Kim Østergaard Nielsen

Kim Østergaard Nielsen

Personal information
Date of birth	(1974-10-20) 20 October 1974 (age 50)
Place of birth	Aarhus, Denmark
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s)	Right-back
Youth career
	IF Fuglebakken
	AGF
0000–1995	Silkeborg
1995–1996	Randers Freja
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–1998	Aarhus Fremad	9	(0)
1998–2005	Randers FC[a]	78	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kim Østergaard Nielsen (born 20 October 1974) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a right-back. During his career, he played professionally for Aarhus Fremad and Randers FC.

Career

Nielsen graduated from the Randers Freja youth academy in 1996, where he moved to Aarhus Fremad who were competing in the second tier Danish 1st Division. In his first season at the club, Fremad sensationally won promotion to the Danish Superliga.[2] He made his professional debut at the highest level on 25 July 1997 in a 2–1 derby win over AGF.[3]

Nielsen returned to Randers in 1998, competing in the second tier.[4] He won promotion to the Superliga with Randers during the 2003–04 season,[5] and his return to the top tier came on 1 August 2004 as a late substitute for Rene Carlsen in a 1–0 home loss to Herfølge Boldklub.[6] He made a total of 32 league appearances that season,[7] which saw Randers suffer relegation to the 1st Division after finishing bottom of the league.[8] He retired after his final game, a 2–2 draw against Esbjerg fB on 19 June 2005.[9][4]

Style of play

Nielsen was described by Randers FC's assistant coach Peter Elstrup as "an elegant and intelligent footballer. As a person, he was a good and smart guy who left a positive mark on the squad".[4]

After football

As of May 2020, Nielsen works as Country Customer Manager for IKEA.[10] He has not played football since, mainly focusing on a yearly participation in the Berlin Marathon.[11]

Notes

1. Randers Freja changed its name to Randers FC in 2003.

References

1. Kim Østergaard Nielsen at WorldFootball.net
2. Balle, Ricky; Rehn, Niklas. "Fremads Historie – Aarhus Fremad Fodbold". Aarhus Fremad (in Danish). Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
3. "Aarhus Fremad 2–1 AGF – 25.07.1997". danskfodbold.com – DBU's Officielle Statistikere. Archived from the original on 10 July 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
4. "Kandidat højre back: Kim Østergaard". Randers Amtsavis (in Danish). 5 April 2013. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
5. "Randers FC – Oprykning 2004". Randers Amtsavis (in Danish). 15 April 2013. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
6. "Randers FC 0–1 Herfølge BK". danskfodbold.com – DBU's Officielle Statistikere. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
7. "Spillerstatistik – Kim Østergaard Nielsen". danskfodbold.com – DBU's Officielle Statistikere. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
8. Panum, Jacob (12 June 2005). "Randers rykker ud af Superligaen". DR (in Danish). Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
9. "Randers FC 2–2 Esbjerg fB". danskfodbold.com – DBU's Officielle Statistikere. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
10. Dupont, Tobias Nørgård (10 May 2020). "IKEA nyder godt af, at kontrakttilbuddet røg i skuffen: Kim Østergaard Nielsen sluttede på toppen i Randers FC". Randers Amtsavis (in Danish). Archived from the original on 11 May 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
11. Andersen, Kristian Fredslund. "Helligede sig civilkarrieren og familien". Randers FC Magasinet (in Danish). No. Spring 2015. p. 36. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.

External links

• Kim Østergaard Nielsen at SuperStats
• Kim Østergaard Nielsen at WorldFootball.net