Cato Guntveit

Cato Guntveit is a Norway footballer who currently plays for SK Brann. He was the captain of Brann from 2004 until recently, when Brann coach Mons Ivar Mjelde decided Martin Andresen should take over the captaincy prior to the 2006 season. Guntveit played briefly for local club Fana I.L. before joining Brann in 1995. He also spent two seasons at Aberdeen F.C., but has played in Brann since 2002. Guntveit is married and has two children. One of the few "local lads" in Brann, he owns and works in a toyshop in Bergen. His contract is due to expire in 2008.

Biography

Early career

Guntveit made his debut for Brann at age 20, under coach Hallvar Thoresen. Thoresen used him frequently as a full back (football), but when Thoresen was fired, things took a turn for the worse for Guntveit, and he spent less time on the pitch. The following seasons, Guntveit failed to secure a steady first team place, but in the Norwegian Premier League 1998, he regained his place for Brann. During that season, new coach Harald Aabrekk moved Guntveit up to the midfield as a right winger, where he enjoyed considerable success, and was seen as a primal factor for Brann's success in Norwegian Premier League 1999, when the club finished 3rd in the Norwegian Premier League and reached Norwegian Football Cup.

Spell at Aberdeen

In 1999, Cato Guntveit was signed by the Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen F.C. as a free transfer. He gained a reputation as a committed player, but his career in the Scotland outfit was hampered due to several injuries. In the summer 2002 however, he returned to Brann after being released from Aberdeen due to the club's financial problems, having played 69 games and scored 5 goals.

Return to Brann

After returning to Brann, it took Guntveit nearly a year to make his debut, due to a mysterious injury. When he finally made his debut however, he became an integral part of the team, and was once again named a primal factor for Brann's success, this time in the latter half of the Norwegian Premier League 2003.

In Norwegian Premier League 2004, Guntveit became the captain of Brann, but he missed the final as Brann won the Norwegian football cup in 2004 (their first trophy since 1982) because of a suspension. In Norwegian Premier League 2005, the arrival of Martin Andresen threatened Guntveit's captaincy, as many believed the Norway national football team captain (Andresen) would (or should) become the captain of Brann. However, Guntveit remained the captain of Brann, but has revealed that the captaincy distracted him from his game, and he was recently stripped of the captaincy prior to the Norwegian Premier League 2006, when coach Mons Ivar Mjelde made Andresen captain in a widely anticipated move.

Honours

Norway

- Norwegian Premier League: Norwegian Premier League 2007

- Norwegian football cup: 2004