It was about 7pm when UMF Grindavík’s gamers completed coaching within the membership’s indoor corridor. There had been seismic exercise within the space all day however, on this harbour city to the south of Iceland’s well-known Blue Lagoon, all people had develop into wearily used to that. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions had been a discomfiting, menacing backdrop to the earlier three years. On a regular basis life had continued however now, on 10 November 2023, nature was to have its say. 4 hours after its soccer group had accomplished their session, the hazard had develop into insupportable and Grindavík was evacuated. Their once-thriving house shortly became a ghost city.
No one would dream of utilizing the corridor for soccer now. Its pitch is cleaved in two by a fissure as much as 25 metres deep; probably the most placing photographs in a settlement that has been ripped aside. A chasm has destroyed their outside follow pitch too. However one thing exceptional will occur in Grindavík on Saturday: soccer will cleared the path in a restoration few might have foreseen over the previous 18 months. Grindavík will play at their Stakkavíkurvöllur house for the primary time for the reason that city’s abandonment, internet hosting Fjölnir in a second-tier fixture whose final result feels distinctly secondary.
Haukur Guðberg Einarsson by no means misplaced religion that Grindavík would return, not even when eight extra eruptions ravaged the encircling space and hampered any makes an attempt to rebuild. “That’s been my mission each day and each evening,” says the membership chair, whose lifelong involvement there started as a participant. “I’ve been preventing with nature however by no means gave up: by no means, ever.”
Residents have been allowed to go to Grindavík within the weeks after evacuation, restricted to some minutes wherein they may collect belongings. “I needed to deal with my household first,” Einarsson says. “Then I turned to the soccer membership. For about three weeks I travelled forwards and backwards in unhealthy winter situations. I needed to save the membership and put it someplace.”
Grindavík have been initially housed by Víkingur Reykjavík. “They stored us alive,” Einarsson says. “We have been simply freefalling and so they grabbed us.” Quite a few different native golf equipment assisted too, though video games have been sparsely attended. “Individuals have been mentally not good,” he continues. The city’s financial system had been decimated: the membership misplaced 40% of its sponsors and Einarsson was amongst tons of to lose their jobs as firms shut down. It did, at the least, imply he might dedicate extra time to his obsession. Grindavík wanted to be house, on the picturesque Stakkavíkurvöllur, whose important floor had miraculously prevented destruction, as quickly because it was deemed protected.
“I needed to discuss with the federal government, a lot of conferences with the police, a lot of specialists who needed to verify whether or not all the things was OK below the pitch,” he says. “We don’t wish to take folks if it’s not 150% protected. Many occasions we needed to take one step ahead and two steps again: you’d attempt to work after which we’d be advised one other eruption was coming and have to depart once more. We have been working, testing and ready for what nature was going to do subsequent.”
When the most recent eruption, as not too long ago as 1 April, despatched lava spewing in the direction of the city, Einarsson feared his quest was destined to fail. “I assumed it was the final time I might ever see the pitch,” he says. But it surely stopped quick and, on Monday, Stakkavíkurvöllur was given the all-clear. Geophysical surveys confirmed the renovated venue was not in danger and as much as 1,500 supporters might attend on Saturday. There shall be a live performance, youngsters’s leisure, meals stands and the sense of a group reuniting round considered one of its most treasured establishments.
“This can be a big, big factor for us in Grindavík,” Einarsson says. “It was very particular to be advised we are able to play. It’s very exhausting for me to clarify my emotions about this. All the things I personal, all of my life, is Grindavík.”
It doesn’t imply Grindavík will return instantly to its outdated self. Whereas the city has been again open since late October, solely about 40 homes are occupied. Many dwellings are ruined past restore. The soccer membership are an advance social gathering of hope, of promise that higher occasions will finally arrive. “There are folks that may’t return, or received’t as a result of they’re scared or heartbroken,” he says. “It’s going to take a few years to construct Grindavík up once more.”
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The squad have been coaching at Stakkavíkurvöllur over the previous month; not too long ago they’ve conspicuously taken post-session meals at a close-by pizza restaurant that has reopened. They needed to be seen out and about, presenting a imaginative and prescient of normality away from the sphere. However there are reminders of the surreal, terrifying context in each look: the membership’s greatest sponsor, whose title is emblazoned on their shirts, has constructed the 12-metre excessive defence partitions that now circle the city to forestall it being overwhelmed by lava circulate.
Grindavík, who depend the previous Manchester United and England winger Lee Sharpe amongst their alumni, have a proud historical past and can search a return to the Úrvalsdeild, Iceland’s high flight, sooner or later. A younger aspect, largely rebuilt with academy gamers, they’re unlikely to attain that this season however are about to perform one thing far greater. The folks of Grindavík should still need to reckon with a traumatic previous, however they’ll see a beacon to the longer term.
“We begin step-by-step,” Einarsson says. “Will probably be OK. With an enormous coronary heart and all the need on the planet, it’s doable that Grindavík shall be alive once more.”
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