The Bryne FK is considered a “farmers’ association in Norway. When returning to the elite series, the team celebrates the nickname with a lot of self -irony.
The fans sit on tractor shovels or in the trailer on pallets – as it should be for a “farmers’ association”: With a lot of self -irony, the Bryne FK, home club from striker Erling, celebrated his comeback in the Norwegian elites series after 22 years. The 0: 1 on Sunday against Meister Bodö/Glimt did not detract from the good mood.
“We are proud of our tractor grandstand,” said sports director Roger Eskeland and added: “I think the players also find it cool. That gives the whole thing that certain something.” The concept: Farmers from the Jaeren area in Southwestern Norway run their tractors to the edge of the field, where selected fans sit on sofas in the shovels or hangers.
“We bring color to the elite with what our identity is,” said Marketing Director Björn Hagerup Röken. This is obvious elsewhere in the stadium: the VAR cameras are on two temporarily built turrets made of old feed silos and pallets.
And as it should be for farmers, there is a real natural grass in the 5000 spectator, which also has two “real” stands with red plastic shells. This is rare in Norway, only three other first division teams oppose the trend towards artificial turf (mountains, hazessund and trondheim).
“The Bryne Stadium has always had the reputation of being among the best in the country,” said Eskeland, “this will also be the case this season”. However, the greatest success of the club was almost 40 years ago: in 1987 Bryne won the trophy. In 2003 the FK relegated to the second division, in the third in 2016, now the return to the upper house – with a special note.