We had to wash our own kits 13 years ago - to be facing Manchester United now is a dream

Bodo/Glimt are on the brink of securing their fourth Norwegian league championship in five seasons, an achievement especially poignant as they head to Old Trafford for a "special" encounter with Manchester United, only 13 years after players were responsible for washing their own kits.

Situated above the Arctic Circle, the club will be backed by 6,500 supporters, equivalent to 12% of Bodo's total population, during Thursdays Europa League group stage clash at the Theatre of Dreams.

This journey is particularly surreal for those connected to the ever-improving Bodo squad, who will clinch their fourth Eliteserien title inside the last five seasons if they triumph over the already relegated Lillestrom come Sunday.

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For sporting director Havard Sakariassen it is another 'pinch-me' moment. As someone who idolised the United team featuring his fellow countryman Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back in the 90s, this is more than just a match.

"Personally, the 1990s were the defining years of my life because I was between 15 and 22," he remembered fondly. "Manchester was the coolest place on earth for me because of music and the football team."

"So, for me, drawing United, it's a cool thing. If you ask the 20-year-old Havard, that would be unreal to go to Old Trafford with Bodo/Glimt.

"Of course today I am working with this every day and we have been around the block for some years now, but still to go to Old Trafford is special for me. .

"We have played many games in Europe but, for the Norwegian football fans, playing against English teams is really special.

"The game against Arsenal (in 2022) was really a big game for the club but also for the supporters. The Man United game is maybe even more special because of the history of United."

Sakariassen, who has an intimate knowledge of Bodo's ascent having been part of the youth setup and later retiring there in 2011, has since transitioned from player to sporting director, describing his experience as being "in the middle of a hurricane every day" due to the club's rapid progression.

Reflecting on tougher times, Sakariassen recounted: "If you go back to 2009-2011, the club was struggling really hard financially. I had my last season in 2011 as a player. In mid-season that year I quit. I was old and not any good."

"They offered me a job in the club in the middle of the season. I left the changing room and went upstairs.

"At that time the club was in such bad conditions that we didn't have a kit manager. We washed our training gear at home and came to training already dressed. That was the situation at Bodo/Glimt in 2011.

"We had one person working for the A team that autumn. That was me. That meant we didn't have a kit man. I was the kit man. When we travelled, home and away, the washing of the jerseys... we didn't have anyone to do it in 2011.

"To compare that to our resources today, when we have charters and all the staff around the team, it is a totally different world."

A focus on astute signings and nurturing talent is augmented by an offensive philosophy under Bodo manager Kjetil Knutsen, with his team consistently outperforming Norway's established football powerhouses.

Their emphatic 6-1 triumph over Jose Mourinho's Roma in the 2021 Conference League caught the attention of Europe, highlighting a success story that shows no signs of slowing down.

"We don't before the season, like probably a lot of teams, have 'Our aim for the season is to become number one or two', 'We're going to win 80 per cent of the home games'," Sakariassen explained.

"We threw that in the bin six years ago, and we actually just start to work on and focus on trying to get better every day, doing the smart things every day, and just work hard and only have one focus: to actually get the product to get better... to work harder and better every day, to hire the coaching staff and support team that actually could just push the team forward."