THE IDRETTSPARKEN GROUND:

EIK's clubhouse with a game in progress, October 2005.

Ground history:

EIK has played at the now council owned Idrettsparken Ground since 1924, having played at different fields at Slettebø, just out of town, until then. Originally fields belonging to the adjacent vicarage, the Idrettsparken Ground was purchased as a playground around 1917, but was not suitable for football until 1924, much due to it being used for growing potatoes during the last couple of years of the Great War.

The first pitch was made out of gravel and was angled 90 degrees compared to todays pitch. In 1934 EIK took over the ownership of the ground from the council and immediately plans were made to turn the pitch to todays position and to put a grass surface on it. The new pitch, complete with a running track, was finished in 1939, but was barely used before the war put an end to all sporting activities. The total costs to redevelop the ground had been more than Nkr 20.000.

After the war the ground lay derelict, and the council took over the ownership again. German POW's were employed to erect a new practice pitch, opened in August 1946. The main pitch was re-opened in May 1947, when EIK played Viking Stavanger.

In 1948 proper changing rooms were built. Until then EIK had used an old barn adjacent to the ground. 10 years later a club-house was built above the changing-rooms and in 1970 a toilet block was added. In 1985 a new section was added to the clubhouse, including a cafe and a new boardroom.

Spectator fascilities are sparse at the ground. A refreshment stall lies adjacent to the club house, selling hot-dogs, coffee and sweets, as well as working as the club shop on matchdays. In 1959 turnstiles were installed, but they were removed few years later due to problems enclosing the ground properly. During the early 80ies, when crowds of around a 1000 were common, EIK installed a second refreshment-stall, but this was later removed when the crowds declined.

In the mid 90ies the pitch was dug up and the running track made artificial in order to upgrade the ground's fascilities for athletic-meetings. A new perimeterfence was added around the track and foundations for a stand and floodlights were laid. The pitch itself was seed in sand in order to accomodate more use, and we now usually have a topclass surface to play on.

By the spring of 2005 work got under way to upgrade the spectator fascilities following EIK's promotion to the 2nd division. A new stand, seating around 300, and with additional space for 2000 standing spectators was erected, but due to lack of funds the roof had to be put on hold until the council can finance it.

The Idrettsparken Ground viewed from Varberg Hill.

Ground description:

The ground lies nestling on a height just south of Egersund town centre. Just behind the clubhouse is the Nonsfjellet Hill, where some spectators used to bring drinks and watch the game for free in days gone by. A couple of hundred yards away is the towering TV-mast on Varberg Hill, and although these two hills give shelter from western winds the ground is reknown to be quite windy.

The main entrance is off Prestegårdsveien (Vicarage Road) and leads into a small parking area between the main pitch and the artificial practice pitch. Just ahead is the Clubhouse, built between the half way line and the 18 yard box. It contains a large room for meetings as well as kitchen fascilities in the main floor, and upstairs are several offices and a lounge. In the basementfloor are four dressing rooms leading out to a small concreted paddock which the players must pass on their way to the pitch itself. Between two of the dressing rooms is the grounds only covered area, with space for around 25 people (who have a poor view of the game).

Looking towards the pitch from the clubhouse, to the left is the only stand, covering half the length of the pitch behind which is the refreshment hut. The stand can accomodate around 300 seated spectators as well as a couple of thousands standing in the far end. It is intended to cover it when funds allow. Both ends are curved because of the track, with the north end being raised three feet from the ground with a small grassbank above the perimeter wall.
The south end consist of a gangway, behind which is a narrow lane and the Town Sports Hall, opened in 1977.

The gangway continues along the flat east side of the ground, but a privately owned grassbank above the ground has always proved a popular viewing area until fenced off some years ago. In the ground's south east corner is an old cemetery.

Since 1995 the pitch and running track has been enclosed by a fence carrying advertisements hoardings, but the ground itself is only partly enclosed, bringing the gatekeepers constant strain as a road leads through the spectator area, making it difficult to decide who is passing through and who is going to attend the match.