Norwegian left back Stig Inge Bjornebye is possibly the best crosser of the ball I have ever seen at Liverpool. A cross from his left boot was often a thing of pure aesthetic beauty as the ball would seem to float before curving away from the goalkeeper, beyond the reach of defenders, before landing on the head of an attacker to bury in the back of the net. A perfect example would be the incredible delivery for Neil Ruddock to score the equaliser in the amazing 3-3 draw with Manchester United in January 1994.
Stig was born in December 1969 in Elverum, Norway. His father was professional skier, Jo Inge, who competed in the 1972 winter Olympics. Stig showed an interest in becoming a ski jumper when he was a child but found his real talent lay as a footballer. He played in the youth team for his local side Elverum IL before starting a professional career at Strommen IF in 1987. After two seasons in which he was on the fringes of the first team he moved to Konsvinger in 1989. He became a regular in the first team and gained great plaudits, which gained him his first caps at international level. His performances at Konsvinger gained Stig a transfer to the biggest side in Norway, Rosenborg in 1992. In Stig’s first season Rosenborg won the domestic double of Norwegian Premier League and the Norwegian Cup. Stig scored the winning goal in the Norwegian Cup Final against Lillestrom SK.
In the summer of 1992, Liverpool under Graeme Souness was on one of their regular pre-season trips to Scandinavia. It was during this trip that Souness first spotted Stig playing in person as the Norwegian season runs from April to November, due to the freezing climate during winter. In December 1992 he was signed by Liverpool for £600,000 after David Burrows suffered a serious long term injury. Stig had five years international experience and as a Scandinavian he was used to playing during cold weather so it seemed a great piece of business. Unfortunately Stig took time to adjust to the pace of the Premier League and he was unable to make the left back position his own. He had a poor debut as Liverpool was thrashed 5-1 by Coventry City. He came in for some criticism from the fans as his inconsistency made him a scapegoat for the entire team’s poor performances.
In the summer of 1993, David Burrows was sold to West Ham United and the deal involved bringing the controversial Julian Dicks to Anfield. Dicks made the left back spot his and Stig barely played during the 1993/94 season. In the few games that Stig did play he failed to impress enough to push his way into a regular place in the side. In 1994 he went back to Rosenborg on loan where played eight games.
When Roy Evans took over as manager in February 1994, the upturn in Stigs fortunes at Anfield could not have been more dramatic. After playing for Norway in the 1994 World Cup in the USA, Stig was given a second chance at Liverpool when Julian Dicks was sold after just one poor season. Roy changed the team formation to 5-3-2 which would enable the full backs to bomb up and down the wings without worrying about leaving gaps at the back. Stigs experience as a wing back with Rosenborg was vital for this new formation and he began to thrive as a Liverpool player. He began to show great composure and his balance and strong tackling made him an important member of the side. He understood when to overlap with the forward players and was now free to go forward more often. He showed great creativity with his passing and began to regularly demonstrate his irreproachable crossing abilities. He had a terrific game in the 1995 League Cup Final victory over Bolton Wanderers, where he linked up well with Steve McManaman. He almost capped a fine performance with a goal but saw his shot rebound of the post. Unfortunately his incredible new lease of life at Anfield came to a premature end a few days after the League Cup Final when he broke his leg against Southampton. It was a freak accident as his studs got stuck in the turf when straining to reach the ball.
Stig missed almost the entire 1995/96 season through injury and his place was filled mainly by Steve Harkness and Rob Jones. At the start of the 1996/97 season injuries to Harkness and Jones gave Stig the chance to reclaim his place at left back. He took this opportunity with relish and was an ever present during an outstanding campaign for Liverpool. Stig was one of the most vital players as Liverpool mounted their most serious title challenge since 1991. His pinpoint crosses helped Robbie Fowler and Stan Collymore to score many goals and he finally broke his own duck by scoring against Middlesbrough. At the end of the season his outstanding performances earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year.
In July 1998 Gerard Houllier arrived at Anfield to join Roy Evans in a short lived stint as joint managers. One of Houllier’s first pieces of business was the surprise decision to bring Steve Staunton back from Aston Villa. This was to mark the end for Stig at the club as Staunton and Dominic Matteo took over the regular left back spot. Seemingly marginalised by Houllier, Stig decided to fight for his place and, after playing in the 1998 World Cup, he retired from international football to concentrate on his club career. He managed another thirty one appearances over the next two seasons but his previous poor form from his early Liverpool career began to return more regularly and his once perfect crossing abilities had also begun decreasing. Houllier’s tenure brought an influx of new players which meant that Stig’s time at Anfield had come to an end.
In 2000 he joined the Danish champions Brondby IF on loan and, after a brief international comeback in the European Championship’s, his old boss Souness signed him for Blackburn Rovers for £300,000. In his first season at Ewood Park he showed that he was far from finished as he helped Blackburn to gain promotion back to the Premier League. He went on to win his final trophy in football when Blackburn defeated Tottenham Hotspur in the 2002 League Cup Final.
Soon after the League Cup Final, Stig was the victim of a freak training ground accident and fractured his eye socket. Suffering with double vision he needed corrective surgery and was unable to play for the next seven months. In December 2002 he made a brief return but suffered an injury in a game against Wigan Athletic that required foot surgery. In February 2003, while recovering in Norway, he suffered numbness in his foot and doctors found two failing arteries. After five hours of surgery, Stig was told he was lucky not to have his foot amputated. He never played again and in March 2003 he announced his retirement.
After his retirement from playing, Stig was the assistant manager for the Norway international side from 2003 to 2006. He vacated the position to become manager at Norwegian club IK Start. After a promising first season in which they competed in the UEFA Cup he was sacked in September 2007 after a poor run of results leaving the club in a dangerous position in the Norwegian Premier League. The club was eventually relegated two months later at the end of the season.
Stig Inge Bjornebye was a left back who was lucky to get two lives at Liverpool. His poor early career at Anfield was almost forgotten as he rose to new heights and almost helped the side to win the Premier League in 1997. He is still remembered fondly by Liverpool fans who watched his performances between 1994 and 1998 and he is guaranteed a warm welcome anytime at Anfield.
Liverpool FC | Supporters Club | Vancouver, BC, Canada
