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By Matt Davis
BBC Sport
Its February 2018 and Ostersunds FK have only won 2-1 in Arsenal from the Europa League.
The group – managed by Englishman Graham Potter – are from this competition on aggregate, but success at Emirates Stadium is a fitting ending to your fairytale 14-game rush to the last 16.
Their achievement is all the more remarkable when you consider it is eight years since they have been in the division.
But 20 months from this night in London, the team are currently facing a fight for their own future.
For us soccer fans there is no alternative, read a club statement published on their website this week. Ostersund with no elite soccer team is unthinkable
The club figures are crude.
They have to increase 15m Swedish krona (kr) – roughly #1.2m – by the end of the season to keep the team , using 10m kr of the amount to be covered by the close of the month. Thus far 6m kr was raised.
A 1.4m kr tax invoice has to be paid by 2 November.
Employers and fans are being asked to contribute to the cause, and diversification is desperately needed by the club.
We ask you to think back on all of the wonderful memories and what joy and pride we experienced together with OFK, the clubs statement said. If we are to experience it , we must collectively help to escape this catastrophe.
Potter – now handling Brighton in the Premier League – has contributed, as have players that were previous and his training team.
Chairman Daniel Kindberg was the guy who hired Potter and oversaw the clubs rise. By winning the Swedish Cup, European soccer was brought .
Kindberg has been on trial in Sweden convicted with the judges verdict expected on 5 November – crimes that he denies – of crimes.
The team say they have lost 7m krona in sponsorship earnings and failed to bring in 20m kr in participant sales and 5m kr at matchday revenue they had forged for.
They are under a move ban out of Fifa over Saman Ghoddos into French club Amiens move, a decision they would like to appeal against for Sport.
This is a critical situation, director Ian Burchnall told BBC Sport. It has come quickly and out of nowhere considering where the club was a short period of time ago.
The club had an incredible trip, but a lot of things behind the scenes have occurred since then.
We are not the only team in Sweden who have economic problems. And it is so typical in football – look at Bolton and Bury.
It is really hard to compete at the very top and create a sustainable model.
Burchnall succeeded compatriot Potter if the latter left at June 2018 Swansea.
The team finished sixth in the first season of Burchnall in charge, but are now 13th, three points off the relegation places, with three games remaining.
There are just seven English players at the club, such as former Chelsea midfielder Charlie Colkett. Before leaving Sheffield United in July, ravel Morrison spent there.
This season the club had its best ever start in the Swedish league, but because the summer that it has been quite difficult with whats happening off the pitch, said Burchnall, 36.
Weve probably been in the news this season over every other team in Sweden for a lot of unique reasons, but mostly because of its off-field troubles, the continuing court case, both the financial problems and the Fifa transport embargo.
Its a very young group. At one stage we played with the youngest team in the league for 20 years. Of course they are affected by it – either subconsciously or consciously.
They are a wonderful group, but you can sense sometimes you need to work hard to keep them focused on football topics.
Burchnall reported the reduction of this club, that has common attendances of all 4,800, could beenormous.
Over time Graham and his staff and I have sustained top-flight soccer in the north of Sweden, in which they had not had it for years, he said. To have a group up here competing is a massive thing.
The fans are unbelievable. Regardless of what the circumstance is nearly supported by them. Its testament to them and a lot of people have come forward to try out raise funds fast.
The clubs press supervisor, Niclas Lidstrom, refuses to discuss the nightmare situation, saying only:We will fix this.
And Burchnall is still likely for next year.
I understand a whole lot of good folks are working hard to get the perfect thing, and hopefully put a platform in place to maintain growing the group, he explained.
Ive brought in a lot of young and gifted players on contracts that are longer, with a view to creating something for the future and set a team which has actual asset worth in terms of everything we can sell players to get in the future.
We need to look forward. I am planning for another game, but when we discuss the team and gamers, we speak as if weve got a long-term view on it
There was someone out there who didnt do it and who would do it
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