Amager Boldspil-Union, shortened to ABU, was a subregional

governing body A governing body is a group of people that has the authority to exercise governance over an organization or political entity. The most formal is a government, a body whose sole responsibility and authority is to make binding decisions in a taken ge ...

for men's association football on the island of

Amager Amager ( or, especially among older speakers, ) in the Øresund is Denmark's most densely populated island, with more than 212,000 inhabitants (January 2021) a small appendage to Zealand. The protected natural area of ''Naturpark Amager'' (includi ...

, Denmark. The Amager Football Association governed the league and cup tournaments for the official championship of Amager, known as ABUs Amager-Turnering (or Amagermesterskabsturneringen) and ABUs Pokalturnering (or Amagerpokalturneringen) since its inception in March 1912. In 1916, the association's clubs formed the regional Københavns Forstadsklubbers Boldspil-Union (KFBU). Representative teams, either composed of individual clubs and a selection of players from several teams, referred to as Amager, competed in KFBU tournaments (referred to as ''Bydelsturneringen'') or in exhibition matches against other representative teams and clubs. The subregional football association published a member's magazine known as ''Unionsbladet'', which evolved into the KFBU magazine known as ''Fodboldbladet''.

History

With the intension of creating better a framework for the arrangements of private matches,

BK Fremad Amager Boldklubben Fremad Amager (meaning in English: The Ball Club Forward Amager ; abbreviated Fremad A) is a Danish professional football club based in the district of Amager Vest, Copenhagen. As of the 2020–21 season, the club's senior men's team ...

took the initiative of inviting all present clubs on the island of Amager to a first briefing in November 1911 – with the exception of

B 1908 Boldklubben 1908 (B.1908 for short) is a Danish football club based in the district of Amager Vest, Copenhagen. The club's first team play in Denmark Series, the fifth tier of Danish football. The club play their home matches at Sundby Idrætspar ...

due to the club being considered a much stronger side than the Amager-based teams. The representatives went back to their individual clubs to discuss the formation of a local football association, which resulted in a new meeting in January 1912, in which B 1908 was now invited to. The association was founded on 13 March 1912 at a meeting held by four clubs, Dragør BK,

and IK 99 (the football department of IK 99 was also known as B 99). Each club would got two representatives on the first

governing board A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...

, which had E. Ebertsen (BK Fremad Amager) as chairman, Hans Svane (Dragør BK) as vice-chairman, O. Andersen (IK 99) as

cashier A retail cashier or simply a cashier is a person who handles the cash register at various locations such as the point of sale in a retail store. The most common use of the title is in the retail industry, but this job title is also used in the ...

and Harry Osbæck (B 1908) as secretary. Each club had their own home grounds assigned by the local municipality. The formation of Amager Boldspil-Union happened in the wake of KBU's conflicts in 1911 regarding the constellation of power and the number of votes between the ''baneejende klubber'' and the ''fælledklubberne''. Shortly after its foundation, the association announced two league tournaments, one for first team seniors (''1. Senior-Hold'') and one for reserve players (''2. Senior-Hold'') each split into a spring and fall section with a silver trophy as the perpetual prize, including a cup tournament held at the end of the season. The first league trophy was given to B 1908 for winning the tournament for a second time in 1913, and the second trophy was also won by B 1908 in 1916 following three consecutive championships. The first league season under the auspices of the Amager Football Association began play the following month with its four founding members as participants in both the first team and reserve leagues, mirroring the tournament rules of Kjøbenhavns Boldspil-Union (KBU). Three of the clubs also featured a team in the youth football tournament, while some clubs, such as BK Fremad Amager, featured several younger players in the senior squad compared to many of the other league teams. The first league fixture was between BK Fremad Amager and B 1908 and took place on 14 April 1912 at BK Fremad Amager's home ground next to ''Cyklistpavillonen Alhambra'' on Amager Landevej (now Sundbyvester Plads next to

Amagerbrogade Amagerbrogade is the main shopping street and thoroughfare of the part of Copenhagen, Denmark that is located on the island of Amager . It begins at the end of the causeway which connects Amager to Christianshavn and the city centre on the other si ...

