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Inside the club of 'second chances' where English players could rebuild careers abroad

EXCLUSIVE Ytterhogdals isn't a name that features footballing royalty - but for a short period it turned into a haven for British players looking to kick start their careers

[Ytterhogdals became known as the club of second chances]

Ytterhogdals became known as the club of second chances(Image: Courtesy of Adrian Costello)

Arsenal are currently flying high at the top of the Premier League table - and all the struggles of the past decade seem a distant memory with Mikel Arteta having the Emirates rocking again.

However, it was just over five years ago when Ostersunds, a small Swedish side from the fringes of the Arctic Circle, rolled up to London and embarrassed the Gunners. The heist was masterminded by Chelsea boss Graham Potter - who had travelled to Sweden to start his career.

In that side were no less than three English players. One of those players, Curtis Edwards, had quite the route to the top of the footballing pyramid.

READ MORE: Inside Graham Potter's spell near the Arctic Circle that shaped his managerial style

Edwards first touched down in the Scandinavian in 2015, after he was dropped by his boyhood side Middlesbrough - and then failed to cut it in English non-league.

The midfielder took the bold decision to bet on himself - and after an English community had started to build in Sweden, thanks to the LFE scheme, Scandinavia was the perfect destination. Edwards purchased a plane ticket, and he was on a one-way trip to Europe.

However, before Edwards could cut his teeth at Ostersunds, he first touched down at Ytterhogdals, a small club that had started to earn a reputation for housing English talent.

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[Curtis Edwards players under Graham Potter at Ostersunds]

Curtis Edwards players under Graham Potter at Ostersunds(Image: Sunday Mirror)

Before starting I knew the village was small, and its proximity to the nearest large largest town was, you know, some distance two hours away, which was Ostersunds. So I did know that," Adrian Costello - who held numerous roles at Ytterhogdals - recalled to Daily Star Sport .

What I didn't know on landing was, how cold it was, how much snow there could be and how long the snow was going to stay for!" Costello was one of the key figures that turned the sleepy Scandinavian town of 600 people into a haven for British talent.

Ytterhogdals was part of the LFE scheme - which handed footballers released from academies on these shores a second chance on the continent.

[Adrian Costello joked he didn't know how long the snow would stay around for]

Adrian Costello joked he didn't know how long the snow would stay around for(Image: Courtesy of Adrian Costello)

But how did a fourth-tier Swedish side from an isolated community two hours from the closest city - which happened to kiss the Arctic Circle - attract British talent? The answer was simple - they were the only full-time team on the scheme.

Costello added: "We trained full time, we had a gymnasium, a swimming pool, we did Pilates, we did yoga! And we had two gym sessions a week, you know, run by our physio and strength and conditioning people. So we were totally full-time. That's what drew a lot of the English lads."

It also made sense for the club, because coming from a small village of 600 people - local talent offered slim pickings. The LFE would also pay for 12 weeks of their stay, and the English players were given accommodation - which the Swedish players would have to organise themselves.

[Adrian Costello was the manager and the Sporting Director during his time in Sweden]

Adrian Costello was the manager and the Sporting Director during his time in Sweden(Image: Courtesy of Adrian Costello)

Suddenly, this small British community had taken over the town. However, there were constant reminders they lived in Sweden.

The heated hall they trained in during the winter - which Costello joked only "took the temperature from -35C down to about -28C" - saw its roof collapse twice in 2019, due to the weight of snow. Meanwhile, wheels on cars had to be fitted with special tyres.

"The season that we finished second and lost in the playoff final in 2019, the majority of that team was British," Costello added. I think we are three Swedes, one Dutch, the rest were all Brits, the coaching staff, all Brits, the physios, all Brits, because we just couldn't find players locally."

[Ytterhogdals offered players second chances in Europe thanks to the LFE scheme]

Ytterhogdals offered players second chances in Europe thanks to the LFE scheme(Image: Courtesy of Adrian Costello)

However, all good things must come to an end - and a combination of covid and Brexit meant the British players who made Ytterhogdal their home slowly ebbed back home.

Costello continued: "If you're British, you need to apply for a visa. But of course, if youre a footballer, you can't register, because they know you're only here for 90 days.

So you're not a tourist, and the only way you can come in at the moment without a visa is on a tourist visa for 90 days. As much as everybody thought, you know, three, four years ago, there is going to be a way around it, there isn't."

[Ytterhogdal is only home to 600 people]

Ytterhogdal is only home to 600 people(Image: Courtesy of Adrian Costello)

It's still a similar story in the small village, foreign talent is brought in to supplement the lack of local players - but the British majority has yet to return.

Costello has since moved on too, and he's now back in his native Yorkshire with Bridlington Town. However, his fond memories of Sweden continue - and for a time the small 600-person-strong village of Ytterhogdal was transformed into Little Britain.

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