-Usserød IK
19785Boldklubben AvartaVordingborg IF
19795Akademisk Boldklub (II)IF Skjold Birkerød
19805Lyngby Boldklub (II)Greve IF
19815Brøndby IF (II)Skovlunde IF
19825Greve IFAlbertslund IF
19835Kalundborg GF&BKAvedøre IF
19845Humlebæk BoldklubAlbertslund IF
19855Ringsted IFNæstved IF (II)
19865Ølstykke FCEspergærde IF
19875Hørsholm-Usserød IKHerlev IF
19885Vordingborg IFHumlebæk Boldklub
19895Næstved IF (II)Roskilde B1906 (II)
19905Herfølge Boldklub (II)Lundtofte Boldklub
19915Hillerød G&IFKalundborg GF&BK
19926→5Næstved IF (II)Akademisk Boldklub (II)
19936→5Lillerød IFHerfølge Boldklub (II)
19946→5Skovlunde IFNivå GF
19956→5Kalundborg GF&BKHolbæk B&IF
19965Nivå GFFarum Boldklub
19975Vedbæk BoldklubAlbertslund IF
19986Holbæk B&IF (II)Slagelse BK&IF
19996Gladsaxe-Hero BoldklubIF 32 Glostrup (II)
20006Søllerød BoldklubKøge Boldklub (II)
20016Farum Boldklub (II)Avedøre IF
20026Hørsholm-Usserød IKGreve IF
20036KFUM RoskildeHerlev IF
20046Skovlunde IFNivå-Kokkedal FK
20056Lyngby Boldklub (II)Allerød FK
20066Køge Boldklub (II)Rishøj Boldklub
20076Fredensborg BK&IFSolrød FC
2008 spring6Næstved IF (NB II)Svebølle BK&IF
2008–095Frederikssund IKRishøj Boldklub
2009–105FC ØresundLedøje-Smørum Fodbold
2010–115B1973 HerlevFredensborg BK&IF
2011–125Ledøje-Smørum FodboldVirum-Sorgenfri Boldklub
2012–135KFUM RoskildeFredensborg BK&IF
2013–145Kalundborg GF&BKNæstved IF (NB II)
2014–155Hillerød FodboldVirum-Sorgenfri Boldklub

Sjællandsserien SM Final

Season Final Date Winner Result Runners–up Venue Ref
2015–16518 June 2016Stenløse BK1–1 (5–3 pen.)Herlufsholm GFHerlufsholm Kunstgræsbane, Næstved
2016–17517 June 2017IF Skjold Birkerød2–0Slagelse BK&IFSlagelse Stadium, Slagelse
2017–18516 June 2018Allerød FK5–2Ishøj IFAllerød Idrætspark, Allerød[1]
2018–19520 June 2019Køge Nord FC6–0Frederikssund IKRishøj Stadium, Køge[2]
2019–205[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Turneringer & Resultater : Resultatsøgning : Kampinformation : Finale/781942 : SM Sjællandsserien . www.dbu.dk . . 28 July 2020.
  2. Web site: Turneringer & Resultater : Resultatsøgning : Kampinformation : Finale/423103 : SM Sjællandsserien . www.dbu.dk . . 28 July 2020.
  3. Web site: Larsen . René . Seriefodbolden kommer ikke i gang . www.sn.dk . Sjællandske Nyheder . 28 July 2020 . 15 May 2020.