). The league and cup tournaments would have the matches be refereed by a footballer or member of one of the other league clubs not involved in the fixture. By mid-June 1912, Sundby KFUM and Kastrup BK (exited between 1908 and 1927) had joined the association and would soon take part in the tournament matches played on Sundays. BK Sylvia joined the Copenhagen FA for a short period (1908–1909) in a cooperation with neighbouring BK Tjalfe, before joining the Amager FA in 1913, participating with their own first team in the league tournaments until 1920. BK Herles and Sundby BK also joined the association ahead of the 1913 season. Dragør BK left the association after the second season, due to attempts from the association at refusing to give Dragør BK permission to play matches at their own home ground. BK Hafnia and BK Sport joined in the summer of 1915, taking part in the 1915–16 season. In 1915, Amager Boldspil Union asked if BK Standard wanted to become a member in 1915, which the club did in 1916, beginning play in the 1916–17 reserve league season. By 1920, the association had been reduced to five clubs (BK Sylvia, B 1908, BK Fremad Amager, Islands Brygges IF and BK Standard) totalling 400 footballers, a decrease from eight members at the end of the previous tournament. On 1 October 1916, the Amager FA published its first edition of their member's magazine with Emanuel Johansen (BK Sylvia) as the editor-in-chief, named ''Unionsbladet'', containing articles, related cases and discussions, historical information, match reviews and statistics. The magazine would later merge with the magazine published by Valby Boldspil-Union (VBU), known as ''Fodboldbladet'', and evolve into the KFBU magazine known as ''Fodboldbladet''. The association also arranged other sports events, such as running competitions. Throughout the association's first eight years, they had several fruitless negotiations with different

civilian Civilians under international humanitarian law are "persons who are not members of the armed forces" and they are not "combatants if they carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war". It is slightly different from a non-combatant, b ...

and

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

authorities to have the conditions of their playing grounds improved, which caused the dissolution of at least two clubs in 1920. Due to a combination of the association being too narrow in its membership and the

Copenhagen Football Association DBU Copenhagen ( da, DBU København) is the local governing body for association football and futsal in Copenhagen, Denmark. They are responsible for the governance and development of men's and women's football at all levels in the region. DBU Cop ...

(KBU) refusing to accept new members, in April 1916 BK Fremad Amager via Amager Boldspil-Union took the initiative to form a larger football association, known as De københavnske Forstadsklubbers Boldspil Union (KFBU) in 1916. The KFBU would embrace association football clubs in the suburbs of Copenhagen; including Nørrebro, Frederiksberg, Valby, Nordre Birk and Amager, hence involving the associations Amager Boldspil-Union (ABU), Nørrebros Boldspil-Union (NBU, joined later on), Valby Boldspil-Union (VBU) and

Nordre Birks Boldspil-Union ''Nordre'' (Northern), formerly known as ''Haramsnytt'' (The Haram News), is a local Norwegian newspaper covering events in the northern part of the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county. History The newspaper was established as ''Ha ...

(NBBU). The KFBU arranged larger tournaments and held matches between representative squads of each suburb, referred to as ''Bydelsturneringen'', and later played matches with a selected squad with players from each of KFBU's member clubs against the representative team of '' Fælleden''. When the members of Amager Boldspil-Union started joining the Copenhagen FA in late summer of 1920, its league tournament ended, but its cup tournaments continued to be held annually in the summer months for several seasons. Amager Boldspil-Union ceased to exist sometime in the 1940s.

Amagermesterskabsturneringen

1912 ABUs Amager-Turnering

In the debut season for the association's league tournaments, B 1908 wins the competitions aimed at seniors 1 and 2 including youth (''junior''). The first competitive league match for the League Championship of Amager was a clash between

and

, which B 1908 won with the score 13–0, held on 14 April 1912, which was followed by a league match between B 1899 (IK 99) and Dragør BK at B 1899's home ground, won by B 99 with the score 3–2. The league standings at the end of the spring season had B 1908 in first place with 6 points, BK Fremad Amager in second place with 3 points and IK 99 in third place with 2 points. B 1908 also won the other two league tournaments. League table Results

1913 Amager-Turnering

BK Sylvia won the association's top-flight league in the 1913 season. Last season's four teams were joined by the three new members, BK Sylvia, BK Herles and Sundby BK. League table Results

1914 Amager-Turnering

1915 Amager-Turnering

In the spring of 1915, BK Fremad Amager won all three league tournaments.

