Erik Nevland

Erik Nevland

Nevland playing for Fulham in 2009
Personal information
Full name Erik Nevland[1]
Date of birth (1977-11-10) 10 November 1977[1]
Place of birth Stavanger, Norway
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Playing position Forward
Youth career
Viking
Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1997 Viking 14 (5)
1997–2000 Manchester United 1 (0)
1998Viking (loan) 8 (3)
1999IFK Göteborg (loan) 4 (0)
2000–2004 Viking 113 (54)
2004–2008 FC Groningen 95 (43)
2008–2010 Fulham 52 (9)
2010–2012 Viking 54 (16)
Total 341 (130)
National team
1996–1997 Norway U20 3 (1)
1997–1999 Norway U21 22 (1)
2002 Norway B 2 (0)
2001–2010 Norway 8 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Erik Nevland (born 10 November 1977) is a Norwegian former professional footballer who played as a forward. He played for clubs in Norway, England, Sweden and the Netherlands, and earned eight caps for the Norway national team from his debut in 2001.

Club career

Nevland was born in Stavanger, Rogaland.[1] He started his career at Viking FK, but in 1997 he was sold to Manchester United at the age of 19,[2] before he had played a single first team match for the Norwegian side. What prompted Manchester United to sign him was a succession of hat-tricks in three games when he was on trial with them.[3] His only goal for the United first team was in a Worthington Cup match against Bury in October 1998.[4] He never managed to establish himself in the United team, with a successful loan spell at Viking and an unsuccessful one at IFK Göteborg. He only ever made one league appearance for United, as a substitute against Southampton on 19 January 1998.

He returned to Viking on a permanent contract in January 2000, winning the Norwegian cup final in 2001 and scoring the two deciding goals in their famous UEFA Cup victory over Chelsea in 2002. He joined FC Groningen on a free transfer in November 2004, and since became a cult hero. In his first half-season for his new club he scored 16 times in 20 matches. Nevland also scored the first ever goal in FC Groningen's new Euroborg stadium.

On 27 April 2007, Nevland signed a new three-year contract with FC Groningen. In December 2007, Nevland was voted 'Groninger of the Year' by television viewers in the province of Groningen, in spite of him not being born in Groningen or the Netherlands.

On 28 January 2008, he signed with Premier League side Fulham[5] for a fee of €2.5 million (£1.85 million), plus a further €0.5 million (£370k) if Fulham retained Premier League status, which they did. On 3 February, he made only his second ever Premier League appearance when Fulham played Aston Villa at Craven Cottage.

After making over 50 league appearances for Fulham, and despite Roy Hodgson's wish to keep him at the club, Nevland once again returned to Viking in June 2010. He was promptly assigned the role as captain at Viking.

International career

He has eight international caps for the Norwegian national football team of which his first cap came in 2001.

He also has 22 caps and one international goal to his name with the U-21 side. He participated in the 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship where Norway achieved a third-place finish.[6][7]

Career statistics

Club performance League Cup Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Norway League Norwegian Cup Total
1996 Viking Tippeligaen 10
1997 135
England League FA Cup Total
1997–98 Manchester United Premier League 1030
Norway League Norwegian Cup Total
1998 Viking Tippeligaen 83
Sweden League Svenska Cupen Total
1999 IFK Göteborg Allsvenskan 40
England League FA Cup Total
1999–2000 Manchester United Premier League 0000
Norway League Norwegian Cup Total
2000 Viking Tippeligaen 2013
2001 2514
2002 2010
2003 2511
2004 236
Netherlands League KNVB Cup Total
2004–05 Groningen Eredivisie 2016002016
2005–06 298523410
2006–07 2713102813
2007–08 12610136
England League FA Cup Total
2007–08 Fulham Premier League 820082
2008–09 21430244
2009–10 23311244
Norway League Norwegian Cup Total
2010 Viking Tippeligaen 12610136
2011 288553313
2012 14211153
Total Norway 14870
England 539
Sweden 40
Netherlands 8843
Career total 259111

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 307. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  2. Nixon, Alan (31 May 1997). "Football: United snap up Nevland". The Independent. London. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  3. "Erik Nevland". Totally Red. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  4. Hadfield, Dave (28 October 1998). "Solskjaer provides a little bit extra". London: The Independent. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
  5. Fulham sign Erik Nevland
  6. Russia and Norway in Euro Under-21 semis; hurriyetdailynews.com, 26 May 1998
  7. Spain beats Norway in extra time in Euro under-21 semis; hurriyetdailynews.com, 29 May 1998
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