07.11.2008, 11:50
Changes in Ikast

A football club will buy the handball team of Ikast/Brande EH if the General Assembly gives the go ahead for the plans.

Changes in Ikast

Danish Women’s Champions League team, Ikast/Brande EH, will be part of the neighbouring football club FC Midtjylland. The team of this club are currently fourth in the Danish football first division.

Back in 1999, FC Midtjylland was formed as a merger between the football clubs of neighbour towns, Herning and Ikast. The handball club of Ikast will also become member of this Central Jutland sports family.

“We want to offer even more sports events for people in Central Jutland. IBEH fits perfectly in with our brand and our concept. It seems to be a very good idea to go on developing a great business that IBEH has created in handball already,” FC Midtjylland director Claus Bertelsen said about the take-over.

For Ikast/Brande EH, a close cooperation with the neighbouring football club was a natural step to take:

“We had to realise that the way things are in Denmark at the moment we would not be able to develop our business any further alone. It was natural for us to look for a partner who could lift women’s handball in this area to a higher level. We found that FCM, a strong brand with a strong organisation, has a stable economic background and the necessary know-how,” Ikast/Brande´s managing director Simon Kirk said in a comment to the take-over.

Permanent top club

“Our aim is to be permanently in top three of Danish women´s league and to take part in one of the European Cup tournaments every year,” FCM director Claus Bertelsen said about the ambitions with the new team.

FC Midtjylland will pay between €400 000 and €600 000 for Ikast/Brande and the new ownership means that Ikast/Brande will soon change their name to FCM Håndbold. Their yellow shirt will change to FC Midtjylland´s black outfit.

The take-over will have to get the go ahead from the General Assembly of Ikast/Brande EH on 20 November.

TEXT: Peter Bruun