1916 Amager-Turnering

In 1916, the first team and the reserve squad of B 1908 won their respective league tournaments, acquiring the perpetual trophy as the club's permanent procession.

1916–17 Amager-Turnering

League table Results

1917–18 Amager-Turnering

BK Sylvia won the league in the 1917–18 season.

1918–19 Amager-Turnering

1919–20 Amager-Turnering

BK Sylvia won the league in the 1919–20 season.

Amagerpokalturneringen

The rules in 1912 stipulated, that 30 minutes of extra time was added to a cup match, if the teams were level after full time, while the rules in 1928 stipulated that a replay match would be scheduled, if a match was tied after full time.

1912 (spring) ABUs Pokalturnering

Semi-finals Final

1912 (fall) ABUs Pokalturnering

Semi-finals Final

1913 (spring) ABUs Pokalturnering

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final

1928 Amagerklubbernes Pokalturnering

... Final

1929 Amagerklubbernes Pokalturnering

A total of six clubs participated in this edition of the cup, namely

, BK Standard, BK Sylvia, BK Olympia 1921 and Christianshavns BK, that took place before the start of the regional league tournaments. Admissions were taken at the matches, that were all held at

Sundby Idrætspark Sundby Idrætspark is a sports complex, that consists of a combined association football and athletics stadium, located in the district of Amager Vest, Copenhagen. It has been the home ground of the association football clubs BK Fremad Amager and ...

. Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final

1931 ABUs Pokalturnering

BK Fremad Amager did not participate in the cup tournament this season.

1935 ABUs Pokalturnering

On 20 August 1935 18:15 a semi-final match was played involving Amager Kammeraterne at Sundby Idrætspark

Footnotes

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite web , title=Historie : Andre fodboldunioner : Amager Boldspil Union , url=https://www.dbukoebenhavn.dk/om-os/historie/andre-fodboldunioner/amager/ , website=dbukoebenhavn.dk , publisher=

DBU Copenhagen DBU Copenhagen ( da, DBU København) is the local governing body for association football and futsal in Copenhagen, Denmark. They are responsible for the governance and development of men's and women's football at all levels in the region. DBU Cop ...

, access-date=2 September 2020 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200902110547/https://www.dbukoebenhavn.dk/om-os/historie/andre-fodboldunioner/amager/ , archive-date=2 September 2020 , language=da {{cite book , title=Boldklubben „Fremad“, Amager : Foreningens Historie gennem 25 Aar : 1910–1935 , date=1935 , publisher= Boldklubben Fremad Amager , location=

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

, pages=4–5 , language=da , chapter=Klubbens Historie; Aarene 1912–1920 {{cite book , title=Boldklubben „1908“ : 1908 – 25. Mai – 1918 , date=1918 , publisher=

Boldklubben 1908 Boldklubben 1908 (B.1908 for short) is a Danish football club based in the district of Amager Vest, Copenhagen. The club's first team play in Denmark Series, the fifth tier of Danish football. The club play their home matches at Sundby Idrætspa ...

, location=

, pages=2–5 , language=da {{cite book , last1=Nielsen , first1=Kaj , title=Boldklubben 1908 : 1908 – 24. maj – 1958 , date=1958 , publisher=

, pages=6–7, 9, 43 , language=da , chapter=50 år {{cite book , title=Unionsbladet : Fællesorgan for Klubber under Amager Boldspil Union , date=1916–1917 , publisher=Amager Boldspil-Union , location=

