Gjemselund Stadion, 1. Division, 6/8/23
Me 290, Wee Man 163
Kongsvinger IL Toppfotball
Founded – 1892
Nickname -KIL
Honours – None
Random Fact – The club once drew a UEFA Cup tie v a star studded Juventus side featuring Angeli Peruzzi, Jurgen Kohler, Andreas Moller and the Baggios, Dino and Roberto among others. A humongous coupon buster at the time.
Sometimes you make a decision that will live with you forever. I have made a few that annoy me until I die. But sometimes I pull one out of my arse that will always raise a smile when I look back. Today, with the help of the young one, I nailed that. With a plan of heading to HamKam v Brann the original idea this was to be kyboshed once Wee Man was in bed last night. The reason or reasons being, one, we had been caught out at Mjøndalen with the Norwegian only Vipps payment method where we were screwed at the ground. Two, online line tickets for HamKam were only available with Vipps and three, when I contacted HamKam about my dilemma via email, and twitter over a week ago I was roundly ignored*** (unlike Strømsgodset who I contacted about payments from Mjøndalen after being caught out and they replied within minutes). As Wee Man lay sleeping in the bed next to me last night, I searched for a plan B on Soccerway. There were two options, KFUM v Asane which is a second tier fixture which would have took us just up the road from where we had been for the Norway Cup on Friday or an hour or or so train ride to Kongsvinger v Raufoss, also in the second tier. I fancied the latter and once Wee Man saw the KFUM Arena after he woke in the morning, he was of the same opinion. After breakfast I hastily bought tickets and we legged it to the train station to catch the 10.04. A train ride that took us on a stunningly picturesque journey following the river Glomma. An awesome trek.
With no plan of what to do once arriving in Kongsvinger we searched out an eaterie for an early lunch. As we walked around the town a car pulled up and some yellow and black clothes punters poured out with a few cans. Ever eagle eyed Wee Man noticed this, however he was not to know this was the start of what was to become a truly fantastic day out. With it being Sunday nothing was open early and we found ourselves checking out the internet for anywhere that would allow Wee Man a piss which had now become more important than the food. As we stopped, the aforementioned Raufoss fans spied our Aberdeen gear and conversation were struch (both of us were in Dons tops). Within minutes we were at a table in Maistro having beers together and a good old fashioned blether. The five were Sander, Kristoffer, Morten, Mats and Victor and from the off were clearly great company. Tales of fitba were swapped, tales about life in general, questions about each others countries fitba were asked. This leading to us finding out that Raufoss and HamKam are rivals which gives me more ammunition to dislike the latter. The beers were bought, the Raufoss sing songs were loud and Wee Man was clearly seeing something new. On Wee Man the guys were brilliant with him and including him in conversations and just being ace with him which to me is the sign of great folk. As time went on the whole “you should come in with us today” was brought up. With tickets in the Kongsvinger end I first decided to just buy away tickets and forego the pre bought briefs, then it was decided just to blag our way in. The latter working much to our delight. We were black and yellow for the afternoon.
As the guys were in their car we meandered toward the ground on foot. This allowing us to purchase our home scarves and stash them out of sight(I did explain prior this would be the case to the Raufoss guys but still seemed strange.). In the ground we took up our berth behind the goal with the guys to cheer on the warm up. Wee Man was right into the chanting (when it was possible and not in Norwegian, for example “ole”). Then he noticed the drum to which he quickly got the gist of when the songs were going and was as good as left in charge of it for large spells of the match. Although light in numbers the black and yellow clad crew were cacophonous and continued to back their side throughout where the home sides fans were flat barring a burst of singing and pyro at kick off.They never grew into the game unlike Wee Man who was loving it and continued to be involved more and more. Banging the drum, chanting, thumping the sponsor boards and the high fives and appreciation he was receiving was making him express his little almost nine year old mind even more. What a difference from the wary little kid from Friday night at Skeid. This was a completely new side of him, brought out by five dudes from Raufoss. A truly brilliant sight to see. In amongst this there was a badger for a mascot, a sofa in the stand and even a game of fitba on the go. One in which there was a shock result in the making and I am sure our new found Raufoss pals would not mind us saying so.
