Espen Baardsen
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Espen Baardsen | ||
| Date of birth | 7 December 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | San Rafael, United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–1996 | San Francisco United All Blacks | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1996–2000 | Tottenham Hotspur | 23 | (0) |
| 2000–2002 | Watford | 41 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | Everton | 1 | (0) |
| Total | 65 | (0) | |
| National team‡ | |||
| 1998–2000 | Norway | 4 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 26 November 2007. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 26 November 2007 |
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Espen Baardsen (born 7 December 1977 in San Rafael, California, USA) is a former footballer. He played as a goalkeeper.
Born in the United States to Norwegian parents, he was selected for the USA under-18 national team before switching his international eligibility to Norway because of his dual nationality.
In 1995 Baardsen was spotted by English team Tottenham Hotspur while he was playing for the San Francisco United All Blacks of the USISL. Tottenham offered him a contract. He made his debut for the team in the spring of 1997 against Liverpool at Anfield. Despite good performances, including a 0–0 draw away to rivals Arsenal, he was unable to become the team's first-choice keeper, but finished his time at the North London club with a Worthington Cup winners medal from 1999. Spurs played eight matches en route to winning the cup and Baardsen started three of those matches (Ian Walker started four and Hans Segers one).
In 2000 Baardsen, seeking first-team football, signed for Watford for a fee of £1.25 million. However, towards the end of the 2000–01 season he lost his place in the team to veteran Alec Chamberlain. Although he returned to the side under new manager Gianluca Vialli in 2001–02, he was again displaced by Chamberlain.
In 2002, he had a short spell at Everton. In his sole game for the club he conceded 4 goals in a 4–3 loss to his former club Tottenham Hotspur.
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