SmålandsstenarGround: Domarvallen Visits: 1 Date: 5th October 2024 Match: Smålandsstenar - Ljungby 1-3 (Division 4 Småland Västra) Attendance: 702 In 1983 Smålandsstenars GoIF played against IFK Värnamo in the last round of division 4 in a promotion decider. In the 89th minute a 16-year old scored the winning goal for IFK Värnamo and 11 years later the same player, Jonas Thern, would captain Sweden in the 1994 World Cup. In 2024 Smålandsstenar were in the same position as in 1983 but this time the opponents were Ljungby IF. Smålandsstenar were 2 points behind Ljungby and needed to win to overtake them at the top of Division 4 Småland Västra. From Kristianstad it takes 2.5 hours by car to reach Smålandsstenar and with a 13.00 kick-off I had to set off earlier than usual on a Saturday. At noon I parked my car outside Domarvallen and there was already plenty of activity at the ground. With attendances of 200 for regular league games I was hoping for a bumper crowd for this decider. Domarvallen is a really nice ground with a covered stand offering 485 seats. As the team entered the pitch pyro was set off and plenty of fans were still queuing to enter Domarvallen. The official attendance was given as 702 and that might be the best attendance in all of the division 4 (level 6) - leagues in Sweden this season. From Gothenburg three Swedish groundhopping friends made it to Domarvallen as well and we were all hoping for an exciting game. It started well for Smålandsstenar who scored in the 13th minute. A goal that meant Smålandsstenar would win the league but Ljungby equalised six minutes later and at half-time it was 1-1. Everything to play for in the 2nd half but in two minutes into the last half of the season Ljungby made it 1-2. Ljungby were the better team and when the referee awarded them a penalty in the 83rd all of us at Domarvallen realised this penalty was for being champions. The penalty was scored and as the referee 10 minutes later blew the final whistle Ljungby could celebrate promotion back to division 3. Smålandsstenar still has the chance for promotion but in that case they have to overcome two rounds of play-off games. ![]() Entrance No pyro West side West Stand West Stand West Stand North End East side South End Players and officials entering ![]() Kick-off West side West Stand West Stand West Stand View of play ![]() Pyro Pyro ![]() Smoke East side East side View of play South End 1-0 1-2 Promotion |