THEY may live thousands of miles away, but football fans in Norway have taken a North-East club into their hearts.

Listeners to Norwegian radio show, Folkets Hus, based in Trondheim, have ignored Britain's premiership clubs in favour of Darlington FC, who they have voted to be the show's official team.

The Norwegians are so taken with the third division club that they even place bets on whether the team will win matches.

The programme, broadcast on weekdays to 80,000 listeners on national radio channel NRK Petre, features every Darlington game live.

Listeners have inundated the show's DJ, called BT, and football expert Frode, with calls supporting the Darlington players.

Speaking from Norway, last night, BT said: "We searched through the English divisions and found a team with great spirit and lively, charismatic supporters.

"We have had a great response from listeners. Norwegians are well keen on football and thought it would be a good idea to support a smaller club. The Norwegian football experts think it is brilliant.

"For the first time ever, the Norwegian bookmakers have taken bets on Darlington FC.

"The Quakers are the team in our hearts."

Listeners voted for Darlington because of its name rather than the team's skills on the field.

"We had five teams to choose between but the listeners voted for Darlington.

"They love the name Darlo, that's why they chose the club," said BT.

"We do not really know much about Darlington FC but I know that the chairman, George Reynolds, is quite famous in England."

As well as listening to the programme, Norwegians can also get up-to-date information on the show's website, which features the Darlington FC logo and some football chants.

One of the chants reads:

Lets show the lads we

love 'em

You are my Darlo,

My only Darlo,

You make me happy

when skies are grey,

You never notice how

much I love you,

So don't ever take

my Darlo away.

TRONDHEIM FACTFILE

* It was the first capital of Norway.

* It used to be called Nidaros and is surrounded by beautiful forests and hills

* It has a university, many popular colleges and Scandinavia's largest independent research institute.

* Of the 151,000 population, about 27,000 are students.

* Men have a life expectancy of 75; women live for a further six years.

* Its airport has hourly departures to the capital, Oslo.

* The local football team, Rosenborg Ballklub, has become a regular contender in the Champions League

The football as it is sung

What do the Norwegian fans sing on the terraces? To help them when they watch Darlington, we translated some favourite football chants:

Up the Football League

we go,

When we win

promotion,

This is what we'll sing,

We are Darlo,

We are Darlo,

We are Darlington

Opp i divisjonene!

Nr vi vinner tredje

Vi synger p vr sang.

Vi er Darlo

Vi er Darlo

Vi er Darlington!

One Craig Liddle,

there's only one Craig

Liddle,

Walkin' along, singin'

a song,

Walking in a Liddle

wonderland

Det er bare en Craig

Liddle, en Craig Liddle

Vi gr fram, synger p

vr sang.

Gr i vrt eventyrland...

There's only one

Georgie Reynolds,

There's only one

Georgie Reynolds

Georgie is the one

for us.

Det er bare en Georgie

Reynholds, en Georgie

Reynholds

Georgie er mannen for

oss!