Linköpings FF (locally known as LFF) was the premier men's football team in Linköping, Sweden, playing in the Swedish second division. The club is a 1984 merger of BK Derby and IF Saab. And as both these clubs had a one-season spell each in Allsvenskan during the 1970s (Derby in 1977, Saab in 1973), the new club was initially very hopeful for a promotion from their Division 3 position. At this time Division 2 was split up into a Southern and a Northern league, with 14 teams each, but the third division was split up into 12 regional leagues with 12 teams each. The difference between the second and third tier was huge.