Dan Sahlin

Dan Sahlin (born 18 April 1967) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a forward. A late bloomer, Sahlin did not turn professional until the age of 28 when he signed for the Allsvenskan club Hammarby IF in 1995. While at Örebro SK, he became the 1997 Allsvenskan top scorer alongside Mats Lilienberg and Christer Mattiasson. He also briefly represented Birmingham City and AaB. He won three caps for the Sweden national team between 1995 and 1997.

Dan Sahlin
Personal information
Date of birth (1967-04-18) 18 April 1967
Place of birth Falun, Sweden
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
– Nynäshamns IF
199?–1995 Västerhaninge IF
1995–1996 Hammarby IF 24 (12)
1995 → Birmingham City (loan) 1 (0)
1996–1998 Örebro SK 55 (35)
1998–2000 AaB 6 (2)
International career
1995–1997 Sweden B 3 (0)
1995–1997 Sweden 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Sahlin was born in Falun.[1] He began his football career with Nynäshamns IF,[2] and later played for Division 3 club Västerhaninge IF while also playing bandy at elite level. Sahlin came late into top-class football: he was nearly 28 years of age when, after lengthy negotiations, he joined Allsvenskan club Hammarby IF in February 1995.[3] His debut was eventful: after 11 minutes 3 seconds, he scored the first goal of the 1995 Allsvenskan season,[4] and in the 44th minute he received his second yellow card. He finished the season with 12 league goals and another 3 in the Swedish Cup, but his club were relegated.[3]

In November 1995, Sahlin made his international debut for Sweden, after which he went to England to join Division One (second-tier) club Birmingham City on loan.[5] He made his debut in the Football League on 26 November 1995 in a 2–2 draw at home to Leicester City, coming on as a 74th-minute substitute for fellow debutant Danny Hill.[6] This was the only first-team game that Sahlin played for Birmingham,[1] and he returned to Sweden in December.[7]

Sahlin returned to the Allsvenskan with Örebro SK. In 1997 his 14 goals earned him a share in the league top scorer's crown, together with Christer Mattiasson of Elfsborg and Mats Lilienberg of Halmstad,[8] and the following season his 10 goals made him Örebro's leading scorer.[9] In his last game for ÖSK, Sahlin scored in the 89th minute to confirm a 4–2 win and take his club second in the table.[10] In his three seasons with the club he scored 40 goals from 64 appearances in all competitions.[11]

Sahlin signed a three-year contract with Danish Superliga club AaB.[12] In July 1998, he made his debut, opening the scoring in the 39th minute in a 4–0 defeat of AGF Aarhus.[13] He picked up a few injuries, including a minor ankle injury which required surgery. While in hospital, Sahlin suffered a staphylococcal infection in the operated area, which despite lengthy recuperative treatment forced his retirement. He played only six games for AaB, and scored twice.[14][15]

International career

Sahlin played in three B-internationals for Sweden and three matches for the senior national team.[16] On 15 November 1995, he made his senior international debut, as an 83rd-minute substitute to replace Jörgen Pettersson in a UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying match against Turkey which finished as a 2–2 draw. His first start for his country came on 22 February 1996, when he played the first half of the Carlsberg Cup final against Japan in Hong Kong.[17] His third and last international appearance came in a friendly away against Lithuania in August 1997.[18][16]

Career statistics

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[16]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Sweden 199510
199610
199710
Total30

Honours

Individual

References
  1. "Dan Sahlin". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  2. "Fakta om Nifen". Nynäshamns IF. Archived from the original on 11 April 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  3. Bjunér, Andreas (2 December 2004). "Julkalendern: Tidernas 23:e största Bajenprofil" [Advent calendar: Best ever Bajen (Hammarby) players #23] (in Swedish). Hammarby IF. Archived from the original on 17 June 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  4. "Dags att tippa första målet" [Time to pick the first goal]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Stockholm. 19 March 2004. Archived from the original on 14 June 2009. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
  5. "On the move". The Independent. London. 19 November 1995. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
  6. Woodward, James (27 November 1995). "Hunt keeps Birmingham in the hunt". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
  7. Bjunér, Andreas (2 December 2004). "Fortsättning: Tidernas 23:e största Bajenprofil" [Continued: Best ever Bajen (Hammarby) players #23] (in Swedish). Hammarby IF. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  8. "Best scorers & average attendance in Allsvenskan". Swedish Football Association. Archived from the original on 19 July 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  9. "1998" (in Swedish). Örebro SK. Archived from the original on 10 June 2009. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
  10. "Sahlins snygga slut" [Sahlin's nice finish]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Stockholm. 29 June 1998. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  11. "Dan Sahlin – Statistik". Sportklubben.net. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  12. "Dan Sahlin proffs i Danmark" [Dan Sahlin to play in Denmark]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Stockholm. 16 June 1998. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  13. "Sahlin målskytt i danska ligadebuten" [Sahlin scores on Danish league debut]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Stockholm. 26 July 1998. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  14. "Dan Sahlin stopper fodboldkarrieren" [Dan Sahlin finishes his football career]. B.T. (in Danish). Copenhagen. 2 February 2000. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  15. "Spillerprofil" [Player profiles] (in Danish). AaB A/S. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  16. "Dan Sahlin: Landslag" [Dan Sahlin: International] (in Swedish). Svenska Fotbollförbundet. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  17. Yoon, Hyung-Jin (9 October 2005). "Carlsberg Cup 1996". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  18. Kutschera, Ambrosius (2 February 2005). "International Matches 1997 – Europe (July – December)". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
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