, language=da , chapter=1. Aargang, Nr. 1 (1 October 1916) – 10 (1 April 1917) , pages=1 {{cite book , title=Boldklubben Sylvia 75 års jubilæumsskrift : 1900 – 8. april – 1975 , date=1975 , publisher=Boldklubben Sylvia , pages=3–4 , url=http://live-1568-kloevermarkens-forenede-boldklubber.umbraco-proxy.com/media/4464/sylvia-jubileaeumsskrift-1975.pdf , access-date=17 April 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417070859/http://live-1568-kloevermarkens-forenede-boldklubber.umbraco-proxy.com/media/4464/sylvia-jubileaeumsskrift-1975.pdf , archive-date=17 April 2021 , language=da , chapter=Turneringskampe starter {{cite journal , last1=Toft , first1=Jim , editor1-last=Hansen , editor1-first=Jørn , editor2-last=Eichberg , editor2-first=Henning , title=Fodbold mellem myter og kilder , journal=Årgang 9: Idrætshistorisk Årbog 1993: Idrætshistorie og Livshistorie , date=18 August 1993 , pages=112–113 , url=https://tidsskrift.dk/idhist/issue/view/8242 , access-date=16 April 2021 , publisher=Dansk Idrætshistorisk Forening – Krop og Kultur, Odense Universitetsforlag , language=da {{cite web , title=Historie : Boldklubben Sylvia : Sylvia 1912–1918 , url=http://live-1568-kloevermarkens-forenede-boldklubber.umbraco-proxy.com/historie/boldklubben-sylvia/sylvia-1912-1918/ , website=kloevermarkenfb.dk , publisher=Kløvermarkens Forenede Boldklubber , access-date=17 June 2019 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190617173545/http://live-1568-kloevermarkens-forenede-boldklubber.umbraco-proxy.com/historie/boldklubben-sylvia/sylvia-1912-1918/ , archive-date=17 June 2019 , language=da {{cite web , title=Historie : Boldklubben Standard : Standard 1913–19 : Standard 1916 , url=http://live-1568-kloevermarkens-forenede-boldklubber.umbraco-proxy.com/historie/boldklubben-standard/standard-1913-19/standard-1916/ , website=kloevermarkenfb.dk , publisher=Kløvermarkens Forenede Boldklubber , access-date=17 June 2019 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190617173224/http://live-1568-kloevermarkens-forenede-boldklubber.umbraco-proxy.com/historie/boldklubben-standard/standard-1913-19/standard-1916/ , archive-date=17 June 2019 , language=da {{cite web , title=Et historisk tilbageblik: Amager Boldspil Union , url=https://www.fremadamagerelite.dk/single-post/2020/03/20/et-historisk-tilbageblik-amager-boldspil-union , website=fremadamagerelite.dk , publisher= Fremad Amager Elite , access-date=17 April 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124114305/https://www.fremadamagerelite.dk/single-post/2020/03/20/et-historisk-tilbageblik-amager-boldspil-union , archive-date=24 January 2021 , language=da , date=March 2020 {{cite news , title=Forenings-Meddelelser: Amager Boldspil-Union , publisher=Amager-Bladet : Sundbyernes Avis , page=2 , language=da , date=22 March 1912 , issue=3. Aargang, Nr. 12 {{cite news , title=Forenings-Meddelelser: Amager Boldspil-Union: Fodbold , publisher=Amager-Bladet : Sundbyernes Avis , page=2 , language=da , date=19 April 1912 , issue=3. Aargang, Nr. 16 {{cite news , title=Forenings-Meddelelser: Amager rundt: Fodbold , publisher=Amager-Bladet : Sundbyernes Avis , page=2 , language=da , date=27 April 1912 , issue=3. Aargang, Nr. 17 {{cite news , title=Forenings-Meddelelser: Fodboldkamp , publisher=Amager-Bladet : Sundbyernes Avis , page=2 , language=da , date=3 May 1912 , issue=3. Aargang, Nr. 18 {{cite news , title=Sport: Fodbold , publisher=Amager-Bladet : Sundbyernes Avis , page=2 , language=da , date=17 May 1912 , issue=3. Aargang, Nr. 20 {{cite news , title=Sport: Fodbold , publisher=Amager-Bladet : Sundbyernes Avis , page=2 , language=da , date=7 June 1912 , issue=3. Aargang, Nr. 23 {{cite news , title=Sport: Fodboldsporten , publisher=Amager-Bladet : Sundbyernes Avis , page=2 , language=da , date=21 June 1912 , issue=3. Aargang, Nr. 25 {{cite news , title=Sport: Fodbold , publisher=Amager-Bladet : Sundbyernes Avis , page=2 , language=da , date=13 September 1912 , issue=3. Aargang, Nr. 37 {{cite news , title=Amager rundt: Fodbold , publisher=Amager-Bladet : Sundbyernes Avis , page=2 , language=da , date=25 October 1912 , issue=3. Aargang, Nr. 43 {{cite news , title=Amager rundt: Fodbold , publisher=Amager-Bladet : Sundbyernes Avis , page=2 , language=da , date=15 November 1912 , issue=3. Aargang, Nr. 46 {{cite news , title=Sporten: »Fremad« led Nederlag , publisher=Bornholms Social-Demokrat , page=2 , language=da , date=25 August 1928 , issue=1928, Nr. 197 {{cite news , title=Dagens Sport Nyheder: Fodbold i Gaar , work=Dagbladet , location=København , page=4 , language=da , date=19 August 1929 , issue=1929, Nr. 228 {{cite news , title=Fodboldspillere paa Amager har ingen Baner at spille paa , publisher=Idrætsbladet , language=da , year=1920 {{cite news , title=„Klokken 5“s Sportsside: B. 1908 vandt Pokalen: Mesterrækkeklubben blev slaaet med 5 Maal mod 4 , publisher=Klokken 5 , location=København , page=8 , language=da , date=23 August 1928 , issue=1928, Nr. 195 {{cite news , title=I faa Ord: Amager-Fodbold , publisher=Klokken 5 , location=København , page=10 , language=da , date=1 August 1929 , issue=1929, Nr. 175 {{cite news , title=Torsdags-Fodbold: Træningskamp mellem A.B. og K.B. – Pokal-Turneringen paa Amager , publisher=Morgenbladet , location=København , page=6 , language=da , date=9 August 1929 , issue=40. Aargang, Nr. 220 {{cite news , title=Dagens Sport Nyheder: Amager-Fodbold , publisher=

