120 years of Sports and Joy - and the Game goes on!
In the year 2025 it will be 120 years since IK Start was founded
In 2025, IK Start celebrates its 120th anniversary – a proud and important milestone for Kristiansand and the entire Sørlandet region.
Since 1905, the club has been more than just football: it has been a community, a place for personal growth, and a home for generations of sports enthusiasts.
Over these 120 years, we’ve experienced great moments and proud triumphs, especially on the football field:
▪ 🏆 Two men’s league championships – in 1978 and 1980
▪ 🥈 Silver medals in the Tippeligaen – in 2005, a strong comeback after many years
▪ 🌟 Four Norwegian Cup titles for the junior team – proof of the club’s strong development of young talent
▪ ⚽️ Numerous exciting European cup experiences and unforgettable home matches
But IK Start is more than just football. Throughout its history, the club has offered a wide range of sports including orienteering, handball, cycling, and others, serving as an important development arena for children and youth in Kristiansand and the region
From its early days with modest facilities to today’s modern infrastructure and organization, the club has grown in step with the city and the region.
And we’ve never forgotten where we came from.
In celebration of the anniversary, we are publishing the club’s history online – a journey through highlights, challenges, and unforgettable moments.
We also spotlight the people who have shaped the club, both on and off the pitch – coaches, players, dedicated volunteers, and supporters who have made Start more than just a football club. We also share key off-field events that have been important to the club’s journey.
This is the story of IK Start – and we want you to be part of it.
Whether you’ve followed the club all your life or just recently started cheering, we hope you’ll take the time to explore the history and join the celebration.
120 years and still going – for the club, the city, and all of Sørlandet.
How Start was founded
FK Start in the period 1905–1914
Presidents and leaders of IK Start
———
The historical articles are divided into 10-year sections with links to more relevant information for each decade. For the more recent periods, the sections cover 5 years.
Some of the text was generated with the help of artificial intelligence, and then reviewed for quality by us.
Each page includes a link to the next time period at the bottom.
Sources: Start i hundre, Alt om Start in Fædrelandsvennen, nifs.no, soccerway.com, IK Start annual reports, personal notes, and articles summarizing match results throughout the seasons.
Note: From the 1984 season onward, statistics on fotball.no provide detailed insights both at club level and for national team players.
This 120-year retrospective on IK Start is presented by the archive committee:
Tom Edvardsen (chair), Eivind Tellefsen, Carl Viggo Axelssen, Borgar Haugland, Kai Eriksen, Per Svein Bostrøm, Dag Andersen, Tore Heidenreich and
Ole-Bernt Kristoffersen
– Anniversary Web Editor
