secured the qualifying spot seven points ahead of IK Oddevold and then beat Mönsterås GoIF in the promotion playoffs to the second division. In 1984 GAIS made what was to become one of the club's most spectacular signings to this date. Tunisian midfielder Samir Bakaou left his former club Étoile Sportive du Sahel to join the Gothenburg side and proved to be the injection of flair and energy that the club had been needing so badly. With "the Black Pearl" as playmaker and notorious goalscorer GAIS was once again a force to be reckoned with and made it to the promotion playoffs to Allsvenskan in 1985, only to lose out to Djurgårdens IF after a penalty shoot-out in a highly controversial game. GAIS finally made it back to Allsvenskan in 1987 ending eleven long years of struggling in the lower divisions. For the second time in club history GAIS made it to the finals of Svenska Cupen as well, but lost out 2–0 to opposing side Kalmar FF. During the late 1980s and early 1990s GAIS mostly fought for its survival in Allsvenskan. With the exception of a third place in 1989 the club had to settle for the lower half of the league table. Relegation followed in the season of 1992 and GAIS yet again had to face a long and tortuous walk through the Swedish second division. The nadir was reached in 1997 when the club had been relegated to the third division and ran a huge economical deficit while only finishing third in the league. This season would be the starting point of possibly the worst yo-yo experience any Swedish football club has ever experienced. GAIS was promoted to the second division in 1998 and made it back to Allsvenskan after the season of 1999 by finishing in second place and defeating Kalmar FF in the qualifying round. After finishing second to last in the 2000 Allsvenskan the club continued its fall through the second division Superettan in 2001 and was relegated to the third division for the 2002 season. From there on things slowed down when GAIS failed to make a quick return during their first season there. Then after a hard-fought battle throughout 2003 against local competitors Ljungskile SK GAIS finally ended up winning the series by goal difference. In the promotion playoffs to qualify for Superettan the club faced Mjällby AIF and defeated them