Halle: Gunnar

1996-1999 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Right Back/ Midfield

Born: Larvik, Vestfold, 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. He scored twelve goals in one hundred and twenty-eight League games and had already played twenty-seven times at full international for Norway. On 15th February 1991 he was sold to Oldham Athletic for £250,000, where he scored seventeen League goals in one hundred and eighty-five starts and three games from the bench and also scored twice in eight starts in the F.A. Cup, and twice more in sixteen starts in the League Cup and also making four starts in other competitions. He was regarded as one of that club’s finest players during their EPL days and had brought his total of Norwegian caps to fifty-two and while at Boundary Park he had the distinction of scoring a World Cup hat-trick for Norway. Although all his caps for Norway were as a defender or midfield anchor-man, on 9th September 1992 Noway put San Marino to the sword, winning by 10-0 at Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo and Halle found the net in the sixth, fifty-third and seventieth minute, as Norway took a big step towards qualifying for the 1994 World Cup Finals in the U.S.A.and Halle represented them there. 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 on 13th 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 on 11th June 1999, after a season in which he became evermore a bit player rather than a regular. He had, however, added a further eleven Norwegian caps to his collection, of which four had been as a substitute, and played in the 1998 World Cup in France in a 1-1 draw with Scotland. He remained with Bradford for three seasons and scored once in eighty-three League games, which included five from the bench, he also scored once in six League Cup ties, one of which was as a substitute and made two starts in the F.A. Cup and two in other games, without scoring. He played his sixty-fourth and final game for Norway against Lithuania on a 1-0 win in Oslo on 28th August 1999. He was released by the Bantams on 20th June 2002 and concluded his stay in England. He had previously spent a loan period with Wolverhampton Wanderers, for just over a month from 28th March 2002, in which time he made five League appearances, including one from the bench, as well as two other appearances. He returned to Norway and joined Lillestrøm on a free transfer on same day. He played one and a half seasons for Lillestrøm, scoring once in twenty-three games, 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 December 2008, he moved to FC Lyn Oslo as assistant manager and in August 2009 he became Manager. Unfortunately the club, which had a long history of financial problems were declared bankrupt and had to resign from the League on 30th June 2010. He became Assistant Manager to Uve Rosler at Molde on 30th August 2010, he lost his position in early November 2010 when Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer took over as Manager. He also played for Norway at Youth level and twenty-three times at Under-Twenty-one level.