IL Hødd

Idrottslaget Hødd is a multi-sports club from Ulsteinvik in Møre og Romsdal, Norway. Founded in 1919, it has sections for team handball, gymnastics and football. It is best known for their men's football team, which since 2015 plays at Høddvoll, whose stated capacity is 4,081. The club's old home ground, Høddvoll Stadion, holds the record attendance of over 12,000 spectators at a match against Vålerenga in 1981.

Hødd

Full name	Idrottslaget Hødd
Founded	1 August 1919; 104 years ago (1919-08-01)
Ground	Høddvoll Ulsteinvik
Capacity	4,081
Chairman	Jan Arild Roppen
Manager	Sindre Eid
League	OBOS-ligaen
2023	1. divisjon, 14th of 16
Home colours Away colours

Hødd are currently playing in OBOS-ligaen, the second tier of Norwegian football. They played in the top tier in 1966, 1969–72 (4 seasons) and 1995 and is the club who has played most seasons at the second tier. Hødd won the Norwegian Cup in 2012.

History

Formation and early years

Idrottslaget Hødd was founded on 1 August 1919.^[1] The name derives from Höðr, which was a gifted archer in Norse mythology, and means "battle" or "fight".^[2] Before the Second World War, the football team was not competitive with the two big clubs in the region, Rollon and Aalesund.^[3] Hødd was first promoted to the Landsdelserien (second tier) in 1950, and was close on promotion to Hovedserien in both the 1951–52 season and the 1958–59 season, but lost the promotion in the play-off against Ranheim and Brage respectively. Hødd also reached the third round of the Norwegian Football Cup on several occasions during the 1950s, where they were eliminated by first-tier teams.^[4]

1965-1972: The golden era

Hødd was promoted to the 1. divisjon for the first time in the 1965 season when they won their 2. divisjon group ahead of Rosenborg and Brann on goal difference, after Rosenborg lost 2–1 against Brann in the decisive match while Hødd won 8–2 against Kvik Trondheim on Lerkendal Stadion.^[5] With Kjetil Hasund as the most notable star on the small team from a small place in the outskirts of Norway, the national media predicted that Hødd would relegated in its first season in the top-flight. The pundits were right and Hødd were relegated from the 1966 1. divisjon, but the team performed well and was only one point short of avoiding relegation. All the players stayed at the club after the relegation, and were again promoted to the top-flight in the 1968 season.^[6]

When Hødd was back in the 1. divisjon, the team had learned its lesson and for the next three season the team had a miraculous ability to avoid relegation.^[6] As favourites to be relegated, Hødd won 3–1 against Sarpsborg in the last match of the 1969 season while Start won 2–0 against Lyn. These results saved Hødd from relegation as they finished level on points but with better goal difference then Start and Lyn, who were relegated. That Lyn was relegated was quite a surprise, as the team had won the double in the previous season and played the quarterfinal of the 1968–69 European Cup Winners' Cup against Barcelona.^[7] Hødd reached the quarter-final of the Norwegian Football Cup for the first time in 1969, where they lost 1–3 against Fredrikstad.^[8] The next season, Hødd again avoided relegation with better goal difference then the relegated team, after Hødd won 6–0 against Pors while Skeid lost 1–0 against Strømsgodset in the decisive match, and Skeid was relegated.^[5] In the 1971 season, Hødd won 5–0 against Frigg in the penultimate match and avoided relegation two points ahead of Frigg.^[9] After four seasons in the first-tier league, Hødd were relegated in 1972.

1970s and 1980s

After playing in the 2. divisjon in the 1970s, Hødd were relegated in the 1980 season and were playing at the third tier for the first time since 1964. With Terje Skarsfjord as head coach the team won promotion to the 2. divisjon and reached the quarterfinal of the 1981 Norwegian Football Cup.^[10] The third-tier team met the defending Norwegian Football Cup champions Vålerenga in the quarterfinal at Høddvoll, and Hødd scored the first goal before Vålerenga turned the match into a 2–1 victory.^[11] The match was watched by 12,300 spectators, which is the club's record attendance.^[1] Jan Åge Fjørtoft and Børre Meinseth had their breakthrough in the 1985 season, but Hødd were relegated in 1987 and were playing at the third tier in 1988 and finished behind the local team Hareid before Hødd won promotion to the second tier the next season.^[10]

