Vidar Evensen

{{short description|Norwegian footballer (born 1971)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}

Vidar Evensen (born 13 July 1971) is a retired Norwegian football defender.

He started his career in Strindheim and played in the 1. divisjon. Ahead of the 1994 season he moved to Oslo and joined Lyn. He made his debut in April 1994 against his old club, but only recorded 9 league games{{cite web|url=http://www.lynhistorie.com/Lyn_Spiller.asp?id=165|title=Vidar Evensen|publisher=Lynhistorie.com|language=Norwegian|accessdate=15 March 2019}} before returning to Strindheim who were promoted to 1995 Tippeligaen. Following their instant relegation, Evensen went on to another first-tier club, Kongsvinger. He played here from 1996 through 2000{{cite web|url=http://www.fozzum.com/kil/spillerfakta.php?_persid=5|author=Fossum, Geir|title=Vidar Evensen|work=Fozzum.com (Kongsvinger IL statistics)|language=Norwegian|accessdate=15 March 2019}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} before finishing his professional career in Strømsgodset.[https://www.fotball.no/fotballdata/person/profil/?fiksId=1907605 Fotball.no]

Evensen was linked to foreign clubs numerous times. For instance he trialled with Blackpool and Oldham in 1995,{{cite news|title=Heller Ørn enn 1.divisjon|work=Tønsbergs Blad|date=17 April 2007|page=18|author=Edvardsen, John Arne|language=Norwegian}} was scouted by Nottingham Forest in 1997,{{cite news|title=Kongsvinger slo tilbake, slo Strømsgodset|date=11 May 1997|agency=Norwegian News Agency|language=Norwegian}} was offered contracts with both Eendracht Aalst and Queens Park Rangers in 1997 which both fell through,{{cite news|title=Tar knekken på trenerne|date=16 November 1997|agency=Norwegian News Agency|language=Norwegian}} and trialled extensively with Barnsley in 1998.{{cite news|title=Evensen til Barnsley|date=14 November 1998|agency=Norwegian News Agency|language=Norwegian}} During the 2000 Norwegian winter break Evensen and Kenneth Karlsen were loaned out to Widzew Łódź.{{cite news|title=Prøver seg i Polen|work=Adresseavisen|date=1 November 2000|page=33|author=Sjoner, Arvid|language=Norwegian}}

Evensen settled in Larvik, and after leaving Strømsgodset he played two seasons for third-tier Larvik. He featured for Tollnes and Notodden in 2006, securing promotion to the first tier. In 2007 he became manager of Ørn-Horten, while also giving himself a role as a squad player. Evensen and Ørn parted after the 2008 season after the club suggested pay cuts.{{cite news|title=– Horten må våkne opp|work=Tønsbergs Blad|date=14 October 2008|page=18|author=Syrstad, Sven-Erik|language=Norwegian}} About ten years later he became director of sports in Strindheim, now languishing in lower leagues.