Hobro IK

Hobro IK traces its origins to 27 May 1913, when a group of young people in Hobro decided to form a football club. The club was officially established on 13 June 1913, under the name Hobro Idrætsforening. In the late 1920s, following a merger with the newly founded Hobro Boldklub, the club adopted its current name, Hobro Idræts Klub.

Initially, matches were played on a grass field at Vilhelmsminde before relocating to the town's market square. However, visiting teams refused to play on the unsuitable surface, prompting the creation of a proper pitch on Vester Alle—later dubbed the "mud pitch" (mudderbanen). In the early 1930s, the team moved again to a field near Rosendal, which served as Hobro's primary football ground for the next 25 years.

In 1958, the club inaugurated Hobro Stadium at Ledsagers Jorde near Østerskoven. This coincided with the Jutland Football Association's modernisation of league structures, placing Hobro IK's first team in Series I and the reserves in Series II.

A notable early milestone for Hobro IK occurred in 1961, when the club reached the round of 16 in the Danish Cup, hosting B 1909. The visitors, featuring several Danish internationals, won 11–1 in front of 1,912 spectators. Hobro's sole goal was scored by Carl Erik Kristensen, father of future nine-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen.

The club experienced significant challenges in the mid-1970s, falling to Series III and facing severe financial difficulties. Stability was gradually restored through a no-interest loan from the local municipality, the appointment of a new executive board, and the creation of a financial oversight committee.

By the late 1980s, Hobro had returned to the Jutland Series. In 1987, they hosted second-tier Randers Freja in a Danish Cup fixture, drawing a crowd of 2,532. Hobro lost the match 4–1.

The foundation for Hobro IK's modern success was laid in 1999, when the club's under-19 side won the national championship in the 1st Division. That team included brothers Lars and Mads Justesen, as well as Peter and Martin Thomsen.

In 2005, Hobro's senior team earned promotion to the third-tier Danish 2nd Division. Players from the youth squad, including the Justesen brothers and Rasmus Ingemann, were joined by sports director Jens Hammer Sørensen.

Hobro finished second in the 2nd Division West in the 2009–10 season, earning a promotion playoff against B.93. The first leg, played at Østerbro Stadium, ended 2–0 in Hobro's favour, with goals from Kasper Fisker and Mark Vestergaard. In the return leg at Hobro Stadium, Anders Syberg and Eno Hald Møller secured a 3–1 win (5–1 aggregate), sending Hobro to the second-tier Danish 1st Division for the first time in club history.

Following promotion in 2010, Hobro remained in the 1st Division for four seasons. The club narrowly avoided relegation in the 2012–13 campaign but stunned Danish football in 2013–14 by finishing second, just behind Silkeborg, thereby securing a historic promotion to the Danish Superliga. The achievement was considered one of the biggest surprises in the league's history.

Hobro IK's debut season in the 2014–15 Danish Superliga was met with widespread skepticism, with many analysts predicting immediate relegation. Defying expectations, the club opened the campaign with a 2–1 away victory over OB. The strong start continued with a 2–0 win against Brøndby and a 3–0 upset over defending champions FC Copenhagen at Parken Stadium. Hobro ultimately secured a seventh-place finish with 43 points, earning widespread praise for their discipline and competitive spirit.

Following the 2015–16 season, Hobro IK experienced a period of fluctuation between Denmark's top two football divisions. After finishing at the bottom of the Superliga table in 2015–16, the club was relegated to the Danish 1st Division. In November 2015, Hobro had appointed veteran coach Ove Pedersen as head coach in an effort to stabilise the club.

During the 2016–17 season, Thomas Thomasberg was appointed head coach, taking over midway through the campaign. Under Thomasberg's leadership, Hobro secured the 1st Division title and achieved immediate promotion back to the Superliga.

Thomasberg continued as head coach during Hobro's return to the Superliga, maintaining the club's top-flight status until his departure in June 2018 to manage Randers. Assistant coach Allan Kuhn was subsequently promoted to the head coach position.

In early 2019, Peter Sørensen succeeded Kuhn as head coach. Under Sørensen's leadership, Hobro avoided relegation by defeating Vejle 3–0 on aggregate in the May 2019 promotion/relegation play-off. Despite this success, the club struggled in the following season, finishing last in the 2019–20 Superliga with 23 points, and was relegated to the 1st Division. Sørensen continued as head coach in the 1st Division but resigned in February 2021, citing differences with the club's sporting direction. Assistant coach Michael Kryger took over on an interim basis for the remainder of the 2020–21 season.

In June 2021, former club captain Martin Thomsen was appointed head coach on a three-year contract. Since returning to the 1st Division, Hobro has generally posted mid-table finishes. The club has continued to focus on developing young talents from its academy as part of a long-term strategy.