in the establishment of a merger project. From SfB to FC Svendborg (2008) As Svendborg fB reached promotion from the Denmark Series back into the Danish 2nd Division in the 2008–09 season, a number of organisational changes decided by the executive board were implemented aimed at meeting new challenges associated with returning to the divisions. To successfully reintroduce professional football in Svendborg fB for the first time since their relegation from the third tier in the 2002–03 season, club management had planned a financial goal of raising DKK 3 million in sponsor revenue as well as expanding the staff handling sponsorship deals in the professional department of Svendborg fB ahead of the following season. In order to cover salaries of the players in the first team, an external sponsorship manager, a physical therapist joining the team for home and away matches, and a coaching staff for the senior team, under-19s and under-17s, respectively, were added to the staff. Among the strategies to achieve the necessary increase in revenue was to change the name of the first team as well as three youth teams, who would go under the name of FC Svendborg. The foundation of the elite superstructure would include the club's four best teams: a divisional team at the men's first team on senior level, an under-21 team, an under-19 team and an under-17 team; all under the helm of the club's previous affiliate elite department, SfB Elite ApS, who would continue to work closely with the parent club, so that FC Svendborg could continue to utilise the club's best amateur players. The teams representing the FC Svendborg name would have their home ground at Høje Bøge Stadium. At that point, the club's team competing in the Funen Series, the highest regional level under the DBU Funen governing body and one of the fifth highest levels of the Danish football league system, became the reserve squad for the FC Svendborg team and would continue under the name of Svendborg fB and play its home matches at Hellegårdsvej in the traditional white kits. The final decision on Svendborg fB's elite football bet – FC Svendborg – for the divisional team, U21, U19 and U17 was finally taken at the annual general assembly of the affiliate department of the parent club, SfB Elite ApS, on 30 May 2008. Thereby, it took place shortly before the first team of the future FC