by Layth Yousif in Bodo, Norway

THE air was cold but the anticipation sizzled.

People clad in bright yellow queued around the block, long but patient lines snaking around the compact ground.

They had come to see their unfashionable, unfavoured but much-loved minnows, host the mighty Arsenal from London.

“The Aspmyra Stadion is basically Barnet FC with Uefa banners wrapped around it,” a local confided before the game, with only the merest hint of a smile to underscore the irony of the situation.

“But,” he added with understated feeling, “we are so proud of our team,”

So they should be.

Against the dramatic backdrop of snow-covered mountains and glaciers in the Arctic Circle, along with yellow T-shirts clad with anti-war symbols on sale in the club shop, a dogged Bodo/Glimt side narrowly lost 1-0 to Arsenal in the Europa League on Thursday, following Bukayo Saka’s first half goal that sealed a hard-fought victory.

This week, in one of those satisfying twists football’s romantic conscience conjures from time to time, the leaders of the world’s richest league travelled nearly 2,000 kilometres to the unprepossessing coastal town of Bodo.

The area might be surrounded by the ice-cold Norwegian Sea but the town itself is peopled by wonderfully warm and welcoming inhabitants, their beguiling, yet understated charm perhaps existing as an antidote to the fierce and vicious winters the area experiences.

There is a forbidding calmness to the breathtakingly vivid views in northern Norway that you can see from the Aspmyra Stadion, as nearby natural beauty mesmerises in its majesty. Not least the dramatic ice-capped nobility of the dauntingly sized mountains that tower over the ground — and a town which was practically razed to the ground during the second world war.

The stark geology combines with the dark blue-black waters 10 minutes’ walk hence, as capricious gulls, and a bright white lighthouse vie for attention as a succession of red fishing boats and any number of evocative wooden vessels slide by the harbour to form an unforgettable vista.

There is a good-natured hardiness to the locals. There has to be.

A willingness to battle the elements, to cope with some of the worst conditions that nature can throw at humans allows people here an inner strength to survive against the odds. And to do it as a team. Because you simply can’t exist in the Arctic Circle alone.

This mindset might also explain just why Bodo’s humble team, against all expectations, has embarked not only on a period of success domestically, but in European competition too.

It is no surprise then, that this side from northern Norway, as well as their manager Kjetil Knutsen, regularly earn plaudits for their progress.

On Thursday they received plenty for the way they ran the Premier League leaders close, not least from Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

No wonder, victory achieved, Arteta pointedly took the time to hail his worthy opponents, saying: “[Bodo] is a really good team that is going to cause you problems, especially the moment you start to lose certain duels.”

The mutual respect continued throughout Knutsen’s post-match press conference, when, in Norwegian, translated into English later by the local journalist who asked the question, the Bodo boss contrasted the niggly visits of Jose Mourinho’s Roma on and off the pitch during last season’s clashes, to the more dignified visit by the Arsenal fraternity.

While the Serie A side eventually lifted the Europa Conference League last term, Bodo’s incredible 6-1 rout of the eventual winners shocked the football world — and angered the spiky Mourinho.

Thankfully there were no hint of off-field jibes against Arsenal, despite a gritty and at times attritional battle against Arteta’s side.

Knutsen’s stock is high after leading his club to two Eliteserien national league titles, not to mention last season’s stirring run to the quarter-finals of the conference league. 

Yet, not for the first time the modest Knutsen deflected laurels, choosing instead to praise his side and the bond between the fans and the club following his second battling defeat to the Gunners in the space of a week.

“You know at [Arsenal last week] there was 55,000 people. I don’t know how many there were here tonight — eight thousand, and I think we were competing with the [atmosphere at Arsenal]. Our fans are really important for this team. I am really proud of the team and also the fans.”

In response to the Morning Star’s question enquiring as to whether the 54-year-old has designs on working in England one day, the likeable Knutsen responded, saying: “If you ask me the English league is the best league in the world — but at the moment I am really happy to be coaching Bodo/Glimt.

“I am always 100 per cent in this job — but you never know in the future. As long as I can continue to develop this team I am happy.”

While Arteta fielded a weakened Arsenal side on the plastic pitch, the side were bolstered by the appearance of Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli on the hour mark, as Bodo threatened to overwhelm the relatively young side he selected.

This was evidenced not least on the substitutes bench that listed 19-year-old Marquinhos, along with academy attacker Khayon Edwards and defender Bradley Ibrahim, who started the season captaining Jack Wilshere’s U18s side.

Arteta explained afterwards: “We knew that it was going to be really complicated. It’s 14 games they have won consecutively here. So I think we had to play at a different level today.” 

Led by their highly rated coach Knutsen, Glimt — which means lightning in Norwegian — could and should have scored, but were guilty of missing plenty of clear-cut opportunities.

Amahl Pellegrino, No7 for The Den Gule Horde — the Yellow Horde — dragged his effort wide when well-placed, prior to Runar Espejord firing over Matt Turner’s woodwork from a matter of yards.

The 28-year-old, signed from New England Revolution in the summer, was praised by Arteta for his performance, with the Gunners boss saying after the match: “He’s improving, he’s getting better, we are demanding things that are different to what other managers have demanded him to do,” adding that Turner “was phenomenal in goal.”

The victory ensures Arsenal are five points ahead of Bodo in third spot, who have played an extra match more due to Arteta’s table-toppers’ fixture against PSV Eindhoven being postponed due to policing issues after the death of Queen Elizabeth II last month.

The rearranged match with second-place PSV is next Thursday in north London, when a win will guarantee the Gunners’ progression. 

It could also help Bodo if Knutsen’s side can prevail against the Dutch side in early November.

However, the result, if not the overall performance against Bodo, pleased Arteta. The calculated gamble of his starting XI also meant he was able to rest star striker Gabriel Jesus and influential defender Gabriel ahead of Sunday’s testing trip to face Leeds at fortress Elland Road.

So, a good trip all round for the Gunners — and their 600 hardy fans who travelled to this outpost to support their team.

They also showed their humour when singing on a dark night: “Where’s your famous Northern Lights?” that were nowhere to be seen thanks to the thick blanket of cloud that hung above.

As this correspondent trudged out of the Aspmyra on a cold, dark Arctic Circle evening, there was still a buzz in the air.

As swarms of Glimt’s fans scurried home, or to the charms of Bodo’s late-night bars around dotted near the harbour — if not the fiscally demanding prospect of pints of lager that were priced at £12 — a father clad in a bright yellow jacket, held the small hand of his son as they walked away from the still bright floodlights.

“Did you enjoy that?” the father asked in perfect, lilting English. “Yes,” the youngster replied. Before asking his dad in wide-eyed anticipation: “When can we come again?”

Despite the result there has been pride and anticipation aplenty in Bodo this week.