In the autumn of 2013, Öster, with four SM gold medals on their merit list, ended their previous Allsvenskan stint and since then, the venerable club's audience has been waiting for nearly twelve years to see their team play ball in the top division again.
When the day of the long-awaited home premiere in Växjö arrived, 7,871 spectators turned up to watch the match against Häcken. Among others, former Öster player Tommy Svensson, son of the club's legendary former chairman Stig Svensson, but far more famous as national team coach when Sweden won bronze in the 1994 World Championship in the USA, was spotted in the audience.
"About time"
It was about time, Tommy Svensson replied when TT asked him during the halftime break how he felt about the club in his heart being back in Allsvenskan.
Svensson liked what he saw on the football pitch and got to applaud David Seger's nice goal shot that meant a home lead at halftime.
A good first half by Öster, they have dared to take the initiative and are performing disciplined in defense. Häcken seems to be a bit frustrated, said the former national team coach.
Öster's center back Mattis Adolfsson:
We were just going to go out and make a warrior effort, and that's what we did from minute one.
"You're super happy"
Öster, which previously made three one-year Allsvenskan guest appearances during the 2000s, lost last weekend's premiere match away against Norrköping. At home on their Småland grass pitch, the team showed another side and when Alibek Aliev, after a quick turn of play early in the second half, extended the home lead, jubilation broke out in the arena.
Häcken tried to come back in the fight for points, but Öster held securely and even created opportunities to extend their lead.
In the same moment the final whistle blew, Öster's team and their supporters cheered for their first Allsvenskan three-pointer in more than a decade.
You're super happy. It's something big for Växjö, to get to play in Allsvenskan. You could see that today, with so many people coming to support us, says Mattis Adolfsson.
