Larsson quits Helsingborg following fan attack, relegation

STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) - Former Sweden striker Henrik Larsson has resigned as coach of relegated Helsingborg after he and his striker son Jordan were attacked by masked fans following their playoff defeat by Halmstad. The southern Swedish club said on Wednesday that the 45-year-old former Celtic, Barcelona and Manchester United forward was leaving with immediate effect, adding that he had chosen to walk away without a severance payment. Larsson and his 19-year-old son were met by a hail of chairs and flags as they went to commiserate with supporters following their relegation on Sunday, and Jordan was struck by masked fans demanding the shirt off his back. “Myself, the board, Henrik Larsson and the rest of the leadership team, together with the players, in solidarity bear the responsibility for this relegation,” club director Mats-Ola Schulze said in a statement. “We are obviously very grateful for the financial solution. I, together with the board, want to thank Henrik for the comprehensive restructuring that has been done in the football organisation during 2015 and 2016,” he added. Larsson, a former Helsingborg player, took over as manager in January, 2015 following a season in which he kept minnows Falkenberg in the Allsvenskan, but the club’s financial situation hampered his efforts to keep them in the top flight. (Reporting by Philip O'Connor in Stockholm, editing by Ed Osmond)