There was not much in the first half between the teams. The biggest chance fell to Andersen of Kongsvinger who fell foul to the angle which was closing on him. But it was a warning for Raufoss all the same. One thing I did notice throughout the half was, it was the fifth plastic pitch in 5 games this weekend but it looked sandy as opposed to full of shredded tyre pellets. But it also played better than the other parks too. A correlation with the lack of pellets?
HT 0 v 0
Wee Man was saying at the break he was worried this would be a 0 v 0 and ruin his weekend. This between hitting the drum in a Slayer “Raining Blood” duh duh duh fashion which amused me as my tunes in the car and kitchen were clearly rubbing off on him. The 0 v 0 was soon off the cards when Marcus Johnsgard struck from inside the box across goal and high into the the far corner. This sending the 20 or so behind the goal around us down the terrace and towards the sponsor boards to congratulate their heroes. Including Wee Man who was clearly caught in the moment. Raufoss had their tails up and created another couple of decent chances but it wasn’t to be. Fagenes passing up the best opportunity. Konsvinger were not out of it and did control proceedings to an extent but they just seemed to lack a killer instinct in the box. To sum it up there was a brilliant stramash in the box where six shots were fired off with a Gatlin gun like frequency, however, the home side just could not find the net with the last effort being cleared off the line. Kongsvinger were to rue this as they were soon 2 v 0 down. Substitute Andreas Helmersen finished off a rapid counter attack with ease putting the three points closer to heading north to Raufoss. But incredibly the visitors were not finished and after another break saw a third added by the unfortunate Konsvinger man Haakenstad who sent the ball past his own keeper from a cross. Raufoss were home and dry with eight or so minutes to go. This despite a late consolation from Victor Grodas who headed a set piece off the bar and in to reduce the Raufoss lead to two with 5 to go. But it meant nothing and the travelling merry band of around 40 total were delighted with the afternoons proceedings. Especially a new found Raufoss fan, Wee Man. To cement his support he was high fived by players then gifted a flag and scarf before the away end cleared.
Football is a lot of the time about the 90 minutes that unfold in front of you.Today was about so much more. Only 2 days ago Wee Man was really wary of lets call it “ultra culture”, today he was involved and loving it and it was down to meeting the most brilliant and affable bunch of dudes I have had the pleasure of meeting on my Euro adventures and although Wee Man is still a green horn at this caper I am positive he will not forget this afternoon. Personally, I have written a book on my experiences of watching fitba and mostly random fitba. Today eclispses most in terms of just a fucking great time. Outside Scotland I have now watched 93 games across many countries. This is by far the best day out yet and that’s not up for debate.
Incredibly, I hit the last page of my notebook in the Gjemselund Stadion this afternoon and the final page tore out in injury time due to wear and tear. A sign which was incredibly poetic as it was the end of the notebook, the end of this fantastic Nordic trip, but also what seems to be the end of what was a timorous Wee Man, with much thanks to the help of the weekends proceedings but even more so to the five men from Raufoss. Top geezers one and all and hopefully one day we meet again.
“Raufoss olé olé olé ” indeed.
*** For the record , I have been ignored by three clubs now and HamKam join Basel and of all teams Aberdeen on the dirty list. Also HamKam were defeated 2 v 0 by Brann. Shame
Entrance – Me 210 NOK (Approx £16.20) Wee Man Free
Attendance – 1893 (official)
Pie – Pøls i Lompe (Sausage in pocket) 30NOK (approx £2.30)
Pint – Fredrikstad Pilsener, didn’t even notice price, Maistro
Score Predictions – Me 1 v 1 , Wee Man 1 v 2
Season Score Prediction Totals – Me 0 v 0 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 