Nationaltidende ''Nationaltidende'' was a Danish daily newspaper published from 18 March 1876 to 3 September 1961 by De Ferslewske Blade in Copenhagen, Denmark. History and profile ''Nationaltidende'' was established by Jean Christian Ferslew in March 1876. It ...

, page=8 , language=da , date=9 August 1928 , issue=18. Aargang, Nr. 864, Morgen-Udgave {{cite news , title=Sensationelt Nederlag for „Fremad“ – „1908“ vandt Amagerpokalen , publisher=

, page=18 , language=da , date=23 August 1928 , issue=18. Aargang, Nr. 878, Morgen-Udgave {{cite news , title=Dagens Sport Nyheder: Fodbold paa Amager , publisher=

, page=16 , language=da , date=9 August 1929 , issue=19. Aargang, Nr. 225, Morgen-Udgave {{cite news , title=Sport: En Boldunion paa Amager , publisher=

Social-Demokraten :''This is about the Swedish newspaper. For the American newspaper see Social-Demokraten (Chicago newspaper). For the Norwegian newspaper see Dagsavisen.'' ''Social-Demokraten'' ("The Social Democrat") was a Swedish daily Social Democratic newspa ...

, page=6 , language=da , date=15 March 1912 , issue=1912, Nr. 75 , quote=Ved et Møde, som Boldklubberne paa Amager har afholdt, belv det vedtaget at danne en Union, der omfatter følgende Klubber: B. 1908, Dragør B., I. K. 99 og B. Fremad. Det vedtoges at udskrive 2 Fodboldturneringer. Der udsættes en Pokal i Seniorkampene. Hver Klub skal have 2 Repræsentanter i Unionen. Skemaet for Foraarsturneringen er udsendt. {{cite news , title=Sport: Amager Boldunion , publisher=

