Sparta Warriors
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sparta Warriors are an ice hockey club based in Sarpsborg, Norway and playing in the GET-ligaen. They play their home games in Sparta Amfi. Their team colours are blue and white.
The ice hockey department of I.L. Sparta was founded in 1959, and got off to a fantastic start when Norways first indoor hockey arena Sparta Amfi was opened in 1963. Within only three years they earned promotion to the first division as the first team outside Oslo. It was only to be a short stint, and through most part of the late sixties and seventies 'Sparta' spent their time in the second division, with the odd visit to the top flight.
The eighties was to be Spartas greatest decade. Under the leadership of charismatic coach Lasse Bäckman and strengthened by several strong signings from other Norwegian clubs, and a couple of Swedish stars they claimed the Norwegian Championships in 1984. The feat was repeated in 1989, when the club beat heavily favoured Trondheim in the final after claiming the last playoff spot in the last rounds of the league.
The success proved costly for the club, and in 1995, after years of economical problems Sparta had to file for bankrupcy. The only sports club in Norway ever to do so. This meant that they had to start from scratch in the third division. They made the stay a short one, and in 1997 they were back in the Eliteserien where they have stayed since.
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