Former Premier League striker Jan Age Fjortoft has revealed an on-pitch taunt he supplied a global team-mate throughout certainly one of his early video games in England.
After taking part in for Hodd, HamKam and Lillestrom in Norway , Fjortoft moved to Fast Wien in 1989. He scored 85 objectives in 4 seasons in Austria, incomes a Participant of the Yr award in his first marketing campaign.
Swindon got here calling once they achieved promotion to the Premier League , with Fjortoft costing £500,000, however the transfer is not fairly as random because it first appeared.
Ex-Premier League striker Jan Age Fjortoft reveals on-pitch taunt
Jan Age Fjortoft celebrates scoring (Picture credit score: PA)
“I stayed in Vienna for a few years too lengthy, actually,” Fjortoft completely tells FourFourTwo . “A pal helped me to place collectively a video of my objectives, and I despatched it to 30 individuals I knew in soccer.
“One among them was David Hay, who’s a legend at Celtic and was my coach in Lillestrom. He grew to become assistant to John Gorman, who’d taken over at Swindon, and John signed me. To go from a small village to play in England , the house of soccer, was a dream come true.
Jan Aage Fjortoft (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
“I knew masses concerning the Premier League, which was in its second season. I nonetheless get goosebumps after I consider flying into Heathrow and being picked as much as drive over to Swindon.”
Regardless of ending the marketing campaign with 12 objectives for a relegated aspect, Fjortoft initially struggled at County Floor. It took the striker till January earlier than he hit the again of the online for the primary time, however as soon as he did it gave him the boldness to maintain scoring.
“Within the first sport of the season, we misplaced 3-1 to Sheffield United and I obtained a knock,” Fjortoft provides. “I didn’t wish to inform the gaffer as a result of I used to be so determined to play within the Premier League and, as a striker, you simply hope you may rating that first purpose by some means.
“I carried on taking part in however wasn’t 100 per cent, after which I started to ask myself if I may do it within the Premier League. After 10 or 11 matches I used to be out of the staff, and rightly so.
Fjortoft taunted Thorstvedt as he went off injured (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
“I organized for Lillestrom to re-sign me on mortgage within the New Yr, however then Keith Scott was cup-tied for our FA Cup tie towards Ipswich . I began the replay and at last scored, then I did it once more within the subsequent sport, towards Spurs.
“Their goalkeeper, Erik Thorstvedt, was my room-mate for Norway, so when he obtained injured through the match and was stretchered off, I ran over to him saying, ‘You’re a coward, as a result of I’m going to attain!’ – and I truly did.
“The native newspaper wrote an article beneath the headline, ‘Please don’t go, Jan’, so I didn’t. I feel solely Southampton’s Matt Le Tissier scored extra objectives than me within the second half of that season.”