, page=3 , language=da , date=7 April 1912 , issue=1912, Nr. 98 , quote=Også paa Amager, der jo kan betegnes som en stor Fodboldbane, trives Fodboldsporten ivrigt, og man er nu kommen saa vidt som til at danne en Boldunion, der foreløbig bestaar af 4 Klubber, som skal til at kæmpe om en smuk Sølvpokal. {{cite news , title=Sport: Amager Boldunion , publisher=

, page=6 , language=da , date=30 April 1912 , issue=1912, Nr. 120 {{cite news , title=Sport , publisher=

, page=2 , language=da , date=14 May 1912 , issue=1912, Nr. 133 {{cite news , title=Sport. »Amager Boldunion«s Foraarsturnering , publisher=

, page=2 , language=da , date=21 May 1912 , issue=1912, Nr. 140 {{cite news , title=Sport. Amager Boldunion , publisher=

, page=6 , language=da , date=5 June 1912 , issue=1912, Nr. 154 {{cite news , title=Sporten i Gaar: Amager Bold-Union , publisher=

, page=6 , language=da , date=17 June 1912 , issue=1912, Nr. 166 {{cite news , title=Sport , publisher=

, page=6 , language=da , date=23 October 1912 , issue=1912, Nr. 294 {{cite news , title=Sport: Amager Boldspil-Union , publisher=

, page=3 , language=da , date=1 November 1912 , issue=1912, Nr. 303 {{cite news , title=Sport: Amager Boldspil-Union , publisher=

, page=5 , language=da , date=4 November 1912 , issue=1912, Nr. 306 {{cite news , title=Sport: Amager Boldspil Union , publisher=

, page=2 , language=da , date=9 April 1913 , issue=1913, Nr. 98 {{cite news , title=Sport: Amager Boldspilunion , publisher=

, page=4 , language=da , date=23 April 1913 , issue=1913, Nr. 112 {{cite news , title=Sport: Amager Boldspil-Union , publisher=

, page=10 , language=da , date=29 April 1913 , issue=1913, Nr. 118 {{cite news , title=Sport: Amager Boldspil-Union , publisher=

, page=12 , language=da , date=30 April 1913 , issue=1913, Nr. 119 , quote=Resultatet af Fodboldkampen mellem Dragør Boldklub og Boldklubben af 1908 i Søndags var ved en Fejltagelse kommet til at staa her i Bladet som en sejr for Dragør Boldklub. Det var Boldklubben af 1908, der sejrede med 2 Maal mod 0. {{cite news , title=Sport: Amager Boldspil Union , publisher=

, page=3 , language=da , date=3 June 1913 , issue=1913, Nr. 151 {{cite news , title=Sport: Amager Boldspil Union , publisher=

, page=6 , language=da , date=11 June 1913 , issue=1913, Nr. 159 {{cite news , title=Sport: Amager Boldspil Union , publisher=

, page=3 , language=da , date=13 July 1913 , issue=1913, Nr. 191 {{cite news , title=Social-Demokratens Sportstidende: Fodbold i Gaar , publisher=

, page=6 , language=da , date=9 August 1929 , issue=57. Aargang, Nr. 219 {{cite news , title=Social-Demokratens Sportstidende: Amager-Fodbold: I Morgen begynder Amager-Klubbernes Pokalstævne , publisher=

, page=8 , language=da , date=1 August 1929 , issue=58. Aargang, Nr. 210 {{cite news , title=Sylvia slog Fremad. Den store Fodboldoverraskelse paa Amager , publisher=

, page=6 , language=da , date=5 August 1929 , issue=58. Aargang, Nr. 214 {{cite news , title=Pokalturneringen paa Amager : 1908 slog Standard 8–1 : Olympia slog C.B. 8–1 , publisher=

, page=8 , language=da , date=10 August 1929 , issue=58. Aargang, Nr. 224 {{cite news , title=Social-Demokratens Sportstidende: Pokalkampen paa Amager , publisher=

, page=8 , language=da , date=15 August 1929 , issue=58. Aargang, Nr. 224 {{cite news , title=Social-Demokratens Sportstidende: 1908 vandt Amager-Pokalturneringen , publisher=

, page=7 , language=da , date=19 August 1929 , issue=58. Aargang, Nr. 228

Organizations based in Copenhagen Sports organizations established in 1912