Halle: Gunnar

1996-1999 (Player Details)

Right Back/ Midfield

Born: Larvik, Norway: 11-08-1965

Debut: v Tottenham Hotspur (h): 14-12-1996

5’11” 11st 2lb (2000)

Halle started his Norwegian Premier League career in Lillestrom in 1985 when he joined them from his native Larvik Turn. He quickly became a regular first-team player, and helped Lillestrom win the league titles in 1986 and 1989. In the spring of 1991 he was sold to Oldham Athletic for £250,000, where he played over two hundred and sixteen matches and scored twenty-one goals. He was regarded as one of that club’s finest players during their Premiership days. He had been watched by Howard Wilkinson who was contemplating buying him but was axed by Leeds. His successor George Graham made Halle his first signing when he joined Leeds United for £400,000 in December 1996. A versatile player who played in just about every position at the back (and also in midfield), Halle spent three successful seasons at Leeds where he scored four goals in eighty-five appearances before he moved to Bradford City for £200,000 in June 1999, after a season in which he became evermore a bit player rather than a regular. He remained with Bradford for three seasons and scoring twice in ninety-three appearances. He had a brief spell with Wolverhampton Wanderers in March 2002 in which he made seven appearances but he was released by the Bantams in June 2002 and concluded his stay in England. He returned to Norway and immediately joined Lillestrøm. He played one and a half seasons for Lillestrøm before rounding off his career as player-coach for Third Division side Aurskog/Finstadbru in the 2004 season. In the 2005 and 2006 seasons Halle worked as the Lillestrøm assistant coach, but was sacked on 13th November 2006 along with head coach Uwe Rosler. The pair was soon hired to coach Viking. In total he was capped by Norway sixty-four times and scored five goals, including a memorable hat-trick against San Marino. He was included in the Norwegian squads for the 1994 and 1998 World Cups as well as playing for Norway at Youth level and twenty-three times at Under-Twenty-one level.