Opinion: Turning the page in Trondheim

Tuesday 16 July 2024 16:00

Everywhere you go with Manchester United, you experience, first hand, the warmth and depth of feeling towards this great club.

Yet Trondheim pulled out all the stops for their visitors from Old Trafford, providing a show of support that perfectly illustrated the love affair it enjoys with the Scandinavian public. Yes, we have had some famous Norwegian players in the past, such as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ronny Johnsen and Henning Berg, but this affection runs deeper than mere representation from the same country.

Our city-centre hotel was surrounded by fans eager to get a glimpse of their favourites, and maybe even a selfie or signature. They all waited patiently and respectfully, and a lot of children were present, soaking up the glamour that comes when United are in town.

As the sun shone, the mood was relaxed and incredibly serene. While everyday life went on in this picturesque setting, the focus was unmistakably on the game. Without exaggeration, every third person appeared to be wearing a United shirt of some description, providing almost a back catalogue of all our kits over the past decade.

Many were sporting the new home jersey, carrying the names of the likes of Antony, Rashford, Mainoo, Fernandes and Garnacho on the back. This was a special occasion and one that clearly meant a lot to the people of Trondheim. Everyone was quizzical about the club, excited by the visit and optimistic for what lies ahead under Erik ten Hag.

The night before the friendly against Rosenborg was, of course, dominated by the Euro 2024 final. Finding somewhere to watch it was proving uncomfortably problematic, with the hotel having no viewing area with a TV. As kick-off approached, a sports cafe that had been located was not looking like an optimal venue. A clear sight of one screen was negated by the fact the footage was lagging some way behind the large one, and that was heavily, and irritatingly, obscured by those sat at the bar.

Thanks to the sterling efforts of Michael Leneghan, our supporters’ liaison manager, access was somehow secured to a sold-out English pub nearby, called ‘The Three Lions’. A route through the backdoor, ducking under one giant screen, up the stairs and onto the top floor evoked thoughts of some secret undercover mission. I should point out at this juncture that our cause was undeniably helped by having United legends Denis Irwin and Bryan Robson in tow.The adulation towards these Reds idols was, of course, to be expected. They signed countless autographs and posed for pictures with the locals, while their privacy was respected during the game itself, allowing the surreal experience to unfold of seeing England bid to win a major trophy for the first time in my life while sat in such esteemed company.I’d been gutted to miss continuing to follow the team’s run with my wife and three kids back home and sharing the emotions of it all, even if there was always the possibility of this major clash of events. I have watched a lot of football in a lot of different settings. However, this was something unique that I will never forget. If you had told the nine-year-old boy watching Robbo score twice against France at the 1982 World Cup, while on holiday on the Isle of Wight, and only truly appreciating the magnitude of international tournament football for the first time, that I would be watching our country in a major final alongside him 42 years later, I think I would have accepted all the pain and misery of following England during that time-span in between.While Cole Palmer’s goal prompted an unforgettable moment of celebration, it did not work out with the fairytale ending, even if we could all be proud of how Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo performed on the night. The opportunity to discuss and dissect it all with Den and Robbo somehow softened the blow and brought fresh perspective and, after all, it would not take long for total focus to switch, as usual, back to my beloved United.

Come the morning of the game, the season started here and there was the acceptance that supporting the Reds remains on another level altogether to craving any success with England. I think it’s fair to say the majority of the Norwegians we spoke to were backing Gareth Southgate’s side, but they clearly were always more interested in what was going on at Old Trafford. Let’s be honest, that is what dominates our thoughts constantly too.

And that is genuinely how it felt to be covering our first pre-season game of 2024/25. As one campaign closed in torrential rain on the Sunday night (so bad it was making finding the initial bar impossible via the maps app on my phone, only increasing the stress levels further), the clouds gave way to glorious sunshine on the Monday morning. There probably has never been a shorter pause, as someone who has worked in the industry since the mid-1990s, but this swift turning of the page felt extremely welcome.

Another ex-Reds star joined us, in the shape of the aforementioned Treble-winner Ronny Johnsen, if any more reminders were needed of just how privileged I am in my role. It was also nice to get to greet Ruud van Nistelrooy upon his return to the club he served with an insatiable thirst for goals that sees him hero worshipped from those camping outside the hotel to us club staff.

90 in 20: Rosenborg v United Video

Extended highlights | The Reds travelled to Norway for our first pre-season match of 2024/25...

Admittedly, the match itself was more of an exercise in recovering sharpness for the two different outfield line-ups fielded by Ten Hag. Ronny had noted beforehand, upon our early arrival at the Lerkendal Stadium, that Rosenborg would clearly be fitter, considering the fact they are in the middle of their domestic programme.

The impressive 21,000-plus crowd at least had a goal from their local team to witness in the dying seconds, plundered by Noah Helm, who was happily signing autographs for young fans as we passed him en route to the bus, revelling in his role as the matchwinner against United.

As the coaching team and players embarked on their trip to the airport, the stardust sprinkled in this part of Scandinavia will have left its mark. The love of the Premier League, and of the Reds in particular, is so incredibly strong and positive.

So it’s a new season, with fresh hopes and ambitions, plus an expectation of what can be achieved in Erik’s third year in charge. As the boss pointed out when talking to journalists in the mixed zone, only Manchester City can boast more trophies than us since he took charge, but we want more.

Being able to soak up and savour that FA Cup final victory provided an afterglow that lasted with me ever since that unforgettable day out at Wembley. Not only was the United shirt being worn with pride throughout the Trondheim city centre but this will be the case when any of us embark on our summer holidays, wherever that may be in the world.

The backing for Erik and his team stretches far and wide – and it is a beautiful thing to see and feel part of.

The opinions in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Manchester United Football Club.

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