Bakke: Eirik

1999-2006 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Midfield

Born: Sogndal, Norway: 13-09-1977

Debut v Southampton (a) (Substitute): 11-08-1999

5’11” 12st 8lb (2002)

#60 in 100 Greatest LUFC Players Ever

Eirik was Captain of the Norwegian Under-Twenty-one side when United paid £1.75 million to beat off competition from Rosenberg, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and sign him in May 1999 from his hometown club. He had played ninety-nine times and scored eighteen goals for Sogndal. Originally bought as a future prospect, he was one of David O’Leary’s more astute purchases and he soon forced his way into the Leeds team. Such was his progress that he quickly became a full Norwegian International, representing them in Euro 2000 and in the World Cup in 2002, and was voted Leeds United Young Player of the Year in his first season. He was capped by the Norway at Under-Twenty-one level thirty-four times and he scored one goal, while at full International level he respresented his country on Twenty-seven occasions, including seven as a substitute, without scoring. After being a regular in the Leeds team for his first four seasons and figuring strongly both in the EPL and in European competitions, his career was blighted by injury and he hardly played for the next two seasons. Although a skilful and forceful midfield player his aerial prowess made him dangerous in the opponent’s penalty box and Terry Venables used him as an emergency striker on several occasions. A chronic knee injury started to plague him by the end of the 2002-03 season and with Norway pressing for qualification for Euro 2004 they needed his services. Leeds provided medical evidence and requested that he should not play. Norway disregarded the request and played him in all three games that he was called up for. He reported back to Elland Road with knee ligament damage. He missed virtually the whole of the 2003-04 season and sought specialist advice in the U.S.A. In a pre-season friendly match at Pitea in Sweden he snapped his cruciate ligaments and damaged his cartilage. He was out of action for another year. Leeds were, by then, in financial melt-down and, as his wage was excessive to United’s status, so he was loaned to Aston Villa in August 2005, returning at the end of January 2006, having made eight starts and six substitute appearances in the League. A bid by David O’Leary, then the Aston Villa Manager, to make the move permanent fell through. He returned to his native Norway, joining SK Brann on a free transfer on 31st August 2006. He became captain of Brann at the start of the 2008 season, and his contract with the club was extended to 2010 in May 2008. By the end of the 2008-09 season he had played thirty-eight games for Brann but had scored just one goal. It was an important one, being the winning goal against arch-rivals Rosenborg BK on 11th August 2007. He scored eight goals in eighty-two games for Brann, before rejoining Sogndal on 28th February 2011. He had scored once in seven appearances to June 2011, in his second spell with his hometown team.