1990s: Ups and downs

Hødd reached the quarter-final of the 1994, where they lost 3–5 after extra time against Lyn,^[8] and won the 1994 1. divisjon and was promoted to Tippeligaen with Erik Brakstad as head coach.^[10] Hødd eliminating the defending Norwegian Cup winners Molde in the fourth round of the 1995 Norwegian Football Cup with 2–0 at home after goals from Tommy Sylte.^[12] The team went on to reach the semi-final where they lost 7–1 on aggregate against Rosenborg after losing 5–0 in the first leg at home.^[11] The team was however relegated after only one season, as they finished 12th in the 1995 Tippeligaen. With the exception of 2000, Hødd played in the 1. divisjon until 2006 when the club was relegated to the 2. divisjon, and is the club with the most seasons at the second tier since 1963.^[6][13] Hødd hired Sture Fladmark, who won Tippeligaen coach of the year in 2002, as the new head coach ahead of the 2007 season, to win promotion back to the 1. divisjon.^[14] Hødd won promotion to the First Division in 2007, and started the 2008 season with a win against Sarpsborg Sparta before the team collected six points in the next 16 matches. With nine points and seven losses in a row Hødd fired Fladmark in August 2008.^[15]

A new golden generation

Einar Magne Skede and Lars Arne Nilsen replaced Fladmark, but could not prevent the team from relegation. Skede and Nilsen continued as head coaches in 2009,^[16] when Hødd finished third in the 2. divisjon, before Nilsen continued as the sole head coach in 2010 when the team won promotion to the 1. divisjon.^[17] The newly promoted team impressed in the 2011 season, and managed to go 29 matches without losing until they lost away against Sandefjord on 22 May 2011.^[18] Hødd was positioned at second place half-way through the season,^[19] before finishing the season at eighth place.

The next season did not start as good, and after eight matches Hødd had three points with 21 conceded goals,^[20] before they went unbeaten for the next six league-games.^[21] Hødd remained in the relegation-zone throughout the season and avoided relegation with better goal difference then Tromsdalen.^[22]

In 2012, Hødd won its first Norwegian Football Cup. The feat was according to pundit Arne Scheie the biggest upset in the history of the Norwegian Cup,^[23] as Hødd was a second-tier team who had in fact been fighting against relegation up until the last round in the league. Despite their troubles in 1. divisjon, Hødd defeated the first-tier teams Haugesund and Brann, qualifying them to their first ever cup final.^[23] Their opponent in the final was Tromsø, who finished fourth in Tippeligaen. After regular time, the score was 1–1, and no goals were scored in extra time. In the penalty shoot-out, Hødd won 4–2. Ørjan Nyland was named man of the match,^[24] while Fredrik Aursnes became the youngest ever Norwegian Cup winner aged 16 years and 351 days.^[25]

Hødd failed to defend the Norwegian Cup title, as the team was eliminated by the defending Tippeligaen winners Molde in the third round of the 2013 Norwegian Football Cup, after a penalty shoot-out where Hødd's former goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland, who had transferred to Molde after the previous season, saved two penalties.^[26] As a result of the Norwegian Cup win, Hødd qualified for the first time in a European competition, Europa League. They debuted with a 1–0 victory at home against Aktobe, but the European adventure ended after a 2–0 loss in the second leg.

Notable players

After the relegation from the top-flight in 1972, the club did not manage to keep the talented youngsters at the club, and Svein Inge Urke and Åge Hareide moved to Start and Molde respectively. For the next decades, the club continued to develop talented players, like the sons of the generation that played in the First Division, Geir Hasund, Børre Meinseth, Egil Ulfstein, Ole Bjørn Sundgot and Arild Sundgot along with Jan Åge Fjørtoft and Karl Oskar Fjørtoft moved elsewhere to play in the top-flight after having had a good development in Hødd.^[6]

