# AC Horsens

Alliance Club Horsens (Danish:), commonly referred to as AC Horsens (Danish:) or simply Horsens, is a Danish professional football club based in Horsens, Central Denmark Region. Founded in 1994, as a superstructure on Horsens fS (founded 1915), Stensballe IK and FC Horsens, the club competes in the Danish 1st Division, the second tier of the Danish football league system. Both Stensballe IK and FC Horsens has later left the cooperation, and only Horsens fS remains.

## History

When the new team started in 1994, Horsens fS had finished sixth in the 1994–95 1st Division season, which qualified AC Horsens to play for promotion to the 1994–95 Superliga through the 1994 Qualifying League. As AC Horsens only won two of 14 matches, and finished last in the Qualifying League, they missed their opportunity of instant promotion for the Superliga.
In the first half of the 1994–95 1st Division season, AC Horsens finished at the bottom of the table after winning only a single game, and did not proceed to the Qualification League. In the second half of the season, AC Horsens managed three victories, but finished dead last and were relegated to the 2nd Division. AC Horsens spent two seasons in the 2nd Division before winning promotion back to the 1st Division. From the 1997–98 1st Division season forward, AC Horsens established itself as a consistent part of the 1st Division, as they finished just below the promotion candidates for five consecutive seasons.
In July 2001, Horsens hired former Danish international Kent Nielsen as their new manager. The 2002–03 1st Division season did not go well for Den Gule Fare (The Yellow Danger). After the winterbreak halfway through the season, the club was close to relegation to the 2nd Division, but a good ending of the season secured an 11th place, seven points from the relegation zone. In the next season, ACH started out on amazing form. After 15 matches, AC Horsens were leading the 1st Division with 40 points, but a weak finish to the season saw the club surpassed by Silkeborg IF and Randers FC, who won promotion to the Superliga four points ahead of Horsens. In the 2004–05 1st Division season, Horsens finally succeeded in winning promotion. Though amassing only one point more than in the 2003–04 season, AC Horsens finished in the runner-up spot, trailing winners SønderjyskE by a single point.
In their first year in the Superliga, AC Horsens became famous for their strong defence, as they finished in 10th place and avoided relegation. They drew 13 of 33 matches; 8 of them ending 0–0. They conceded just 41 goals in 33 matches, a statistic only bettered by the defences of the top-three finishing teams that season.
The Superliga season of 2006–07 saw AC Horsens take an early lead over relegation rivals Vejle Boldklub and Silkeborg IF. In the spring of 2007, a slew of strong performances were followed by a series of disappointing defeats and draws, which again brought AC Horsens dangerously close to relegation. New offensive midfielder Henrik Hansen joined the squad midway through the season and became a key player, whereas striker and Canadian national Ali Gerba finished a half-year loan period in the summer of 2007 without being offered a contract. Instead, Brazilian Gilberto Macena from the Danish 2nd Division East team Holbæk B&I became the top scorer for AC Horsens, netting twelve times during the season.
The 2022–23 season proved challenging for Horsens. The team struggled to maintain a clean sheet from October 2022 to June 2023, conceding a league-high 58 goals. Ultimately, their relegation occurred due to goal difference, narrowly missing out to Lyngby, who had not won in the first 16 fixtures of the season.

## Players
### First-team squad

    As of 14 March 2025
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | CRO | Matej Delač (captain) |
| 4 | DF | DEN | Sebastian Hausner |
| 8 | MF | CIV | Odilon Kouassi |
| 9 | FW | KOS | Muhamet Hyseni |
| 10 | FW | DEN | Sanders Ngabo |
| 11 | FW | DEN | Sebastian Pingel |
| 12 | DF | CIV | Christ Tapé |
| 13 | DF | DEN | Mads Fenger |
| 14 | MF | DEN | Julius Madsen |
| 15 | MF | DEN | Oliver Kjærgaard |
| 16 | MF | GHA | Abdul Moro |
| 17 | DF | SWE | Adam Herdonsson |
| 18 | MF | DEN | Frederik Christensen |
| 20 | MF | CRO | Karlo Lusavec |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 21 | FW | GHA | Kwaku Karikari |
| 22 | FW | DEN | Emil Frederiksen (loan from Rosenborg) |
| 23 | GK | MNE | Filip Đukić |
| 24 | DF | NOR | Ole Martin Kolskogen |
| 25 | DF | DEN | Mikkel Kallesøe |
| 26 | FW | ISL | Galdur Gudmundsson |
| 28 | DF | GAM | Alagie Saine |
| 31 | GK | DEN | Anders Hoff |
| 33 | DF | DEN | Alexander Ludwig |
| 34 | DF | DEN | Frederik Roslyng |
| 45 | FW | AUT | Marvin Egho |
| 98 | MF | GUI | Sory Traore |
| 99 | FW | GAM | Omar Jarju |

