Carl Hansen

Club career

Born in Copenhagen, Hansen made himself an early reputation as a dangerous striker in the Copenhagen club Boldklubben 1903 (B 1903), playing in the amateur-only Danish championship from 1915 to 1921. He helped B 1903 win the first Danish championship in club history in 1920. B 1903 played professional Scottish side Rangers F.C. at Idrætsparken in the spring of 1921. The Danes lost although the match 2–1, but Rangers were impressed by the Danes. In particular, they were impressed by Hansen, who was notable for his excellent attacking play and the attitude of a dignified professional. In autumn 1921, Hansen signed a contract with Rangers and became the first Danish professional footballer in the history of Danish football. He cost Rangers a fee of twenty pounds. Hansen was very popular in Glasgow, and was referred to as "The Great Little Dane" and "The Little Shoemaker", and was the first foreigner who scored in an Old Firm match. He helped Rangers win the Scottish championship in 1923, 1924 and 1925. His stay in Scotland, however, was relatively short. A broken leg ended his career after only four seasons with Rangers. When he returned to Denmark, he served a mandatory two-year quarantine, before he was allowed by the Danish Football Association to play amateur football in Denmark once again. He played one season for his old club B 1903, until he retired in 1928.

International career

Hansen made his debut for the Denmark national football team in…

He trained the junior team of AB with great success in the 1930s; a team including later Danish international Knud Lundberg. Hansen coached the senior AB team to the 1937 Danish championship, before he returned to B 1903. He joined B 1903 as a professional trainer, at a time when it was customary in Danish football for the coach to work as an amateur. He coached the club from 1943 to 1948. In 1952, Hansen was asked to train the Denmark national football team at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, but he was not allowed to travel with the team for the tournament. Denmark reached the quarter-finals of the 1952 Olympics. He coached BK Frem in 1962.

Danish championship: 1920, 1937 Scottish Cup: 1923, 1924, 1925