Knarvik: Thomas (Tommy)

1997-2000 (Player Details)

Midfield

Born: Bergen, Norway: 01-11-1979

Debut: v Portsmouth (a) (substitute): 23-01-1999

5’9” 11st (2006)

Knarvik played junior football in his native Norway for IL Skjegard from 1992 until 1st June 1997, when he joined Leeds United. He was part of the wonderful young Leeds team that took out the FA Youth Cup in 1996-97 and also a member of the 1997-98 Pontin’s League winning team and that provided so many future stars and internationals for the club. He barely made it into the Leeds first-team statistics as he was given his debut, as a substitute, as was Matthew Jones in a fine Leeds performance in a 5-1 thrashing of Portsmouth at Fratton Park in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup in January 1999. Knarvik came on as an eighty-sixth minute substitute for Gunnar Halle so his United first team career lasted just four minutes. Knarvik performed well at Youth and reserve level but found himself well down the pecking order as Leeds bought players to further strengthen their team and supplement their emerging young stars. He was selected as the United Young Player of the Year and considering he was up against Harry Kewell and Jonathan Woodgate and the other galaxy of stars it was no mean feat. He also suffered from an injury which side-lined him for a while and, in May 2000, he had his contract cancelled and he moved back to Norway. He signed for top Norwegian side SK Brann from his hometown of Bergen and was converted to a striker. After a few good seasons at SK Brann his performance dropped and he was loaned out to Bryne FK but they would not offer a regular contract and after six games he returned to Brann who released him after he had scored twelve League goals in eighty-four appearances for them. He scored a further ten goals in twenty-one Cup and European games. Adeccoliga club Sogndal gave him a chance but his performance was not up to standard and they let him go after just one season in 2005 in which he scored once in sixteen appearances. He joined Sandefjord and scored twelve times in fifty games for them. On 14th November 2007 Tromso IL announced they had signed Knarvik on a four year contract. He has scored eight goals in fifty-six games for them. In 2001 Knarvik played three times for the Norwegian Under-Twenty-one team.