Stunned when they heard that a football supporter left the club 200 million ISK

It came as a huge surprise to Breiðablik Football League when the club inherited 200 million ISK from a loyal supporter and former member of the board of directors.

“We had heard nothing of this and did not know anything about this until the lawyer who handled it contacted us this summer,” says Breiðablik’s chairman of football operations, Flosi Eiríksson, when asked about this considerable inheritance.

“But of course we knew about Guðmundur from the old days. He was an honorary member of Breiðablik and a treasurer here before, and indeed one of the founding members of the association as well.”

It was reported that the football department never went into the red when Guðmundur Eggert was the treasurer. “Maybe some people running football leagues today should try to model it, as a rule,” Eiríksson says, laughing.

Three single brothers

Guðmundur Eggert was one of three brothers, all of whom were single, and the last of them to die. “They lie together in the Kópavogur cemetery. They were born and raised in the old town of Kópavogur. Their father was a farm manager, so they were active in various jobs in the town,” Flosi reports, adding that their father was a member of one of the town’s first district committee.

Equally divided between the sexes

Guðmundur Eggert had been living for several years in the nursing home in Sunnuhlíð before his death, and the 200 million came out of his house and other assets. He worked for Kópavogur more or less for his entire life, Eiríksson said, including as a driver for the town.

“He was not a wealthy man, but he obviously was not a big spender. In the will there are not really a lot of obligatory clauses as to how the money should be spent, but it is though made clear that the amount should be spent equally on the men’s and women’s departments. From a man born in 1935, I think that’s a very cool attitude.”

Never happened before

Eiríksson says that there are, however, great obligations placed on Breiðablik to protect the inheritance in accordance with the wishes of Guðmundur Eggert. Breiðablik’s announcement stated that it is not expected to use the money for direct operations but for individual projects and advancements in the work of the Football League. None of the players’ salaries or player wages will be covered.

The amount is the highest ever inherited by Breiðablik Football league,” Eiríksson says. “It’s completely without any precedent, ever,” he says. “We were absolutely stunned when we heard this news. Of course this money will be put to good use and hopefully it will allow us to be even more effective with our people, offer better training, better facilities and a better environment,” he adds, cheerfully.