In 2012, Hødd arranged an official voting of the best player in the history of the club and Kjetil Hasund, who scored 460 goals in 646 matches for Hødd, was voted as the best ever player. He was capped 16 times for Norway and is still the only player to be capped for Norway while playing for Hødd. With his 683 matches, André Nevstad is the player with most matches for Hødd and he was voted as the second best Hødd-player, while Otto Sundgot finished third in the competition. Åge Hareide, Sindre Eid, Hallbjørn Hasund, Karl Oskar Fjørtoft, Geir Hasund, Geir Televik and Jan Åge Fjørtoft were the other players in the top ten, while Vidar Ulstein was voted as the best goalkeeper.^[27]

Honours

• Norwegian Football Cup
  • Winners (1): 2012

Recent history

Season		Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P	Cup	Notes
2001	1. divisjon	11	30	9	8	13	50	51	35	Fourth round
2002	1. divisjon	7	30	16	4	10	50	41	52	Fourth round
2003	1. divisjon	11	30	9	8	13	51	54	35	Third round
2004	1. divisjon	6	30	14	2	14	63	59	44	Third round
2005	1. divisjon	9	10	7	13	37	53	54	37	Third round
2006	1. divisjon	↓ 16	30	4	7	19	29	61	19	Second round	Relegated to the 2. divisjon
2007	2. divisjon	↑ 1	26	18	3	5	77	30	57	First round	Promoted to the 1. divisjon
2008	1. divisjon	↓ 16	30	2	8	20	29	76	14	Third round	Relegated to the 2. divisjon
2009	2. divisjon	2	26	14	4	8	69	44	46	Second round
2010	2. divisjon	↑ 1	26	18	6	2	81	23	60	First round	Promoted to the 1. divisjon
2011	1. divisjon	8	30	13	7	10	54	42	46	Third round
2012	1. divisjon	12	30	10	5	15	43	52	35	Winner	Qualified to the Europa League
2013	1. divisjon	3	30	15	5	10	41	31	50	Third round
2014	1. divisjon	8	30	12	7	11	48	49	43	Second round
2015	1. divisjon	4	30	14	6	10	43	40	48	Fourth round
2016	1. divisjon	↓ 14	30	8	6	16	31	57	30	Second round	Relegated to the 2. divisjon
2017	2. divisjon	6	26	11	7	8	44	37	40	Second round
2018	2. divisjon	3	26	13	8	5	43	30	47	Fourth round
2019	2. divisjon	7	26	10	5	11	40	45	35	Second round
2020	2. divisjon	3	17	9	3	5	28	14	30	Cancelled
2021	2. divisjon	2	26	18	6	2	67	18	60	Second round
2022	2. divisjon	↑ 1	26	18	6	2	54	15	60	Second round	Promoted to the 1. divisjon
2023	1. divisjon	14	30	8	9	13	29	38	33	Second round

Source:^[28]

European record

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
2013–14	UEFA Europa League	Second qualifying round	Aktobe	1–0	0–2	1–2

History of league positions (since 1963)

	1963– 1964	1965	1966	1967– 1968	1969– 1972	1973– 1980	1981	1982– 1987	1988– 1989	1990– 1994	1995	1996– 1999	2000	2001– 2006	2007	2008	2009– 2010	2011– 2016	2017– 2022	2023–
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3

Current squad

As of 15 September 2023^[29]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK   NOR Ole Monrad Alme 2 DF   NOR Andreas Fjørtoft 4 DF   NOR Peder Nersveen 6 DF   NOR Thomas Rømo Lillo 7 FW   NOR Robin Hjelmeseth 8 MF   NOR Sverre Økland 9 FW   KEN Alfred Scriven 10 MF   NOR Isak Gabriel Skotheim 11 MF   NOR Torbjørn Kallevåg 14 MF   NOR Halvard Urnes 15 FW   NOR Vegard Håheim Elveseter 17 MF   NOR Kjetil Holand Tøsse

No. Pos. Nation Player 18 DF   POR Bernardo Morgado 20 MF   NOR Syver Skundberg Skeide (on loan from Bodø/Glimt) 21 FW   DEN Gustav Mogensen (on loan from Sarpsborg 08) 22 FW   NOR Daniel Notanes Brandal 23 MF   NOR Fredrik Dimmen Gjerde 24 DF   NOR Erlend Hellevik Larsen 25 GK   NOR Marcus Andersen 27 MF   NOR Andreas Hofset Televik 28 DF   ALB Renato Ziko 29 MF   NOR Martin Håheim-Elveseter 32 DF   NOR Sander Munkeby Sundnes 77 DF   NOR Marius Svanberg Alm

