IK Start in the period 1955 -1964

At the beginning of this period, Einar Gerhardsen returned as Norway’s Prime Minister, and the national football team lost 0–5 to Hungary. IK Start also celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Several new players joined Start in the 1950s. Striker Leif Grundetjern made his debut in 1955, and Hungarian goalkeeper Attila Bende was a valuable addition in the 1957 season.

The 1957/58 season was the last time Start finished behind three other clubs from Southern Norway in the league table. The following season, 1958/59, marked the year when IK Start established itself as the region’s leading football club and qualified for the Hovedserien as the first club from Southern Norway.

Seated from left: Kjell Petersen, Egil Gundersen, Attila Bende, Rolf Andresen, and Dagfinn Vestaby.

Standing from left: Rolf Lie (Liemannn), Leif Grundetjern, Ivar Bøe, Johan Svennevig, Karl Johan “Bassen” Bisseth, and Einar Ellingsen.

Opprykket i 1959 ble også feiret 50 år senere, se her

In the 1959/60 season, Start got its first opportunity to compete in what was then the Hovedserien. It turned out to be a short stay, with 1 win, 3 draws, and 10 losses, finishing last in Group A. The team lacked experience.

Then there was another change in the organization of the league:
In the 1961/62 season, the Hovedserien was played autumn/spring/autumn as a single division with 16 teams. Half of the teams were relegated, and the league leader after 21 rounds (at the summer break) qualified for the league champions’ cup. Start was unable to stay up.

In 1963, a nationwide league was established at the second-highest level. Norwegian football thus returned to following the calendar year. The First Division was played as a single division with ten teams, for the first time on a spring/autumn schedule. The two bottom teams were relegated.

The Second Division had two groups of eight teams each, with only the group winners earning promotion. After the 1964 season, Start finished fourth out of eight possible in the Second Division.

Thus, Start remained in the second-highest division—at least for the time being!

Regardless of the football association’s changes to the league system, Start began to develop players and a team that would soon make a mark.

Harald Båsland and Reidar Flaa made their debuts for Start in 1960.

Start’s top scorers during this period:

• 1959/60 – Rolf Lie – 6 goals – 14 league matches – Hovedserien

• 1960/61 – Karl Johan Bisseth – 9 goals – 12 league matches

• 1961/62 – Harald Båsland – 16 goals – 21 league matches

• 1963 – Karl Johan Bisseth – 10 goals – 14 league matches – Second Division

• 1964 – Karl Johan Bisseth – 7 goals – 14 league matches

The chairman elected in 1955 was Sverre Heidenreich (served 1955, 1958).

The subsequent chairmen were Erling Svendsen (1956, 1957), Frank Pedersen (1959), Finn Hansen (1960), Oldman A. Bueklev (1961, 1962), and Erik Stallemo(1963, 1964).

Internationally at the end of the period: Liverpool FC became English league champions in 1964, and Lyn won the Norwegian league the same year. In the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 1964, Hungary won the Olympic football gold medal for the first time.

Martin Luther King Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Overview of final results and standings during this period. Home matches were played at Kristiansand Stadion:

• 1955/56 – Regional League South/West Norway, Group A: 1st place – Cup 1955: Round 1

• 1956/57 – Regional League South/West Norway, Group A: 4th place – Cup 1956: Round 2

• 1957/58 – Regional League South/West Norway, Group A: 4th place – Cup 1957: Round 2

• 1958/59 – Regional League South/West Norway, Group A: 1st place – Cup 1957: Round 1

• 1959/60 – Hovedserien, Group A: 8th place – Cup 1959: Round 3

• 1960/61 – Regional League South/West Norway, Group A: 1st place – Cup 1960: Round 3

• 1961/62 – Regional League South/West Norway, Group A: 1st place – Cup 1961: Round 2

• 1962/63 – Regional League South/West Norway, Group A: 1st place – Cup 1962: Round 1

• 1963 – 2nd Division, Group A: 3rd place – Cup 1963: Round 2

• 1964 – 2nd Division, Group A: 4th place – Cup 1964: Round 3

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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 season.