Kim Østergaard Nielsen
{{short description|Danish footballer (born 1974)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Kim Østergaard Nielsen
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|10|20|df=y}}
| birth_place = Aarhus, Denmark
| height = 1.82 m{{WorldFootball.net|kim-nielsen}}
| position = Right-back
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = IF Fuglebakken
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = AGF
| youthyears3 = {{0|0000}}–1995
| youthclubs3 = Silkeborg
| youthyears4 = 1995–1996
| youthclubs4 = Randers Freja
| years1 = 1996–1998
| clubs1 = Aarhus Fremad
| caps1 = 9
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1998–2005
| clubs2 = Randers FC{{efn|Randers Freja changed its name to Randers FC in 2003.}}
| caps2 = 78
| goals2 = 1
}}
Kim Østergaard Nielsen (born 20 October 1974) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a right-back. During his career, he played professionally for Aarhus Fremad and Randers FC.
Career
Nielsen graduated from the Randers Freja youth academy in 1996, where he moved to Aarhus Fremad who were competing in the second tier Danish 1st Division. In his first season at the club, Fremad sensationally won promotion to the Danish Superliga.{{cite web |last1=Balle |first1=Ricky |last2=Rehn |first2=Niklas |title=Fremads Historie – Aarhus Fremad Fodbold |url=https://www.aarhus-fremad.dk/fremads-historie/ |website=Aarhus Fremad |access-date=24 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020125055/https://www.aarhus-fremad.dk/fremads-historie/ |archive-date=20 October 2022 |language=da-DK |url-status=live}} He made his professional debut at the highest level on 25 July 1997 in a 2–1 derby win over AGF.{{cite web |title=Aarhus Fremad 2–1 AGF – 25.07.1997 |url=https://www.danskfodbold.com/kamp.php?ID=1071 |website=danskfodbold.com – DBU's Officielle Statistikere |access-date=24 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710215645/https://www.danskfodbold.com/kamp.php?ID=1071 |archive-date=10 July 2017 |url-status=live}}
Nielsen returned to Randers in 1998, competing in the second tier.{{cite news |title=Kandidat højre back: Kim Østergaard |url=https://amtsavisen.dk/artikel/kandidat-h%C3%B8jre-back-kim-%C3%B8stergaard |access-date=24 November 2022 |work=Randers Amtsavis |date=5 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124113235/https://amtsavisen.dk/artikel/kandidat-h%C3%B8jre-back-kim-%C3%B8stergaard |archive-date=24 November 2022 |language=da}} He won promotion to the Superliga with Randers during the 2003–04 season,{{cite news |title=Randers FC – Oprykning 2004 |url=https://amtsavisen.dk/artikel/randers-fc-oprykning-2004 |access-date=24 November 2022 |work=Randers Amtsavis |date=15 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124113513/https://amtsavisen.dk/artikel/randers-fc-oprykning-2004 |archive-date=24 November 2022 |language=da}} and his return to the top tier came on 1 August 2004 as a late substitute for Rene Carlsen in a 1–0 home loss to Herfølge Boldklub.{{cite web |title=Randers FC 0–1 Herfølge BK |url=https://www.danskfodbold.com/kamp.php?ID=2465 |website=danskfodbold.com – DBU's Officielle Statistikere |access-date=24 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122091432/https://danskfodbold.com/kamp.php?ID=2465 |archive-date=22 January 2022 |url-status=live}} He made a total of 32 league appearances that season,{{cite web |title=Spillerstatistik – Kim Østergaard Nielsen |url=https://www.danskfodbold.com/spiller.php?ligaid=2001&seasonid=2005&spillerid=10621&klubid=1008 |website=danskfodbold.com – DBU's Officielle Statistikere |access-date=24 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124114242/https://www.danskfodbold.com/spiller.php?ligaid=2001&seasonid=2005&spillerid=10621&klubid=1008 |archive-date=24 November 2022 |url-status=live}} which saw Randers suffer relegation to the 1st Division after finishing bottom of the league.{{cite news |last1=Panum |first1=Jacob |title=Randers rykker ud af Superligaen |url=https://www.dr.dk/sporten/fodbold/superliga/randers-rykker-ud-af-superligaen |access-date=24 November 2022 |work=DR |date=12 June 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124145711/https://www.dr.dk/sporten/fodbold/superliga/randers-rykker-ud-af-superligaen |archive-date=24 November 2022 |language=da-DK}} He retired after his final game, a 2–2 draw against Esbjerg fB on 19 June 2005.{{cite web |title=Randers FC 2–2 Esbjerg fB |url=https://www.danskfodbold.com/kamp.php?ID=2653 |website=danskfodbold.com – DBU's Officielle Statistikere |access-date=24 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205092319/https://danskfodbold.com/kamp.php?ID=2653 |archive-date=5 December 2021 |url-status=live}}
Style of play
Nielsen was described by Randers FC's assistant coach Peter Elstrup as "an elegant and intelligent footballer. As a person, he was a good and smart guy who left a positive mark on the squad".
After football
As of May 2020, Nielsen works as Country Customer Manager for IKEA.{{cite news |last1=Dupont |first1=Tobias Nørgård |title=IKEA nyder godt af, at kontrakttilbuddet røg i skuffen: Kim Østergaard Nielsen sluttede på toppen i Randers FC |url=https://amtsavisen.dk/artikel/ikea-nyder-godt-af-at-kontrakttilbuddet-r%C3%B8g-i-skuffen-kim-%C3%B8stergaard-nielsen-sluttede-p%C3%A5-toppen-i-randers-fc |access-date=24 November 2022 |work=Randers Amtsavis |date=10 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511133638/https://amtsavisen.dk/artikel/ikea-nyder-godt-af-at-kontrakttilbuddet-r%C3%B8g-i-skuffen-kim-%C3%B8stergaard-nielsen-sluttede-p%C3%A5-toppen-i-randers-fc |archive-date=11 May 2020 |language=da}} He has not played football since, mainly focusing on a yearly participation in the Berlin Marathon.{{cite news |last1=Andersen |first1=Kristian Fredslund |title=Helligede sig civilkarrieren og familien |url=https://issuu.com/randersfc0/docs/randers_fc_for__r_2015 |access-date=24 November 2022 |work=Randers FC Magasinet |issue=Spring 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124115340/https://issuu.com/randersfc0/docs/randers_fc_for__r_2015 |archive-date=24 November 2022 |page=36 |language=da}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://superstats.dk/spillere/spiller-alltime?id=1396 Kim Østergaard Nielsen] at SuperStats
- {{WorldFootball.net|kim-nielsen}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nielsen, Kim Ostergaard}}
Category:Footballers from Aarhus
Category:Danish men's footballers
Category:Fuglebakken KFUM Århus players
Category:Aarhus Gymnastikforening players
Category:Aarhus Fremad players
Category:Danish 1st Division players