Degerfors IF, doing the prohibited move. Despite a bad start to the 1996 season the club finished fifth after some impressive displays in the second half of the season. 1997 was a mixed season as the club went up and down the table but as so many times the club showed strength in the autumn, earning them a fourth place and the bronze medal. The form of striker Dan Sahlin also earned him the golden boat as top scorer of the league. This year, Örebro again appeared in the UEFA cup, qualifying for the main tournament after knocking out FK Jablonec of the Czech Republic on away goals in the second qualifying round. In the main tournament, Rotor Volgograd of Russia were however too strong, winning 6–1 on aggregate. The 1998 season started extremely poorly and after six matches the team was bottom of the table, however the team picked up and for a while held second spot, only to end up sixth after having lost their two biggest profiles during the summer break, Arnor Gudjohnsen and top goal scorer Dan Sahlin. The next year, 1999, the club again started poorly but grew stronger over summer. However, as autumn came the form faded and the club had to suffer play-off matches against Assyriska FF and it wasn't until the second match, on extra time, that Örebro was able to win and stay in Allsvenskan. Keeper Anders Karlsson also became the player with most appearances for the club with 373 matches in total. After the 1999 season, Dahlkvist left his position as both coach and technical director after 12 mostly successful years with the club, including the promotion in 1988, the 1994 silver and the medals in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1997. A new millennium – brand new world with broken dreams (2000–2006) As the new millennium started, Örebro SK was believed to yet again challenge for the top of Allsvenskan after signing inter alia head coach Mats Jingblad from IFK Göteborg and former top scorer Niklas Skoog in 2000 and after beating IF Elfsborg in August, taking the club to a third place in the table, many believed they were on the right track. However, due to a mixture of good and bad results the club finished 10th. At the end of the season, talented home grown artist Mats Rubarth left the club for AIK. The 2001 season was only