Helsingborgs IF had its best season in a decade, being only two points off arch rivals and champions Malmö FF. With senior talisman Henrik Larsson retiting and Conny Karlsson being an unexpected coaching appointment to a midfield side, inspired signings such as Alexander Gerndt, Mattias Lindström, Erik Edman and Ardian Gashi lifted the team so far that they actually led the championship (albeit with Malmö having a game in hand) just a week before the end of the season. In the end, Malmö won the required matches, while Helsingborg choked and drew with Kalmar, a double-whammy that secured Malmö's title.