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 5 DF   NOR Eivind Helgesen (at Gjøvik-Lyn)

Other sports

IL Hødd also has sections for team handball^[30] and gymnastics.^[31] The club previously had a section for athletics, which utilized the multi-use stadium Høddvoll as well. Hødd's athletics department hosted the 1980 Norwegian Championships in standing jumps.^[32] Athletics in the city has now been taken over by the Dimna IL sports club.

References

1. (in Norwegian). IL Hødd. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
2. Fotballboka. N.W. Damm & Søn AS. 1992. p. 57. ISBN 82-517-9461-7.
3. "Jubileumskamp: Hødd hjemme" (in Norwegian). Strømmen IF. 22 September 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
4. (in Norwegian). IL Hødd. 27 June 2012. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
5. Lote, Arve (13 March 2009). "Seks mål på bestilling" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
6. Steen Jensen, Øyvind (2001). 100 år med norsk fotball. N.W. Damm & Søn AS. pp. 119–120. ISBN 82-496-0090-8.
7. Lote, Arve (25 March 2009). "Lille Hødd sendte mesteren ned" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
8. Skuseth, Helge (18 August 2012). "Han drømmer om blå cupfinale" (in Norwegian). Sunnmørsposten. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
9. (in Norwegian). IL Hødd. 27 June 2012. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
10. (in Norwegian). IL Hødd. 27 June 2012. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
11. Lorgen, Gunnar (27 September 2012). "Nytt eventyr for Askeladden" (in Norwegian). Sunnmørsposten. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
12. Rud, Thomas (29 May 2013). (in Norwegian). Romsdals Budstikke. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
13. "All-time first division table (1963-2008)". RSSSF Norway. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
14. Vik, Marius (29 November 2006). ""Årets trener" ble Hødd-trener" (in Norwegian). Nettavisen. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
15. Thue, Eystein W. (7 August 2008). "Sparket som Hødd-trener" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
16. "Trenerduo fortsetter i Hødd" (in Norwegian). TV 2. 29 October 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
17. Nilsen, Olav Sindre (22 October 2010). "Nilsen forlengar med Hødd" (in Norwegian). Sunnmørsposten. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
18. Trovåg, Einar O. (22 May 2011). "Hødds rekke uten tap rauk mot Sandefjord" (in Norwegian). Sunnmørspoten. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
19. Stenerud, Kristian (19 July 2011). "Statistikken sier Hødd-opprykk" (in Norwegian). Sunnmørspoten. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
20. Scheie, Morten Vist (15 November 2012). "Slik var tidenes villeste Hødd-sesong" (in Norwegian). Sunnmørspoten. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
21. Mordal, Jarle (15 July 2012). "Hødd-trener: - Vi har god selvtillit" (in Norwegian). Sunnmørspoten. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
22. Haugen, Eivind A. (11 November 2012). "Hødd redda Adecco-plassen etter 4-0-tap" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
23. Heggheim, Sander (26 November 2012). "Kan Hødd-sigeren måle seg med desse cupbombene?" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
24. Aarsæther, Dag Slinning (25 November 2012). "Hødd med cupbombe etter straffedrama" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
25. Lilleheim, Pål Are (25 November 2012). "- Jeg hører de sier det" (in Norwegian). Sunnmørspoten. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
26. Bakkehaug, Wegard (29 May 2013). "Nyland reddet to straffer mot gamleklubben da Molde avanserte" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
27. Eikrem, Allan (25 September 2012). "Hasund er tidenes Hødd-spiller" (in Norwegian). Sunnmørsposten. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
28. "Hødd". NIFS (in Norwegian). Retrieved 22 October 2022.
29. "A-laget" (in Norwegian). IL Hødd. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
30. Official site, handball section
31. "Sterke prestasjonar av Hødd Turn". Vikebladet (in Norwegian). 10 November 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
32. . Norwegian Athletics. Archived from the original on 15 December 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2012.

External links

• Official website