We have respect for every club we play. As a Brann fan I know all about defeats, and we have lost matches against really bad opponets earlier. We won the league this year, the first title in 44 years (1963). But we've been in the top flight all the time and is number 4 in the marathon table (link:
http://www.fotballen.eu/Emner/Tippeligaen_statistikk.html#Maratontabellen 1949 ) only Viking got more matches than us.
So I'm sure you can understand how it's like for us. We've always been second best, you know.. We won the norwegian cup (thats also a big thing here in Norway) in 2004 and took over 20 000 supporters to Ullevaal playing Lyn Oslo in Oslo, and thats in a stadium with only 25 000 seats, and Lyns own home ground.
But before that time we have to go all the way back to 1982 for our last cup trophy. Our club has been hurt by economically scandals trough the 90's and we were allmost bankrupt ouround the millennium. So the changes has been enormous for us. We have a restored stadium, and after next years season it will be finished with 23 000 seats (witch is not enough, but the club wants it to be like that so the stadium is sold out in every match). We have money in the bank and the club owns the stadium after the company that saved our ass from becoming bankrupt gave the stadium back to Brann for free, and thats something that we are greatfull for.
We have a good squad now, but against international clubs like Everton I'm not that optimistic. It's fun to have matches in the winter too, and I'm sure we can bring 3000 bergensers over to Liverpool when we play you, cause this is just a big bonus for us, we aren't spoilt like the Rosenborg supporters are.
If you want to know more about our club just ask. Our bigest rivals here in Norway are Rosenborg, Vålerenga and Viking. Brann is the only big club in Bergen, and Viking (Stavanger) is the nearest club, about 3 - 4 hours away with a car. So we have to travle quite a bit during the season. Most of the clubs are located east in the country, so one way with the car usualy takes 6 -7 hours, and that adds up to become a couple of hours every season. We are also known for having the best supporters in Norway, but we had a big downhill period a couple of years when i came to the atmophere in the stadium. Now its back to where it should be, as Norways most loud stadium when it comes to noise.
If we get knocked out by Everton it will not be a big disappointment. Then we just have to learn from all this, and look forward to beating the F** crap out of Rosenborg and the rest of the gang here in Norway next season.
Cheers!!
