Filbyterna
{{Short description|Swedish speedway team}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox motorcycle speedway team
|clubname = Filbyterna
|image =
|track = Linköping Motorstadion
Linköping
|country = Sweden
|founded = 1948
|closed = 2010
|manager =
|captain =
|league =
|colours =
|nickname =
|tracksize =
|track record time=
|track record date=
|track record holder=
|honour1 = League champions
|honour2 = second division winners
|year2 = 1960
|honour3 = third division winners
|year3 = 1963, 1968, 1970, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1999
|honour4 = tier 4 winners
|year4 = 2003
}}
Filbyterna were a Swedish motorcycle speedway team based at the old Linköping Motorstadion in Ryd (1948–1977) and the Linköping Motorstadion (1978–2010), near Linköping, Sweden. They were twice champions of Sweden.{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwayplus.com/Linkoping.shtml |title=LINKOPING-FILBYTERNA - Sweden |website=Speedway Plus |access-date=15 March 2023}}
History
=1948 to 1958=
The team were one of the seven inaugural members of the Swedish speedway league, which started during the 1948 Swedish speedway season.{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/ |title=Swedish speedway season by season |website=Speedway.org |access-date=15 March 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/3240/1948-swedish-league-table |title=Speedway riders, history and results - 1948 Swedish League table |website=WWOS Backup |access-date=15 March 2023}} Based in Linköping their official name was Linköping MK but they took the nickname Filbyterna.{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/1948.htm#1947 |title=1948 A HISTORIC YEAR, THE SERIES COMPETITION STARTS |website=Indianerna Speedway |access-date=16 March 2023}}
They won the first league (known as the Dirt Track League) in 1948 and became the first Swedish Speedway Team Championship winners.{{cite web |url=http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/dmszwecji.php |title=HISTORICAL RESULTS 1948-2015 |website=Speedway History |access-date=16 March 2023}}{{cite web |url=http://speedwayfansite.com/ligi/elitserien.html |title=Swedish Bauhaus Elite League |website=Speedway Fan Site |access-date=15 March 2023}}{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/1948.htm#1947 |title=1948 Swedish speedway season |website=Speedway.org |access-date=16 March 2023}}
In 1950 they won their second team championship.{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/1950.htm |title=1950 Swedish speedway season |website=Speedway.org |access-date=16 March 2023}} The home track was at the Ryd Motorstadion.
In 1951, the club signed Ove Fundin and he would stay until 1957. He won the first of his five World Championships as a Filbyterna rider in 1956.{{cite web |url=https://www.worldspeedwayriders.org/rider/135/1956-ove-fundin-(sweden) |title=Ove Fundin |website=World Speedway Riders |access-date=16 March 2023}}
=1959 to 2000=
In 1959, the club competed in the second division for the first time and in 1961 they did not compete at all. The team then spent the next four decades outside of the top division.
In 1978, the club moved to the Linköping Motorstadion. It was in 1978 that they also won the third tier league.{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/1978.htm |title=1978 Swedish speedway season |website=Speedway.org |access-date=16 March 2023}}
When the Elitserien was introduced in 1982, the team were finishing last in Division 1 north. From 1982 until their demise in 2000 the team's success was to limited to third division wins in 1983,{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/1983.htm |title=1983 Swedish speedway season |website=Speedway.org |access-date=16 March 2023}} 1988{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/1988.htm |title=1988 Swedish speedway season |website=Speedway.org |access-date=16 March 2023}} and 1999.{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/1999.htm |title=1999 Swedish speedway season |website=Speedway.org |access-date=16 March 2023}}
=2003 to present=
The team returned and won the second division (fourth tier) during the 2003 Swedish speedway season and from 2005 to 2010 competed in division 1. Although they have not competed since 2010, the Linköping Motorstadion track still exists, which provides hope to supporters that the team may return.
Notable riders
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
- {{player||SWE|Kjell Carlsson}}
- {{player||SWE|Linus Eriksson}}
- {{player||SWE|Dan Forsberg}}
- {{player||SWE|Ove Fundin}}
}}