5:00pm Saturday 4th September 2010
By Andy Naylor
Albion's Norwegian teenager Torbjorn Agdestein wants to build on his fairytale move – by playing for the club at Falmer.
The 18-year-old striker already feels at home at Withdean following his deadline-beating switch to the Seagulls.
They plucked him from the obscurity of the Norwegian third division with his local club Stord, just before the close of the transfer window, on a one-year contract for a fee of around £25,000.
Stord, on the south-west coast of Norway, only has a population of 17,000 and Agdestein is used to playing in front of tiny crowds, but he has adapted quickly to the new surroundings.
He said: “Football is not too big in Stord. Unfortunately, they look like they are going down to the fourth level, so maybe it was the right time to leave.
“The most people we had this season was 200 to 300. There are normally 80 to 90. That is going to be the biggest difference for me.
“The grass at Withdean is so beautiful. Our pitches back at home are terrible, so I am really pleased about that.
“The first thing I noticed is that it is just like the old stadium of Stabaek (Norwegian Premier League), green, with a running track and throwing area.
“But when I saw the new stadium which is coming I thought wow! If I am going to play there it is going to be just like a big dream come true.”
Agdestein played for Stord’s first team when he was 15 and has been on the fringes of the Norway under 19’s squad. He was snapped up by Albion after a successful trial.
“It happened very quickly,” he said. “Last Sunday an agent called me to see if I wanted to take a trip to England for a training session.
“The day after I was training with my team and he told me to pack my things. I didn’t even have time to call my parents to say I was leaving.
“I don’t know too much about the club. Of course, I know what league they play in and I know about Gus Poyet. I haven’t even had time to learn all the names yet, but I am very excited.”
Agdestein and his team-mates have been given the weekend off by Poyet ahead of a full week’s preparation for next Saturday’s visit by MK Dons.
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