After the match against Brommapojkarna, I had thought of taking a day off, but it didn't work out, says Mjällby's communicator James Wahlberg during Wednesday's training.
There is a TV team from the USA. Media from China, Morocco, and Italy are getting in touch and want to know more about the team from Listerlandet and Instagram accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers who post a picture of an Elfsborg player with the text: "The best story in football belongs to Mjällby, who plays from a town with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants”.
The interest – whether it's right or not – seems to have no limits.
It has changed enormously, just since last year, really. Then there wasn't a single media outlet that sought us out. Very few, at any rate. It was probably the local newspaper and some football channel occasionally, says Hasse Larsson to TT.
SM gold was not the idea
Sports manager Larsson has been involved with the club for almost 50 years, of which 16 as a player, but an Allsvenskan gold has never been close before.
One tries to have two thoughts in one's head at the same time, but if one is to divide it into percentages, 90 is on the conclusion here and 10 on next season and later, he says.
For a long time, he himself had to try to recruit players, but in 2023, Arvid Franzén was hired as a part-time scout – remotely. He didn't start full-time until October 1.
It has changed and I'm extremely grateful for it. Then you get a little help, at least. Or a lot of help. Arvid is extremely skilled, really.
How the association has grown is also something that defender Axel Norén is highly aware of. The son of Sölvesborg was involved in taking Mjällby up to Superettan in 2018 before leaving for Gefle. When the 26-year-old returned to Strandvallen before this season, the idea was not that the team would be fighting for the SM gold.
No, one should probably admit, it wasn't quite the idea. It was probably Tom (Pettersson, central defensive colleague) who believed in it firmly, says Norén.
He describes how it was rather "the soft values" that lured him back.
Look at Jesper Gustavsson. He has been here almost his entire life. He is a good role model for how well you can thrive here.
"Don't care a damn"
Team captain Gustavsson, who played his 300th match for Mjällby over the weekend, is just one of many flag-bearers in the club.
They mean an enormous amount, of course. One also feels that one wants to give everyone who has been here for so long the chance to be part of the journey when we're on our way to doing something really big and historic, says Norén.
According to almost everyone except Mjällby, the historic gold is already a done deal. How it will be celebrated is not yet decided, and Hasse Larsson doesn't even want to think about it. The same applies to whether he wants to become a champion in a jacket or not.
I don't care a damn, as long as we win, says Larsson.
I'm on Hasse's track. It can be concluded exactly as they want, says Norén.
Founded: 1939.
Location: Hällevik, Sölvesborg municipality in western Blekinge.
Home ground: Strandvallen.
Best placement in Allsvenskan: Fifth (2020, 2024).
First season in Allsvenskan: 1980.
Main merit: Final in the Swedish Cup (2023).
2015: 13th in Superettan.
2016: Eighth in Division 1.
2017: Second in Division 1.
2018: First in Division 1.
2019: First in Superettan.
2020: Fifth in Allsvenskan.
2021: Ninth in Allsvenskan.
2022: Ninth in Allsvenskan.
2023: Tenth in Allsvenskan.
2024: Fifth in Allsvenskan.
Mjällby has 11 points down to second-placed Hammarby with five rounds left to play. The club needs to take 5 points out of 15 possible to secure the SM gold themselves.
The gold can, however, be secured as early as Sunday.
If Mjällby wins at home against Elfsborg on Saturday and Hammarby drops points away against IFK Göteborg the day after, the gold is secured.