### Other players other contract

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | CIV | Seniko Doua |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | SWE | Oliver Stanisic |

### Youth players in use 2024–25

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 23 | MF | DEN | Hjalte Toftegaard |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 35 | MF | BEN | Yamirou Ouorou |

### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 30 | GK | DEN | Andreas Hermansen (at Egersund until 30 June 2025) |
| 36 | DF | DEN | Angelo Nehmé (at Næstved BK until 30 June 2025) |
| — | DF | DEN | Samuel Juel (at Skive IK until 30 June 2025) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 27 | FW | NZL | Elijah Just (at SKN St. Pölten until 30 June 2025) |
| — | FW | USA | Simon Becher (at St. Louis City until 30 June 2025) |

## Coaches

* Per Bie (1994)
* Christian Møller (1994–96)
* Kim Poulsen (1996–97)
* Troels Bech (1998–99)
* Kim Poulsen (1999)
* Uffe Pedersen (1999–2001)
* Kent Nielsen (July 2001 – December 2008)
* Henrik Jensen (Jan–June 2009)
* Johnny Mølby (July 2009 – June 2014)
* Bo Henriksen (July 2014 – Aug 2020)
* Jonas Dal (Aug 2020 – Dec 2020)
* Jens Berthel Askou (Jan 2021 – Jun 2023)
* Joakim Persson (Jun 2023 – Mar 2024)
* Claus Troelsen (Mar 2024 – Jun 2024)
* Martin Retov (Jul 2024 – Mar 2025)
* David Nielsen (Mar 2025 – present)

## Achievements

* Danish Football Championship:
** Bronze Medalists (1): 1967 (as Horsens FS)
* Danish Cup:
** Finalist (1): 2011–12
* UEFA Europa League:
** Qualified (1): 2012–13 (Playoff Round)
* UEFA Intertoto Cup:
** Participation (2): 1968 (as Horsens FS), 1970 (as Horsens FS)
* 10 seasons in the Highest Danish League
* 34 seasons in the second highest Danish league
* 24 seasons in the third highest Danish league

## European record

| Season | Competition | Round | Club | 1st leg | 2nd leg | Aggregate |
| 2012–13 | UEFA Europa League | Third qualifying round | Elfsborg | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–3 |
| 2012–13 | UEFA Europa League | Play-off round | Sporting CP | 1–1 | 0–5 | 1–6 |

## Season overview

    Season Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Cup Notes 1994 spring QL 8 14248 143011 Did not compete Relegated 1994 autumn 1D 10 181611 15508 Third round 1995 spring 1D 8 14365 152612 Relegated 1995 autumn 2D 6 14536 272918 Fourth round 1996 spring 2D 3 14662 271424 1996 autumn 2D 3 14923 352229 Second round 1997 spring 2D 2 14842 321028 Promoted 1997–98 1D 5 3012810 494444 Fourth round 1998–99 1D 6 3013512 474444 Fourth round 1999-00 1D 5 301488 573150 Fourth round 2000–01 1D 7 3011109 413843 Fifth round 2001–02 1D 7 3012810 393144 Third round 2002–03 1D 11 309912 454936 Third round 2003–04 1D 3 301956 502662 Quarter-final 2004–05 1D 2 301965 512363 Semi-final Promoted 2005–06 SL 10 3381312 294137 Fifth round 2006–07 SL 10 3361017 295328 Quarter-final 2007–08 SL 5 3314109 474352 Third round 2008–09 SL 12 335919 355824 Quarter-final Relegated 2009–10 1D 1 302136 672766 Third round Promoted 2010–11 SL 9 3391014 294037 Quarter-final 2011–12 SL 4 3317610 533957 Final Qualified for 2012–13 UEFA Europa League 2012–13 SL 11 3381015 314934 Semi-final Relegated 2013–14 1D 5 3315711 604852 Semi-final 2014–15 1D 6 33101211 434242 Third round 2015–16 1D 3 331869 523460 Third round Promoted 2016–17 SL 10 3681612 435740 Fourth round 2017–18 SL 6 3681612 435740 Third round 2018–19 SL 10 3491015 345633 Fourth round 2019–20 SL 8 3413813 385447 Semi-finals 2020–21 SL 12 325918 305924 Fourth round Relegated 2021–22 1D 1 321976 552964 Fourth round Promoted 2022–23 SL 11 327718 335828 round of 16 Relegated 2023–24 1D TBD 0000 000 TBD